Hello, speedometer.....

K

Keithtr

Newbie
Hello folks, first time on the forum :)

I have a 1949 buick Roadmaster series 70 that i just got out of storage here in upstate ny.... it was a bucket of rust 4 years ago and i restored it.... not completly but it looks good and is a good driver but last summer was my first summer on the road with it and it mostly held up fine....
but at the end of the summer the speedomoter started going whacky.... it started makeing an awful racket and the needle started jumping all over the place.
I reached around and unscrewed the cable and fiddled a bit thinking it was just slipping and then re attached it making sure it was seated proper...
but it still is not working... doing the same awful noise and needle jumping all over the place
I am hoping someone here can give me a fix if they recognize the problem or is the speedomoter shot?
Thanks@
Keith
 
The cable lubricant has dried out. Lubricant is available at any auto parts store and is administered by disconnecting the cable at the speedometer end and running the lube down the cable. Instructions are usually on the package.
 
You should really pull the inner cable out of the outer casing. Just disconnect from rear of speedo like you have already done. Get a pair of needle nose pliers & pull out the inner cable. Disconnect the cable at the bottom. Get a can of carb. cleaner & spray it into the cable. Spray some carb. cleaner on the cable while it's hanging & wipe down with a clean rag. Install the inner cable & turn it with a drill forwards & backwards. This will get out & loosen any dried up grease. Pull the cable again & spray both with carb. cleaner again. Blow it out with compressed air. Now that it's clean/cleaner, spray brakleen in the casing & blow out. Now you can install the inner cable. I like using the Kendahl Super Blue wheel bearing grease. It's not all thick & gooey. After 10+ years if you pull the cable out I will almost guarantee it will be the same consistency. Now start the cable back into the casing. Coil it up in your hand & keep it from getting dirty. Lightly apply the grease by hand or with a small brush. Work the cable in while turning & applying the grease until the cable has only about 4-5" left. NO MORE GREASE. Hook up to speedo as before. If it still makes noise the speedo itself is at fault. We can go into that next.

Tom T.
 
actually i just thought of something:
if it was the cable, would'nt the sound be happening even when the spedomoter is not hooked up?
 
I think you are going to find the cable is broken - when it is "hooked up" pressure is making the bitter ends meet and causing the needle to jump around. when you pulled the connector, you took the pressure off and now the cable (from the trans) is just spinning.
 
If the cable was broken the speedometer needle wouldn't move at all. If the needle is jumping is just need lubrication. I have gone through this with several cars over the years.
 
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