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Heat sensitive speedometer and what not to do.

Barrman

Well-known member
5,266
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Location
Giddings, Texas
My M1009 had a speedometer that would be rock steady up to about 45 mph. Then it would jump about 20 mph faster than actual speed and just kind of float around until I slowed below 45 again.

I pulled the cable insert, cleaned it, oiled and no change.

I found another speedometer and installed it. Same basic problem.

I used 3in1 oil on the original near the moving parts on the back and it was better, but hitting bumps could send it back into way far out there land.

I figured it had to be the cable, so I bought a brand new one for a M1009 off Ebay. I don't know what it was supposed to fit, but it was about 8 inches too short to fit my truck. Clean and oil the original before putting it back on made it work ok up to about 55. Then it would jump up again.

The really weird part of all this was that the darn odometer was within 1% of right on matching my gps for distance traveled with both speedometers.

I finally figured the problem would get bad enough and some part would start making noise or just break so I would at least know what to work on. That was last summer. I just used the gps to tell me accurate speeds. That didn't stop me from messing with it though just because I couldn't leave it alone. About November, I thought I had it. Rock steady at all speeds and pretty darn accurate.

Fixed! No problems since November and about 5000 miles driven.

Three weeks ago driving the M1009 to the TX Rally, the needle started bouncing again. Bouncing at all speeds, but around the actual speed going. The next day it was fine in the morning and bounced in the afternoon. 80° at the dash is the work/no work line.

I pulled the cable insert and oiled it up again. No difference. Has to be the speedometer. So, today I brought my spare into class with me and gave it to a student. I also gave him a can of brake cleaner. I told him to lightly spray the gear parts, not the face and to turn it gently while he sprayed. I got busy with other students and didn't look over the kids shoulder. My mistake.

He brought the thing back to me with the face all cloudy white when it was nice and glossy black. The needle now pointed at 30 mph instead of down around where 0 should be. I can see the little return spring right behind the face is all jumbled up now. He had no tools, I have no clue how he screwed it up.

Putting the thing in a drill shows that after cleaning and then oiling with bicycle chain oil, the needle is rock steady. too bad it starts out at 30 mph sitting still.

The point? If your speedometer is bouncing around and not making noise, it is probably dirty, dry and or gummbed up in the gears. Carefully, clean them without getting anything on the face, oil them with a light oil and don't let a teenager do the work.

If you have noise associated with the bouncing, I would look at the cable.

I am going to try cleaning and oiling my last good one myself. If that doesn't work, I am going to break loose from stock and try to find one of the '88 or so versions with the trip odometer. I like trip odometers.
 

cmroles

New member
127
0
0
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I figured it had to be the cable, so I bought a brand new one for a M1009 off Ebay. I don't know what it was supposed to fit, but it was about 8 inches too short to fit my truck.
I had the same experience with a speedo cable I purchased from O'Reilly auto parts. The new cable ended up about 1' too short. I returned to the store and got the correct speedo cable from NAPA (p/n: 615-1615)

Bouncing at all speeds, but around the actual speed going. The next day it was fine in the morning and bounced in the afternoon. 80° at the dash is the work/no work line..
I have the same situation, except mine bounces / reads inaccurately when its colder (under ~60F). When warm, the speedo works perfectly, but in the morning it acts possessed....:cookoo:
 

Barrman

Well-known member
5,266
1,782
113
Location
Giddings, Texas
I pulled the speedometer out last night, but left the gauge panel in. Light dirt, but still pretty clean. I oiled it up and ran it in a drill. Worked fine. I pulled the cable insert out, cleaned and oiled it up again too. No difference on my test drive.

Then I pulled that stupid gear reduction box off the tcase. Patiently worked oil into it and my bouncing is just below 10 mph with super steady needle the rest of the way up to 65.

I also noticed the rear drive shaft slip yoke seal is throwing a little bit onto the cab floor. That means I need to pull it off and replace the seal. If I am going to do that, I might as well collect the parts and eliminate that silly reduction box since pulling the drive shaft is more than half the work needed to get to the gear on the output shaft. I will post up after I do it if I guess correct on the proper plastic gear set to make the speedo accurate without that stupid reduction box.
 

bugei

Member
402
3
18
Location
reno nevada
another possiblity

barrman,

my motorcycle had almost the identical problem, it turned out to be that the little hole the shaft for the speedo needle went thru was a "teense" to small, so when it got hot, it would bind up. yamaha replaced it on a "hidden warranty", but i read of people enlarging the hole a bit and fixing the problem.

i know its not a specific mv fix, but worth looking at.
 

Barrman

Well-known member
5,266
1,782
113
Location
Giddings, Texas
Thanks for the tip. Seems I claimed success too soon.

It was 72° on my way to work yesterday morning and I had a steady speedometer needle above 15 mph with bouncing below that. Good enough for me.

It was 93° yesterday afternoon and I had a bouncing needle at any speed on the way home. I pulled the reduction box off again and got more oil into it. No change.

Today I tried to make the too small brand new cable I bought last fall fit again. I ran it over the transmission in front of the t case shift linkage instead of factory route of down the drivers side of the transmission and then under the tail shaft. It fit fine. Went for a test drive a little while ago and no bounce at any speed. Super steady for the first time since I have owned the truck.

Just wanted to add some closure with what actually fixed the problem.
 
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