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speedometer issue om 91 f150

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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 04:29 PM
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speedometer issue om 91 f150

I live in Michgan and the past 2 winters the speedometer quits working in the winter, and starts again in the spring! There is a cable and wires coming out of the back of the trans, I am guessing the cable drives the odometer and the speedometer is electrical? I have checked both, the electrical connector and the cable, they both seem fine. has anyone else had this issue?
 
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 10:15 PM
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From: Lafayette, IN
Both your speedo and odo should be cable-driven (same one) in that vintage. But, to know what the wire is, we would need to know more about your truck--engine, tranny, 4x2 or 4x4, etc.

Jason
 
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 12:10 AM
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Maybe there's a chance you have water in there thats freezing your speedo gear in place? :O

Just a random thought. Haha.
 
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 12:27 PM
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well it is a 4x2, has the 300 6, and has the 4 speed auto (3+overdrive). The funny thing is the speedometer will jump around, from maxed out back to somewhere near the speed I am driving, to maxed out. yet, the odometer still works. That is one of the reasons I thought they worked differently.
 
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 04:21 PM
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It sounds like the cable is sticking, winding up and then popping free. When it pops free, the speedometer end unwinds faster than the steady speed on the transmission side causing the speedometer needle to surge to much higher speeds than you're actually traveling.
 
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 05:58 PM
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yeah, I understand how that would happen. But, my speedometer spends most of the time maxed out, or at least above the speed I am actually going. I will pay closer attention to it tomorrow. If that is what is happening, would a shot of wd-40 help? what else could I do? thanks
 
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 09:02 PM
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This issue was fairly common in the 50's and 60's vintage cars.
The solution then was to pull the cable out of the sheath, wipe it clean as possible, then grease it generously , and reinstall it.
Check the cable for damage while you have it out.
Good luck Frank
 
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 09:11 PM
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But, my speedometer spends most of the time maxed out, or at least above the speed I am actually going.
Is this only in the winter?
 
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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 10:16 AM
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yes this only does it in the winter. my guess is moisture gets in there and freezes. It will be fine by March or April, if I don't fix it before then. I just think it is funny that when I am going 5mph in a parking lot, the speedometer is maxed out! Also the odometer still works and is accurate.
 
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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 05:04 PM
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It sounds like something might be sticking in the speedometer head since the odometer continues to work, but I don't know why it would be a winter-only problem.
 
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Old Jan 20, 2009 | 07:23 AM
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Similar problem

My speedo has periodically bounced at speed. This morning, it was bouncing worse than normal and then began buzzing loudly and wrapped back around to the peg. It would return to 0 when stopped and then pick back up to the buzzing after about 35mph. It also hung around 5-10 a couple of times when stopped and a quick whack to the dash made it drop back to zero. The ODO seems to be working fine. Has anyone sucessfully repaired this problem? Can you disassemble the speedo head independantly from the ODO? Would lubing the speedo solve the problem? I plan on lubing the cable, but wanted to know if the speedo needs work while I have it out.

90 f150 4x4 AOD

Thanks,

BroncoBasher
 
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