Speedo cable servicing

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Gareth Wales
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Speedo cable servicing

Post by Gareth Wales »

Has anyone devised a means of lubricating or otherwise servicing the speedo cable(s) with a view to lengthening their life before having to replace them - and endure the wind-screen-wiper-like speedo needle behaviour so BX typical?
Stewart (oily!)
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Post by Stewart (oily!) »

I have tried lubricating them with aerosol lube from the top when I was changing dash bulbs, but have been warned that oily stuff could creep up the cable and get into the speedometer workings, mine is currently wavering lots, a passenger remarked "Vegila speedo, vaguely around thirty MPH" and to cap it all the thing has started ticking too! especially when its cold, I suppose something very thin and liquid might help a bit.
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Post by ellevie »

Mine has started to make an annoying ticking noise as well as wobbling. It doesn't seem to be that easy to get at !
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Post by DavidRutherford »

I've yet to own a french car that doesn't have a wobbly speedo!

You have to be careful though, as if oil gets into the speedo head, it will read massively over the correct speed.

All I've ever done is taken the inner out, cleaned it with wd40 or similar, and then dried it before putting back together. Aparently they're designed to run dry.
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Post by Geoffrey Gould »

Hello mine is the same, did toy with the idea of using a couple of right angle gear boxes ( because 2 sharp bends because ot the change from LHD to our RHD is the problem.) but thought the cost would be prohibative, when the dash bulbs go then am going to try dry lube ie graphite to see if that will do the job.
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Post by Stewart (oily!) »

I have just had a flash of inspiration, when I used to play with tuning air rifles we used to use a molybdenum powder in a solvent suspension, it went in as a liquid then the solvent evaporated leaving slippery moly powder, that would do the job, all my dash bulbs are working at the moment so I will put off the moment.
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Post by Geoffrey Gould »

Hi that sounds just the ticket Stewart, any idea of the name of the product, can think of a number of uses for something like that.
Thank you.
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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

I recently fitted two brand new speedo cable to Tims TZD, I'm told it was a 100% success.

And I know they're not expensive.
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Post by Gareth Wales »

So, Ken, any hints or tips. In the past I've tried for months to get rid of the quivering needle.
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Post by AlanS »

Bob Smith told me when he visited me a yaer or two back that he had sprayed silicone spray at the back of his right on where the cable fits into the back. Thn he worked the fitting round and back and forth until it felt smooth as he claims (and rightly so) that any tightness at the point where it actually spins must have a big effect on the smooth running of the speedo. He tells me his speedo was as steady as could be long after he did this and no nasty side effects. Silicone spray doesn't attract dust and I'm pretty sure it also doesn't "creep" so is a safe conveyance around that fitting.
Also read this write up I did a while back which I found quite successful also.

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... php?t=6418


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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

Gareth Wales wrote:So, Ken, any hints or tips. In the past I've tried for months to get rid of the quivering needle.
Have tried fitting new cables? and if so are they run in the correct routing, it's much easier to run them in an incorrect route but you will get tight bends and thus problems.

the correct route can be difficult but worth the effort. I put one in MNDEs BX16 in about 10mins went in with no poblem, but when I did Tims TZD it took much longer. :?
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Post by Vanny »

Have a look in the back of Practical Classic or similar and there is a guy who makes up replacement speedo's. I reckon a decent one of them with more flexibility and extra length would solve the problem permanantly, however i've no idea how stupicly expensive they would be!
tim leech

Post by tim leech »

Kens right I know own a bx with a one hundred percent wobble free speedo! That got be a good reason to buy my BX isnt it? My newly aquired TZS has a bit of a flutter at low speeds!
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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

Mine wiggles too and ticks when cold but i have left it alone its been like it 5 years with no problems.
I have learned to live with it. :lol: :lol:
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Post by tim leech »

All of mine have been the same even when my 16v had a new speedo! Was lovely to sit in and look at all them zeros, just wish I could have bought a brand new one! I passed my test in 1991 but couldnt afford one sadly until about 1996 by and the it was 6 years old with 80k. :(
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