Wha???

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:26 pm

I left the valver standing for four days while I went off in the ZXZ to visit my folks... returned and... the speedo doesn't work. Why would that happen? It was working fine before I left!

I guess the car was pi***d off with me for taking the ZX!

What are the first checks I should make to determine what the fault is exactly - has it just gone 'ping' and I must replace it?

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:47 pm

What you need to do is give the 16v a good wash, polish and valet and everything will be back to normal...won't hurt to murmur sweet nothings to it at the same time promising to be faithful and never to stray to a diesel again.
Seriously though, my money would be on the cable. You can rule out the speedo drive from the gearbox by removing the cable from the gearbox and turning the inner cable with a drill. if the speedo works, the problem is with the drive from the gearbox

, if not then it's either the cable or the speedo head.
I'm not sure how to test the speedo itself without substituting the cable - maybe someone else has some ideas?

Post by **docchevron** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:57 pm

Ok, was it wobbling badly before it failed?

The only way to test the head directley is to remove the instrument binnacle and stick a small electrical screwdriver into the square cable port and turn it.
If the needle lifts it's the cable.
It's almost unheard of for the drive piece in the box to fail unless the diff bearings have escaped out of the box.
And you'd rather notice that.....

Most likely the cable's bitten the dust. Replace both pieces if that is the case.
The lower cable is a bit of a faff on valvers, if it's routed properly..

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:04 pm

No wobble before. I guess I will replace the cable. Might as well...

simonbx17 · Post by **simonbx17** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:12 pm

i've got speedo wobble does this mean my cables about to go or is it my speedo

Post by **docchevron** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:16 pm

Nothing unusal about speedo wobble at all, most BX's do!
It's just the cable "snagging" slightley, caused by
A: the angles the cable runs through from the box to the head
B: Since the cable spends alot of time at rest it leaves a "memory" in the outer cable, over the years the inner cable starts to "skip" on these and causes wobble.
You always know if the head itself is causing the wobble as there is a noise that emits from it that sounds like a really loud analogue clock ticking quickley, and it nearly always improves after the heater in the car has been on a while, or it's the middle of summer and warm.

simonbx17 · Post by **simonbx17** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:27 pm

yeah i used to get this on my rd was always when it was cold in the morning it be a loud ticking

so shall i replace my cable then as i don't get any ticking noise

thanks doc

Post by **docchevron** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:52 pm

Other thing to bear in mind is how the cable is routed.
I'm sure it's been discussed on here before, but try to avoid any sharp turns, which is actually rather easy except for the last twist towards the speedo head itself...

simonbx17 · Post by **simonbx17** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:18 pm

cheers matey

i will heed your advice doc

Post by **docchevron** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:04 am

simonbx17 wrote: i will heed your advice doc

Why? No-one else does!

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:19 am

Sorry to hijack this thread Phil (even worse when I say that it's not about a BX, worse still when I say it's about a 16v 205

) but the 205 we have is showing the same problem. I have just followed my own advice and found the speedo is spinning nicely using a drill.
Does anyone know whether it is possible to replace the drive gear fairly easily, or is it a gearbox strip down job?

Oh, well, at least I know, rather that than selling it saying that it's probably the cable and misleading the new owner...

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:56 am

It's actually quite easy to get to the gearbox end drive. One bit comes out where the cable joins the gearbox.. just the one bolt and the drive gear is out. To get the bit out of the gearbox you have to remove both driveshafts, and then drop the diff out by removing the diff cover.

However, I (like Doc) have never heard of a BE-type gearbox breaking it's drivegears. I'd expect the cable to be broken.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:45 am

Mat - have a very good look at the cable - apparently there are loads of problems with Land Rover cables at the moment - many of which are due to the cable not gripping the gearbox drive due to poor ends being formed on them.

I'd suggest re-fitting the cable to the gearbox and trying to rotate it. If its turning you may be able to flatten the cable and make it grip.

Seems most of the repro LR cables themselves are OK - but instead of having a nice square formed on them they are simply flattened and don't grip the drive properly.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:47 am

Are all BX speedo cables the same?

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:11 pm

4x4's and smaller engined cars have a different cable (routing and gearbox differences i guess), though the cable behind the dash is likely the same on all of them. It seems that the 16v cable fails engine side as a result of the high heat given out by the exhaust, so you probably want to try changin the lower cable first (a no tool job thats very easy to do) as its well wortht he £20 for the cable compared to the hassle of taking the dash to bits!