Batman 357

I think my 82 911 has developed a speedometer cable squeak. It starts after the car is warmed up and seems loudest around 20 to 30 MPH. It seems to come and go. Does this require a new cable. Is the cable about to break. Is it hard to change. If nothing is damaged I can live with it as an annoyance, for a while...

abe

I could be wrong, but I though the speedometer on the SC used electric pulses from a sender and not mechanical like the old ones.
abe

theiceman

i have never seen a cable back there .. I would think it was soemthing else squeeking ..

rusnak

no cable back there. I think my '70 914-6 has a cable, but it's been so long since I looked at it I don't recall.

This may sound dumb, but put some grease on your passenger side door latch and the little tab for the front trunk light, and the front trunk latch. These often squeak.

Batman 357

It’s speed related. Volume and pitch changes with the speed of the vehicle. It’s also louder outside the vehicle than in the interior.

I only seems to happen after the car’s been driven an hour or two.

rusnak

Batman, the clock is the easiest to remove and it is next to the speedo. Pull it out, and then use your hand to push the speedo out and remove it. You can eliminate or confirm that this is the source of the noise. Maybe it is a wheel bearing?

Batman 357

I had not thought about a wheel bearing. I’ll check. Thanks.

Batman 357

Okay guys, it’s intermittent, at 30 to 40% of the time, it’s left side probably rear area and the pitch goes up with vehicle speed. It’s not affected by gear, latteral G or RPM.

tsheehan

Check your alt. and how tight is your belt? If the car has Ac check out the pulley and the belt. You could have a loose engine tin and it gets a harmonic. Engine temp ok? oil pressure good? All susp mounts tight Half shafts tight. Radio work?

Regards
TShehan

Batman 357

Belts look okay and tension appears proper. Oil and temp are normal. It started in a parking lot today and I backed up a few car lengths. The noise stopped and has not come back, yet...

rusnak

You can eliminate the belt or alternator by running the car (very briefly) with the belts removed. You can check the bearings by coasting with the transmission in neutral. Bearings usually make a growl or groaning noise. CV joints make a clicking or clunking noise.

there is one more possibility: the upper surface of the torsion bar(s) could be rubbing against the a-arm. This happens when the a-arm bushings wear out and you have metal on metal contact. It produces a hoop-de-hoop sort of loud squeaking that most people take car of because it's so embarrasing. You can check this by removing the torsion bar, or try squirting some viscous lubricant like motorcycle chain lube up over the torsion bar.

Batman 357

There is no groaning, growling or vibration. It’s a high pitched eehh, eehh, eehh, that increases in rate and volume with vehicle speed. It’s not overpowering but noticeable if you listen. Maybe I’ll start listening to the radio.

rusnak

ok then my money is on the front torsion bar rubbing against the a-arm. the fix is to replace the a-arm bushings. Elephant Racing www.elephantracingproducts.com makes inexpensive replacement rubber bushings.

Edit: I just remembered it's ERP = Elephant Racing Products

theiceman

it's a rotational wheel noise. did you check your brakes both inboard and outboard? does the noise stop when you press your brakes ? sounds like metal on metal . It doesn't sound like a wheel bearing but you never know if the grease is gone. check brake heat shields against the rotor etc.

rusnak

I think the front wheels are vibrating and causing the torsion bar to squeak faster at speed. It will take less than a half hour to pull one side, and you'll see missing paint and wear at the top rear of the torsion bar. You should take care of it because they eventually rust and can fail.