SalzundPfeffer

I have an '84 N/A. Just recently I have noticed that the speedometer bounces quite a bit during acceleration. The speedo finally indicates the right speed after the oscillation in the gauge stops. For example, if I accelerate from a stop light, the gauge will bounce all over during acceleration. Once I keep the cars speed constant, the gauge will finally settle on the right speed.

It's really not a huge issue at this point since it ultimately will indicate the right speed. Albiet it's annoying. I am kind of worried about it eventually not indicating the right speed and then finally crapping out on me.

I have checked the boards but have not found much relating to this issue. I hope it is a cable at this point, since these apparently wear out over time. Has anyone else had this problem or have any ideas? My odometer doesn't work, so I am planning on tearing that open to try and repair that soon. Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone.

-bp

MrTom

I have the same issue. Cruise cuts out randomly and the speedo goes to zero. I am 99% sure it is the gear on the tranny. When I replaced my transmission I noticed there was electrical tape holding it in. Ala the PO used the tape to hold the cable/gear in its spot. I have yet to fix it.

DarylJ

Binding speedo cables do this before they eventually break. You may be able to lubricate it and get some more life out of it, but you probably need to replace it.

jtsporsche

im gonna bring this thread back to life.
i have the same problem as the OP indicated, but i just developed a new one.

last night driving home from work i kept hearing a series of 2 or 3 clicks (loud) coming from the guage cluster. and i noticed with every click, the speedo would bounce up about 10-15 mph.
this happened while accelerating and cruising at any speed

it hasnt done it since, but im worried something is gonna break soon. any advice??

thanks,
Justin

DarylJ

What car do you have? Is this an electronic or a cable one? My 85.5 had that issue when I first got it....all of the electronics basically needed to be disconnected, cleaned, and re-installed because it was a flood car. The best I can figure is that one of the harnesses on the gauge cluster was periodically losing contact, and the click seemed to be the needle hitting the ends of its travel. Cleaning up the gauge cluster and the connectors solved that, and I haven't had an issue since (3 years ago).

If you car has a cable, I'm guessing you noticed this when it was particularly cold out. The older they get, the less lubrication is left in there, and they get pissy about working in the cold. You can replace the cable, or, do it like I did in my old VW Beetle - take it out, drip the WD-40 in it and try to get as much as you can in there and re-install.

jtsporsche

i have an '87 924S. i dont know if its electrical or a cable, and it was cold.
anyone know how hard it is to get to and lube the cable?

P.S.- old VW beetles rule!

DarylJ

Not sure, but I think all of the 924's are cable. Someone please confirm.

And yeah....my '69 was bad ***. Too bad I crashed it. It came to me with fiberglass buckets, VDO gauges, 5-point harnesses, a roll cage, and a 150+ HP motor. I bought it non-running, with a locked up transaxle when I was 15. I got it back together by the time I was 17, and promptly did many, many stupid things with it. They eventually came around to bit me in the ***.

Erzengal

They do that. Especially when left in the cold for a while. Lubricate the Cable some, and see if that helps.

Mine only does it now after left overnight in >30*f weather on some occasions. After the car warms up it goes away.

jstand22

that's ok.....when you get pulled over and the cop asks "do you know how fast you were going?" you can truthfully say "actually no I don't."

jtsporsche

the cable not being lubricated very well wont damage anything will it?

DarylJ

It will wear the cable out faster and possibly break it. I don't know that I've ever heard of damage to anything else from it though. I think the cable is intentionally the weakest link in the system.

944Ross

My '84 is also doing the jumps, which corresponds to the odo gear slipping and not rotating the wheels.

jtsporsche

clarks doesnt mention anything about this, so how and where do you lube the cable?

my problem is also getting worse. its happening all the time, and the clicking/bouncing speed increases with my speed

DarylJ

I don't know what the cable ends look like on your car, but on the Beetles you could drip oil into either side inside of the screw connection that has the actual rotating cable coming out of the middle. I completely removed mine to make it easy to get gravity working in my favor and kept on going until I had oil coming out the other end.

FRporscheman

Cool, I was just about to ask how one lubricates a cable. I was imagining taking the cable out and greasing it, or carefully squishing a bunch of grease into one end. I like the oil idea.