alan c Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Car is 94 HPC with normal type 9 box and standard Caterham speedo. All working fine on drive down to coast this morning but on way home speedo became very erractic varying from 0 to 140 when I was cruising at a steady speed. As far as I can tell the trip meter and mileometer are both working. Am I correct to think that if the miles are still working its not a cable issue and more likely to be a problem in the speedo itself? Will also need to try and look at the sender I assume. If so any suggestions on where I can get it repaired. Needs to be quick leave for France in just over three weeks. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted August 19, 2012 Member Share Posted August 19, 2012 I think what you are describing is characteristic of a kinked cable. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Will have a look at that later, car too hot to work on right now. What would cause it to kink, just age? It was also fairly hot today but car has been it hotter weather. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted August 19, 2012 Area Representative Share Posted August 19, 2012 Alan Sadly repairs take longer than that, so I hope it is as simple as a cable issue. The variable indication despite steady speed is one of the characteristics from which GJT suffered and that needed an instrument repair. The repair was excellent value and it returned looking as new. If I remember correctly you will need http://www.speedycables.com/contact.html Edited by - Golf Juliet Tango on 19 Aug 2012 20:57:17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevethemook Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Sadly repairs take longer than that They sure do...Like 6 weeks from Speedy cables..Rig up a bike speedo as a temp measure.. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 How do I tell if it's the cable or the instrument or is it a case of replace cable and see if that solves the problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted August 19, 2012 Area Representative Share Posted August 19, 2012 Alan I can not be sure but... ... as my mileometer was reading correctly, I thought it was the instrument (specifically the dial part of the instrument) rather than the cable. I confess I didn't think about the cable (maybe I could see no reason that it should develop a kink and visually it looked as it had always looked). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 GJT - that was my initial thought. Logic being if trip meter etc was working I assumed that meant cable was still working so something connecting to the needle has broken. Will see if I can take it out in morning and will make some calls based on what I find will decide on next steps.Not had a look yet but assume speedo comes out easily. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted August 19, 2012 Member Share Posted August 19, 2012 I don't know enough to distinguish those two causes. But a kinked cable that's doing it can allow the odometer to work... I'd guess that it's something to do with the cable sticking, winding up, and then unsticking so that the signal catches up. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon C Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I have used SpeedyCables for a recalibration of my speedo some four or so years back. Yep six weeks to the day for returns. Although a lengthy turn around i am delighted with the work and service. How do I tell if it's the cable or the instrument Re your cable. Easy to do.....Disconnect cable from rear of speedo and for ease wrap a sighter flag around the square drive...ie masking tape or the like. Roll car forward and the drive should rotate you'll see the flag rotating or you should ! You should also be able to remove the inner drive from the outer sleeve with ease.....that is providing there is no bird cageing with in. ie the cable twist hasn't started to unravel. I feel that provided you see the inner drive rotate and it is free then said cable i would have thought be fit for service. Not experienced this problem myself so just a few thoughts to be getting on with. Hope you get sorted for your trip to France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Ok speedo now out of the car and as far as I can tell the the inner cable is moving freely but will try the trick with a marker and see if it moves when I move the car. That will have to wait for the morning as no space in the garage. However fairly certain it is the speedo, when I turn the drive at the rear with my fingers it is very loose and I can see the needle moving off centre as if it is no longer fixed, also easy to spin it and do 140 mph albeit it is still erratic. Guess I will be hitting the phones in the morning! Thanks for all the tips, any other suggestions on repairs gratefully received. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted August 19, 2012 Area Representative Share Posted August 19, 2012 Alan Whilst you drive, is the tripmeter (more use as it shows 1/10ths) revolving steadily when you are travelling at a steady spped (use an M-way for this! ). If it appears to be fairly steady, I'm afraid it is the dial. Now that I think more about this, this was the case for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyboanerges Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I had this many years ago on a Mini Marcos. I think the cable spins a magnet in the speedo head very close to a steel disc directly attached to the speedo needle. As the magnet rotates faster, the steel disc is pulled further round the speedo dial. Magnet and disc are VERY close to one another so it only takes a bit of grit, or as was my problem, grease/oil to come off the cable into the mechanism and you get the symptoms you describe. The mechanism is delicate but it can be cleaned - solvents etc. but be careful! Remember I'm digging up memories from40 years ago and your speedo may not work this way!! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 For an alternative to Speedy Cables for instrument repairs, I used John Ostick to fix my tacho that liked to overread by miles (no pun) when the revs got to over 6,000rpm. My tacho had been previously repaired/modified by Speedy Cables for the previous owner, but John fixed in and returned in about a week. His website is: http://www.jdo1.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnv Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 remember you can use a sat nav as a speedo for your trip to France if you don't get it fixed in time.. with the added bonus of it being in KPH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Thanks found the JDO website late last night so they are on my list of calls for today. Sat Nav is an option but would prefer to avoid if I can, speedo swinging around is also a little distracting. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Spoken to JDO and it is now with Royal Mail. Standard turn around seems to be a few days at most, will update thread when I know more. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 Update as promised. Speedo sent to JDO on Monday and it's back today. All the obvious issues I could see before I sent it away have been fixed but not had time to put back in car and test. So far big for JDO - four days compares very well to the 4+ weeks that seems to be the norm for speedy cables. Will update again once in car and tested. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 Speedo now tested and working so very happy 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted August 27, 2012 Member Share Posted August 27, 2012 Glad it's fixed. Impressive service. That should attract a lot of business. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted August 27, 2012 Area Representative Share Posted August 27, 2012 Great. Brilliant service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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