speedometer
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 215
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
It could also be the drive gear, or the gauge.
Best thing to do is to pull the speedo cable and take a look at it. To do this you need to gain access to the back of the instrument panel. Disconnect the battery and remove the dash components surrounding the instrument panel. With the instrument panel loosened you can reach behind it and press the quick release holding the speedometer cable conduit. With the conduit detached from the back of the instrument panel you should see a piece of white plastic. Grab hold of this and gently pull the cable out. If it's obviously damaged you'll have to replace it. To replace it, clean and lube it (with cable lube) then push it back into the conduit, twisting as you go to ease it on its way. At the end make sure it engages the drive by twisting it a full turn. It should drop about 1/2 inch into place.
It's really easy to do this, just a bit time-consuming to remove the instrument panel.
Does the odometer still work, by the way?
Best thing to do is to pull the speedo cable and take a look at it. To do this you need to gain access to the back of the instrument panel. Disconnect the battery and remove the dash components surrounding the instrument panel. With the instrument panel loosened you can reach behind it and press the quick release holding the speedometer cable conduit. With the conduit detached from the back of the instrument panel you should see a piece of white plastic. Grab hold of this and gently pull the cable out. If it's obviously damaged you'll have to replace it. To replace it, clean and lube it (with cable lube) then push it back into the conduit, twisting as you go to ease it on its way. At the end make sure it engages the drive by twisting it a full turn. It should drop about 1/2 inch into place.
It's really easy to do this, just a bit time-consuming to remove the instrument panel.
Does the odometer still work, by the way?
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 215
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
It sounds like the cable or gear then.
I recently pulled the speedo. cable on my BII because the speedometer was becoming increasingly erratic, after being noisy for some time. The cable seemed to be binding when I removed it. I cleaned and lubed it, put it back, and it seems to be okay now. It still fluctuates a little around 10-15 mph, but before cleaning it would jump between, e.g., 75 and 85 mph when I was cruising at constant speed.
I recently pulled the speedo. cable on my BII because the speedometer was becoming increasingly erratic, after being noisy for some time. The cable seemed to be binding when I removed it. I cleaned and lubed it, put it back, and it seems to be okay now. It still fluctuates a little around 10-15 mph, but before cleaning it would jump between, e.g., 75 and 85 mph when I was cruising at constant speed.
New User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: D/FW TEXAS
Familliar problem. My BII speedo seems to be reading about 5 mph high up to 45 mph. I'm not sure if this value stays the same above this. I checked my speed with one of those portable speed traps many cities setup. Would this likley be the cable, (since it does jump sometimes), or mite the gauge itself be defective? 1985 BII, 2.8L, 4x4
reddeer52
reddeer52
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 215
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
Are you running on small tires?
Is the odomoter recording distance correctly?
I would go ahead and clean/lube the cable. It probably could use the attention. I procrastinated doing this for a long time, but it turned out to be really easy.
If you know the cable's OK and the odometer is correct then the gauge is likely at faut.
Is the odomoter recording distance correctly?
I would go ahead and clean/lube the cable. It probably could use the attention. I procrastinated doing this for a long time, but it turned out to be really easy.
If you know the cable's OK and the odometer is correct then the gauge is likely at faut.
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Joe Kucinski
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 392
Likes: 0
From: Lower Rainland British Columbia, Canada
Bronco 2: Check the drive gear. My speedo did the same thing as yours and then died. I replaced it and it was still bouncing around until I replaced the tranny end gear.
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msalvetti
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Jan 19, 2002 12:51 PM