Speedo problem

So, the 1000 tpm is in to replace the 1230 in my non od car. Unfortunately, the speedo I got now is slower than the car to come up to speed, and REALLY doesn't want to get back to zero when I get off the gas. The trip meter and odometer work just fine.
Ideas? I seem to remember that you aren't supposed to hose the works with WD -40; true?

WD-40 is not a lubricant. It's a Water Disperser, hence the WD. I once had it to actually gum up the trigger of a pistol so bad I had to push it back out to fire the next round. The speedo isn't all that hard to open up, just be very careful. There is a very fine lubricating oil available at some auto parts and hardware stores, under several different names. The container is about 1/2 inch in diameter, kind of long, with a pocket clip, and has a needle on the end. If you open the instrument check first to be sure the indicator needle isn't dragging on the face, and the little drum on the back side of the face isn't touching anything, then oil the needle shaft bushing. That's the only area that can cause the needle to be balkey and everything else work OK.

JDW hit it exactly again! Go with it.

You might want to try graphite powder. You will find it in a small tube. Just remember, a little bit of it goes a long way! If you have trouble finding it you might check with a locksmith.

Thanks guys! I'll let you know.

If the speedometer bounces up and down or jumps occasionally, it's 'windup' in the cable. If it is just lagging behind actual speed it's probably in the speedo itself. There's a liquid graphite that I use where the graphite is held in suspension in alcohol, then dries after you apply it. Never attracts dirt or hardens. Don't remember where I got it though.

Must be clairvoyant time...

Fixed mine, got tired of the bounce and noise. It comes apart easily, turned out the plastic pawl for odometer had fallen off and it was real dry (no lube). Fixed pawl prob with a small hairclip from old carb kit and lubed with Marvel Mystery oil. Removed cables, cleaned and relubed, same with right angle drive at tranny. Mine also has the service odometer on the firewall. Removed all the gears. Works much better. Bounce is down to >2 MPH and is more of a slow oscillation than bounce and no noise but is still ~5 MPH slow. Approx 3k mi. on repairs no prob so far.

www.speedometershop.com has some info on speedo's and is a place to send them for repair.

Thanks Don. My speeedo has always had the same bounce even though I changed the transmission and speedo cable. Not because of the bounce, I changed up to an OD tranny. I knew all along it wasn't the cable, I've fixed too many to not know when one is bad. I'll check out that speedo URL right away.

my speedo bounces up and down (mostly above 40) however, I hooked a drill up to it at the gear box end and it was very steady. I sent for a "new" (used) angle drive. Did I just waste some $$. Or is the angle drive the problem.

I would have replaced the cable myself. Usually, the bounce is from cable threads separating and hanging up in the casing, causing a release then catch syndrome.

then why would it work when I hok up a drill to the end of the cable?

I'm going to check into the stuff Don mentioned. It seems that none of the traditonal ailments is causing my speedo bounce I've been through mine from a$$hole to appetite and haven't found the reason.

That's bummer, man. I was wondering about that while I was posting above. Maybe it's at the gear that the angle drive hooks to, but I don't see how that could be either. Maybe we all should check out that site Don mentioned.

I checked out the site Don was telling about and I'm going to check, clean, and re-oil my speedo head.

i get my light weight oil to lube parts from a sewing machine repair facility.. they have all sorts of ways of applying the oil into the gears and areas of the machine..just an FYI

Have you thought of just replacing it? Of course, I don't know the condition of your equipment, but some times the aggravation is not worth it. Or, it might just be a challenge to get it to work correctly. I've been bitten by that bug before, too. Anyway, as an optional thought, you might try some of the auction sites for the availability of a new one. I picked up a NIB spare (just in case) tach and speedometer on e-bay. About $75 each. Sounds better than the challenge, for me. So far I haven't had to use them.

You have to go thru the total package. Cable, housing, lube etc. Like Chris said, it could be a broken strand or grit or.... In my case it seemed like it was an accumulation, mostly needed cleaning and lube. Although, I suspect the service odometer gears were a big contributor.

The web site mentions that speedo magnets get weak after years. That maybe enough justification to send it off for rebuild.

One last thought...was at local parts house last pm and wrapped my paws around a new Stewart Warner "Wings" old style guage. Teardrop pointer, curved glass, trick old style lettering etc, etc. They are making a full compliment of guages including speedo. Speedo is electronic with analog face and odometer. Uses a Hall effect drive that screws onto your existing tranny output drive and can be calibrated by the user. Speedo/Tach is 3-3/8" dia, fuel/water is 2-1/16 dia. Have to confess, I was smitten, new dash layout/mod in progress... www.stewartwarner.com

It's the challange Ed. The old man who taught me the auto repair trade always said, "If it was made by sombody and it screws up, you can fix it." And I've always been able to for the most part. Electronics not included. FYI the only alternator and starter I've ever bought for a vehicle were burned up by some clutz who was trying to steal the car. The rest I performed preventative maintenance on and they never gave me any trouble. As a pro I rebuilt countless starters, alternators, carburators, even generators. It's just my nature, I don't back off from anything; it has to be a hopeless case or I don't like and item before I'll replace it. When I replace an item I don't like it's always with something I think is better than it. It's all just a learning experiance to me. The more I tinker with something the more I know about it.

I've been through the whole thing, but I don't think I spent enough time in the speedo head. I had it apart to install a new "glass" I had made. At the time I had never driven the car so I just oiled the works inside not knowing that there was a problem with it. The jumping doesn't really bother me that much. I still have my stopwatch and tach in the car. It's been jumping for five years and I may or may not get around to fixing it this year. I don't get too excited about minor stuff.