Re: [DML] clicking/squeek (speedo diagnosis)

[Soma576@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 4/2/04 10:40:54 AM Central Daylight Time, 
edgarbade@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:


> Is this typical of a broken cable, connector falling off the back of the
> speedo, lubrication problem, comming hurricane, or something else?
> 
> Would appreciate some thoughts before I get the tools out and prove how
> "knowledgable" I am (not) this weekend.
> 
> Thanks,
> Ed
> 10541
> 

Unfortunately, by the situation you describe, It looks like your speedo drive 
just bought the farm.  luckily for you it is sunday morning and i've got 
nothing to do (except work on my OWN car) so here's the scoop:

To test:
1. lift driver's side front wheel off of ground.
2. disconnect the lower speedo cable from the lambda counter (yellow box in 
driver's side foot well with a big cable going in (lower one) and a big one 
coming out (upper).  
3.  Have a friend spin the driver's side wheel as if you were driving and 
observe the square-shaped wire inside the lower cable.  If it spins inside the 
cable, the speedo drive is probably still good.  
4. if it doesn't, remove the left front wheel.  there will be a cream-colored 
plastic cap in the middle of the wheel.  pry it off with a screwdriver and 
check for damage on the other side of it.  there should be a square-shaped 
molding in the back side.  if the molding is rounded out or damaged, you need a new 
cap at the very least.
5.  now check the metal wire pointing at you thru the hole where the cable 
came off of.  is it all shredded up, or can you pull the wire out easily (don't 
pull if it doens't come out with little effort)?  If so, you need a new angle 
drive.
6.  if it isn't shredded or disconnected, turn the steering wheel all the way 
to the passenger side.  remove the lower cable from the back side of the 
angle drive by unscrewing it.   if you see that the cable is shredded you need a 
new angle drive.
7.  if the cable isn't shredded on either side or the wire shows no damage, 
and the dust cap is good, then put the cap back on the wheel, and remember to 
carefully line it up so the square ends fit together.  
8.  spin the wheel with one hand while observing the wire in the angle drive 
that goes to the lower speedo cable (with cable still disconnected).  
9.  if the wire spins smoothly, your angle drive and cap are almost certainly 
ok.  
10.  since the lower cable didn't spin freely where you disconnected it to 
the lambda counter, this is now your problem.  the cable can be pulled out of 
the car by pulling thru the firewall.  you can pull the wire out of the cable 
and attempt to clean it and flush out the cable with 90W gear oil.  put the wire 
back in the cable and push it in, pull it out, push it in, etc until it is 
well lubricated with oil.  by this point you should be able to spin the wire 
easily on one end and see it spin on the other side.  clean up your mess and 
screw it back onto the angle drive.  spin the wheel and see if the cable freely 
spins with it.  if not, you have a bad connection between the angle drive and 
the lower cable.  it would be wise to replace the whole system (lower cable with 
the new updated shorter one, a new hardcore series angle drive from PJ Grady, 
and a new dustcap).
11.  IF HOWEVER, the lower cable spun freely during your first test when 
removing it from the lambda counter, try removing the upper cable from the counter 
and seeing if the wire spins in the top of the counter.  if it spins there, 
but not at the lower cable, you need a new lambda counter (plastic gears = 
cheap anyway).
12.  if the counter spins, you need to remove your instrument cluster (6 tiny 
nuts hold it down - they have big washers on them except the two smaller ones 
on either side of the steering column) and remove the upper cable from the 
back of the speedometer.  spin the wheel - if it doesn't spin, the upper cable 
is bad.  if it does, the speedometer gauge itself is bad.

here is the order of failure likelihood:
mostly likely: 
1. angle drive failure due to lack of lubrication or ice in the housing - 
replace the dust cap at the same time
2. cracked or damaged dust cap from an angle drive on the verge of self 
destruction
3. too long of a lower speedo cable or seized up by dirt or debris (you 
should replace the lower cable with the new style either way).
4. lambda counter internal failure (usually due to another speedo problem)
5. upper cable damage (not likely)
6. speedometer in cluster damage (not likely)

while you are replacing parts, ask Rob Grady about the lower speedo cable 
guide bracket which goes on the brake caliper.  it helps keep the lower cable 
straight during hard cornering.  you must disconnect your driver's side front 
brack to install, however.  most angle drive problems can be identified by a 
shredded cable behind the cap, with a rounded out cap (angle drive stopped turning 
while wheel kept spinning)

by following these steps, you should be able to diagnose your problem and get 
only the parts you really need.

good luck!
Andy


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