Speedometer Problem (cleaning?)
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Speedometer Problem (cleaning?)
The speedometer is not working properly on my 95 F150. Other than a slight 1-2 mpg fluctuaion it works fine around town at speeds under 55. After that it works, but jumps. Whatever speed I am going it will drop 5-10 mph and come back up. It never goes faster. At speeds aroung 70 or faster it just goes nuts. This is beyond the point of irritating now. I can't use cruise control either because of this. I replaced the sensor on the rear end which didn't help. I have decided to replace the speedometer. My local dealer said that was what is wrong with it as well. Does anyone know where I can get a new speedometer with out getting the whole cluster. They want almost 400 bucks for a new one. That's for one that doesn't even have a tach. I have an aftermarket tach so I'm not concerned about that. Does anyone know where I can get a speedo by itself? I have looked on ebay. No success there. Since it is all electric I was thinking it is a problem with contacts. Is there a way to clean or repair these? If so, is it worth doing or will the problem come right back in a month? 
Last edited by TexasGuy001; Jan 11, 2006 at 05:49 AM.
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From: houston
Almost any junkyard should have instrument clusters. Just swap out the speedo and see if it fixes or at least changes your problem. I wouldn't just swap complete clusters as there are differences for certain years. Good luck.
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Are 92-96 instrument clusters the same. From what I have seen a couple times it looks likt 92-93 is different from 94-96. They look the same though. I don't want to buy one off ebay and have it be the wrong connector or something like that. Does anyone know if they are indeed different?
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From: Akron, OH
Yes, I can confirm that the wiring is someone different from year to year. The connectors themselves are the same, but some of the pinouts changed. However, if you are only going to use the speedometer portion of the cluster, you can probably get away with using a different year. Save yourself the hassle and just make sure you get the correct year. Its not worth the trouble to experiement like I did. 
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: LA and CO
First, I'd pop off the diff cover and make sure all of the teeth are still on the tone ring. Also make sure the tone ring teeth are clean too. If that's OK, reassemble and refill to the prope rlevel with gear oil. the tone ring could be broken, full of metal shavings, or the fluid level could be low.
I have seen all of them cause the bouncing speedo. Do this first since it's cheap to pull the cover and refill it.
SPEEDOS>>>>> Try to find one from the same year truck. FWIW, I upgraded my cluster to a fact tach equipped one. I also had a drifty speedo needle. The "new" speedo drifts too. I doubt it's bad. Most probably the dirty tone ring, etc... I'll be pulling the diff cover soon to see.
I have seen all of them cause the bouncing speedo. Do this first since it's cheap to pull the cover and refill it.
SPEEDOS>>>>> Try to find one from the same year truck. FWIW, I upgraded my cluster to a fact tach equipped one. I also had a drifty speedo needle. The "new" speedo drifts too. I doubt it's bad. Most probably the dirty tone ring, etc... I'll be pulling the diff cover soon to see.
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I'll try cleaning my excitor or tone ring. When I replaced the sensor on top of the rear axle it seemed to fix the problem for a day or two. Then the problem came back. I wasn't sure if it had anything to do with the problem or not since it is unpredictable. I thought maybe it was just having a better day. When I replaced that sensor, the old one had some debris on it. It was magnetized and had little shavings on it. I assume they are from the limited slip disks wearing out.
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When cleaning off the tone ring should I use anything special or just a clean rag? Its magnetized correct?
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From: Goodrich IL
No the tone ring is not magnetized, the speed sensor is.
If there is metal shavings on the sensor, not good!
Very..very fine metalic looking in the oil is somewhat normal.
Pull the wheels & cover, I use a can or 2 of starting fluid to clean
it out, rotate the ring rear while spraying, use a clean rag also.
If you have LS dont forget to add the slip additive...which I doubt still works?
Diffs are not cheap to rebuild, and finding a shop that will do it correctly
at a fair price is far and few!
It's a good ideal for anyone with a older truck to flush out frt and rear diffs.
BTW I just happen to be one of those far and few shops that do gear work
at a very fair price.
Gene
If there is metal shavings on the sensor, not good!
Very..very fine metalic looking in the oil is somewhat normal.
Pull the wheels & cover, I use a can or 2 of starting fluid to clean
it out, rotate the ring rear while spraying, use a clean rag also.
If you have LS dont forget to add the slip additive...which I doubt still works?
Diffs are not cheap to rebuild, and finding a shop that will do it correctly
at a fair price is far and few!
It's a good ideal for anyone with a older truck to flush out frt and rear diffs.
BTW I just happen to be one of those far and few shops that do gear work
at a very fair price.
Gene
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Ok, so it is the sensor that is magnetized. That's why the shavings etc stuck to it. I have serviced it several times, probably about twice as often as recommended and I am not hard on my truck. I hope the rear end is not going out. How much fluid does it take to fill the 8.8? Its 5.5 pints right? I have been using Sta Lube 80W90 with LS hypoid additive. I still don't understand why the ABS light is not on.
Fleet Owner
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From: Easton,Ks
Originally Posted by TexasGuy001
Are 92-96 instrument clusters the same. From what I have seen a couple times it looks likt 92-93 is different from 94-96. They look the same though. I don't want to buy one off ebay and have it be the wrong connector or something like that. Does anyone know if they are indeed different?
The POSM part of the cluster may be the same from 1993 through 1996 but you would have to disassemble both clusters and put the POSM back in the other one. The POSM is a small board inside the cluster.
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From: Akron, OH
Originally Posted by subford
They also have a different pinout and wiring in the same year if one has a Tachometer and the other does not.
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From: Easton,Ks
Originally Posted by KW160
The pinout is the same regardless if the cluster has a tach or not.