Speedometer assembly question

[SPECTRE]

I replaced the speedometer cable and the hand on the dial spun erratically, I took the instrument panel out and saw that the back of the dial where the cable's needle inserts in loose. I fit in in and it spins the hand when I turn it manually, but I'm not sure if the socket that the cable's needle fits into is seated properly. You can see in the picture below that it is not sitting flush. I can fit one side in deeper but the other side will not go in and I don't want to break anything forcing it. Once it's in where it's supposed to be I'll glue it down.

 

Is it supposed to look like this or is it supposed to seat deeper with he lip flush to the back of the instrument panel?

 

[MikeRL411]

Cross threaded?

[datzenmike]

Complete cable and sheath replaced? or just the inner flexible cable?

 

How long broken?

 

Erratic dial, is the inner cable catching on something. As the inner cable is a small but very long and flexible wound spring, if it catches on something the transmission keeps turning it and winding up tension that eventually slips and releases the stored energy and the dial jumps.

 

If you replaced the cable, check that there is no damage and are no kinks or sharp bends in the outer sheath.

 

I've had no problem getting the new cable to lock into the speedometer head. Usually it self finds it's way in, as soon as it begins turning. What I do is undo the transmission end and twirl the inner cable by hand and have someone watch the speedometer move to show it's engaged.

[SPECTRE]

I replaced the whole cable and sheath.

 

The inner cable fits inside the speedometer socket good, and I tested the speedometer panel by inserting the back end of a screw extractor bit into it and turning it with vice grips. The needle seemed to spin okay.

 

Inside the back of the speedometer, on the bottom, is a long plastic gear. Inside the socket that the cable fits into is a screw. The cable turns the screw, which turns the plastic gear, which spins the needle.

 

I'm trying to figure out if the socket is seated properly with the screw fitting in the gear, because if it's not the screw will strip the plastic gear when the transmission engages it.

 

Here's a couple more pictures to show what I'm trying to get seated.

 

[datzenmike]

Yeah, that doesn't look ok.

[SPECTRE]

Here we go, I worked it back out and got a picture of the screw and gear.

 

 

So in the very first picture in the thread you can see the socket has kind of a flange where it meets the back of the instrument panel, but it doesn't sit flush, and I'm wondering if it's supposed to.

[datzenmike]

One thing seems obvious. It should be solidly attached to the instrument.

[SPECTRE]

I took it apart further and got inside it. I think the plastic gear is just for the odometer. The shaft that connects the needle on the face of the gauge was bent at the tip. I tried to bend it back and it broke the tip off. It looks like the needle is driven by a magnet rather than a gear. I put it back together and it spins but it's completely inaccurate. I guess I'll have to get an aftermarket gauge. Anyone know the specification to look for? Like 60 MPH = XXXX RPM or something

[datzenmike]

Yes, the speedometer is (more or less) driven by a spinning magnet. Spinning magnet induces a current in the part holding the needle. This current has a magnetic field that is attraxted to the spinning one and this pulls the needle around against a spring.

 

No, place an ad in our Classifieds for a B-210 speedometer, or look for an old B-210 in a back yard or wrecking yard.

 

It's under electrical but should work...  http://community.ratsun.net/classifieds/category/7-electrical/?sort_key=date_added&sort_order=desc

[SPECTRE]

Cool, thanks

 

http://community.ratsun.net/classifieds/item/7527-wtb-1974-b210-speedometer-or-instrument-panel-cluster/