doo600

My odometer is broken. It is stuck at 106903. You see the numbers click and try and turn when driving but it won't move. I would like to try and repair this but not going to waste my time if it's a huge deal. I'm not trying to roll back the odometer or something unethical. I inherited this car and it has a lot of sentimental value. I have no plans on selling just cleaning it up and using it as a sunday driver.

Mike Frye

There are lots of threads on how to replace the broken odometer gear.

I think the relative difficulty depends on your skill level and the model year of your car. The earlier ones with no airbag on the wheel are probably easier than the later ones with it (though I'm not sure on this point).

I can remove my pod and get the circuit board out in less than an hour but I've done it twice (and need to do it again in the next few weeks). The first time it was a couple of hour job in each direction. If you search you'll find writeups by me and by Dwayne that will walk you through it, along with many others.

It's kind of a right of passage since this is a common wear item.

Good luck!

doo600

Great! I have an 84 with no air bag and I have a pretty good skill level. Great to hear this is a common problem that sounds like an inexpensive fix. I will do the search.

On another note, has anyone changed their leather seat cover for the new vinyl? Is it hard to change? Does it look good? I have a torn drivers seat but the passengers is OK, should I change them both out?

Mike Frye

I replaced both seat covers in my car too and did a write-up on it. I replaced leather with leather but I imagine the process is the same for vinyl, it should be cut the same.

Two things to watch for are that the underlying padding is in good shape (or it will go on baggy and look like crap) and that you take your time and really note how everything was secured before. Take a lot of pics and notes.

If your seats are currently leather I wouldn't swap one for vinyl and leave the other leather. I think that would look odd.

The seat re-upholstery is definitely an 7 or 8 on the skill meter where the pod is probably a 4 (where changing your oil is a 1 and completely rebuilding an engine is a 10)

The seat covers also require a bit of an eye for aesthetics where I'm less comfortable but you may be fine. The seats took me a LONG time (maybe 20 hours total for both) and I like how they came out but you can tell they weren't professionally done.

Barry Chan

i too inherited the car 2 years ago from my brother who had it for 20 years and i am not selling the car so my odometer is on my bottom of the "fix" list, hey if you do decide to change the gear, let me know how "easy" or "difficult" ok/
Thanks
Barry

Bill Ball

You're in luck. Dwayne has a good (no, make that great, as always) write-up on this repair in an 84. The most common fault is a broken gear. That's not hard to replace once you get the instrument panel apart. BUT, as Dwayne shows, another problem can be wear of the number wheels, so they no longer engage and rotate properly. He shimmed them with tiny washers just enough to take out some of the slack and get them to engage. I worked on a odometer that required both procedures before it worked properly. The procedure applies to any model years with the analog/mechanical odometer.

http://www.dwaynesgarage.norcal928.o...0Procedure.htm

blown 87

I am of the group that thinks the odometer needs to work, just to keep track of how many miles for service reasons.

doo600

Wow that long, well I guess winter is here and it's not going outside so this is probably the best time to do this.

I will

I just found the write-up and it is amazing.

78 pages put a dent in my color laser toner I tried ordering the gear but it could be one of two. I actually have to open it up to find the right one so It'll give me a chance to confirm this is the issue.

h011yw00d

Did it this last weekend on my '85. The whole job took about 2 1/2 hours. I used this writeup (couldn't find Dwayne's).

http://www.rennbay.com/odotutorial.html

I little bit of curse therapy , but very fulfilling.

doo600

great, thanks!

Tom in Austin

Doo ... "is ______ a pain or not?" is truly rhetorical with a 928 ... LOL!

Everything is a pain, some are bigger than others but we never learn ...

Good luck with the odo gear, I did this on my last car. It didn't work and then about six months later suddenly woke up ... typical goofy experience with an 'easy' item. I tell ya, these cars can make you lose your mind sometimes ...

SeanR

I've had to go in to fix mine 4 times thus far. One of the cogs on the odometer its self keep sliding out of place binding it all up. Finally said screw it and have left it. When I find a good deal on a speedometer I'll just replace the entire thing.

Tom in Austin

My point :-)

Ian S4

I'm tempted to make a product out of my little digital odometer project!

Barry Chan

i like to replace mine too but isn't it a little pricy??