Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: mechanical speedo, does it need electricity?
smart51

posted on 18/12/07 at 08:37 AM Reply With Quote
mechanical speedo, does it need electricity?

I've rebuilt my instrument cluster with a new recalibrated fascia. I connected a drill to the speedo cable and it took 8 seconds to coun't up 1/10 of a mile. Thats about 45 MPH. The speedo needle didn't turn at all. Does the speedo bit need power applied to work?
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Humbug

posted on 18/12/07 at 08:40 AM Reply With Quote
Are there any lecky terminals (apart from lighting)? If so, you prolly need power!
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 18/12/07 at 08:43 AM Reply With Quote
You'll need electrickery for the light - which you'll need to pass the SVA. You have to be able to read the speedo whether it's day or night.






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
smart51

posted on 18/12/07 at 08:46 AM Reply With Quote
No, does it need electricity for the speedo arm to turn. The odometer counts up miles so I know the mechanical connection is OK. Its just that the speedo needle stayed still


It is a combined instrument cluster so there are lots of wires. My donor is in pieces and I'd have to plug everything back in to get the speedo working.

What I want to know is have I broken it by pulling the needle off and then pushing it back on again.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
bonzoronnie

posted on 18/12/07 at 08:49 AM Reply With Quote
Instrument cluster

What car did the instrument cluster come from ? .

Cable driven speedo's are usually mechanical.

Ronnie

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
nitram38

posted on 18/12/07 at 08:57 AM Reply With Quote
Did you turn the drill the right way?
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Mr Whippy

posted on 18/12/07 at 08:59 AM Reply With Quote
did you put the needle back on behind the little peg and then lift it over the peg to set at zero? There should be a small dot about a cm anti-clockwise of the zero peg, put it on there and that creates the small amount of spring tension needed.

take a look at this mini speedo, see where it says H/B below is a small white line, that is where the needle should point when first fitted

[Edited on 18/12/07 by Mr Whippy] Rescued attachment mini_speedometer_001.jpg
Rescued attachment mini_speedometer_001.jpg






Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
smart51

posted on 18/12/07 at 09:13 AM Reply With Quote
I turned the drill both ways to be sure I was turning the right way. The odometer counted up 1/10 of a mile in the right direction.

I set the needle slightly below the peg for zero. There is no calibration mark. Even If Id set it too high or too low, I'd expect it to turn a bit.

Its off a piaggio X8 by the way.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Mr Whippy

posted on 18/12/07 at 09:27 AM Reply With Quote
oh well next thing then is to find the live and the earth wire and plug her in





Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
02GF74

posted on 18/12/07 at 10:25 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
I've rebuilt my instrument cluster with a new recalibrated fascia. I connected a drill to the speedo cable and it took 8 seconds to coun't up 1/10 of a mile. Thats about 45 MPH. The speedo needle didn't turn at all. Does the speedo bit need power applied to work?


To answer the question, mechanical speedo does not need power and works by using eddy currents from a rotating magnet.

I cannot work out from your post if you have taken the speedometer apart or not but the magnet is fixed onto the shaft so unlikely that is the problem.

The direction you should turn the drive is that same direction as the mph scale increases so if looking at it from the front as scale is clockwise, then drill must spin anti-clockwise.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
smart51

posted on 18/12/07 at 05:08 PM Reply With Quote
It turns out that I'd pushed the needle on too far and it was rubbing against the fascia. Pulling it back a bit made it work. Phew.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.