I have taken the instrument cluster out to change over the lights to LED's and also to paint the needles on my 78 F150 and I'm wandering if I should spray some Teflon lube into the speedometer cable, or maybe take it off from the T18 tranny and see if I can pull it out of the shielding to clean it then lube it? I'm sure someone's been there and done that? Guidance is always appreciated

 

I'm interested this as well, my uncle's 75 has a speedo that seems to have started catching, will go from 30 to trying to wrap around, like something is sticking - and if I recall how these clusters are built, it's not at the tranny, but rather something in the cluster that is sticking, but was curious the best way of getting rid of this with some sort of lubrication.

 

Not sure about lube, but sometimes the connection on the back of the speedo isn't correct, if removed. It slides in there a ways, and can be tricky.

 

I use the "dry" teflon lube from Liquid Wrench.

 

Now I can see why half of the instrument cluster was blue and half was white, the tabs to keep the round blue light filters were broke off and one must have fallen off. I'll mix up some epoxy and carefully glue them on to the cluster back shell. I have six LEDs and there are nine lamps not counting the one by the wiper and light switch so I'll keep the turn indicators and bright headlight indicator incandescent for at least now.

 

The cable comes out from the inst cluster end. Pull it out, check for kinks(replace if needed). Wipe down the cable solvent of your choice. I use white lube, but teflon would be ok. Lube the whole cable at once - can be messy or lube it as you slide the cable back in the housing -can be messy too. I like to lightly lube the last few inches to keep lubricant out of the cluster.
Also check to make sure the housing is not kinked or resting on exhaust pipe.

 

I'm done with that project and it was fairly easy. I did pull out the speedometer cable and wiped it down then shot some TriFlow in the end while reinserting it in the sheath. For the cluster, I painted the needles using a piece of paper set behind the needles to make sure no paint got on the back of the gauges. I took everything apart and cleaned it all up, lubed the windshield wiper mechanism while accessible and put it all back together. Now I just need to wait until 10pm to see how it looks.... Thanks again for the help! And I'm putting the needle paint on the parts for sale forum for $5, I hardly touched it. Mark

 

Inside the speedo cable housing is a woven steel core which needs to be lubed every so often.

When the lube dries out, the cable binds up inside the housing and snaps.

Autoparts stores sell a universal woven steel core it. Cut it to length, coat with graphite, install in the housing.
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hermancm: Your truck has the original POS composition cluster back that can TURN TO DUST before your very eyes!

1981: FoMoCo came out with hard plastic cluster backs for Econolines, were used as the service part replacements for the POS composition cluster backs.

Some of the POS's were replaced under warranty, some were not. There are two different types, with oil & amp gauges, with oil/amp warning lights.

E1PZ-10848-A .. Hard Plastic Cluster Back-Use with Oil/Amp gauges / Obsolete / CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS in Concord NC has 547 = 800-476-0653.

Applications: 1981/91 Econoline / Service part replacement: 1976/79 F100/350 / 1976/80 Econoline / 1978/79 Bronco.
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E1PZ-10848-B .. Hard Plastic Cluster Back-Use with Oil/Amp warning lights / Obsolete / CARPENTER has 96.

Applications: 1981/86 Econoline / Service part replacement: 1976/79 F100/350 / 1976/80 Econoline / 1978/79 Bronco.

 

Thanks much for that info! I'm going to print it and put it in my truck file. I did notice that the back seemed to be a different plastic than the front and the screw holes are disintegrating just by handling the back shell. I got it all back together though with the help of epoxy... Thanks again ND! Repped.

 

Turned to dust is right...what did they make these things out of? Compressed powdered body odor?! Because that is what it smells like! I spent most of the morning patching mine back together as well. If you need any ideas, JB and a crap load of duct tape should hold it!

 

Why patch the terd? You patch it one place, sooner or later...usually sooner, it will turn to dust in another!

Go to a junkyard and get the entire instrument cluster from a 1981/86 Econoline (oil/amp warning lights) or 1981/91 Econoline (oil/amp gauges).

Or buy a NOS gen-u-ine Ford original cluster back from Carpenter.

Oil/Amp gauges: The printed circuit board is the same: 1976/79 F100/350 / 1976/91 Econoline / 1978/79 Bronco.

Oil/Amp warning lights: The printed circuit board is the same: 1979 F100/350 & Bronco / 1979/86 Econoline.

 

Yea, I'm sure in the not too distant future I will get it before it becomes tough to find. That means within the next year. The whole thing is coming back out after it cools down tonight since I don't have any cluster lights now. I checked all of the fuses under the dash and they are all ok. I checked voltage at the 1445 bulb by the light and wiper switch and I have 12 volts there but that light is out too. And I tapped off of those wires for the new mech oil pressure gauge and it lights up just fine... I haven't checked that 1445 wiper/light switch bulb and don't have one to replace it. I live 40 miles from any parts store but might have to get a few soon. My blinker indicators work (incandescents) but when I turn the key to start the truck the alt light (LED) flashes quickly instead of staying on until the truck starts. The oil light does nothing, (LED) it used to come on too until startup. The brake light never did come on and I haven't gotten to that yet. (bulb may have been burnt out?) I always set my parking brake and I'd like to see the brake light come on when it's set if they did that in 78...?

 

For a "sticky" cable once u take it loose from speedo tape funnel to end and tape or wire upright and fill up over cable end and let sit for bit. Overnight best.

 

Have an 1893 bulb (1.9 candlepower) or an 1895 bulb (2 candlepower)? Substitute for the 1445 bulb (1 candlepower) and see what happens.