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Date:         Sun, 13 May 2001 02:10:03 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <jhrodgers@charter.net>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <jhrodgers@charter.net>
Subject:      Re: Fun With My Speedometer
Comments: To: Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Mike, get the end off a speedo cable...the end that goes in the speedometer, cut it off and put it in the chuck of a reversable variable speed drill. Set the reverse/forward control on the drill so it is turning the right direction, then insert the speedo cable end into the back of the speedo. With you clock in front of you, with the sweep second hand running, set the speed to 60 mph. Watch your clock. With the speedo at 60, the time of one minute should give you one mile on the counter.

Now adjust the tension on the coil spring, and try again until you get it right.

Good luck,

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver.

Mike Finkbiner wrote: > > Volks - > > My odometer stopped working last month, just as I drove the van home with > the new engine. Not the best time, because I wanted to keep track of > mileage while I broke it in, but I didn't have time to deal with it, so I > made do with a map and notebook. > > Several people very kindly supplied information on how to fix the problem, > so today I girded up my loins and pulled the speedometer. > > The first thing I noticed was that it is different than the one described by > the info on the list. Mine doesn't have a back to remove to get at the > innards, it's all molded plastic, and you have to remove the round front to > get at the gears. > > I thought about calibration problems, so I took off the cruise control > sensor from the back, and taped down the rotor that the needle swings on. > Unfortunately, I didn't think the next step through. > > The pin the needle swings on has a brass split washer attached to a very > fine spiral spring. It also had to be removed, and when I did, I didn't > note where it went. > > The gears under all of that seemed to be working fine. The metal gear was > tight, as was the gear on the end of the shaft that is turned by the worm > gear from the bottom. (Sorry, not a good description, I realise). The shaft > seemed to be able to move too far in, which seemed to allow it to stick, so > I fabricated a small plastic washer and put it between the brass washer and > the case. After that it seemed to work, so I reassembled it. > > Of course, I got the angle of the spiral spring on the speedometer needle > shaft wrong. Now I have to get up to about 45 mph before the needle moves > off the peg, and at 3500 RPM in 4th, it's only showing a little over 20 MPH. > > Entertaining, but not really useful. > > The odometer, by the way, seems to be working. > > So - I think I have three options - > > 1) Buy a new speedometer > 2) Find a working used speedometer (with cruise control) > 3) Have this speedometer re-calibrated > > What does the list think? Is there anyone around who will calibrate a VDO > speedometer? How much would it cost in comparison to the other options? > > I suppose that I could keep taking the speedometer out, tweak the position > of the spring, and get closer, but I don't know how much more the plastic > housing will take, and it is fairly time consuming to get it out. > > It would also be nice to have it more than fairly close, but - I guess we'll > see! > > - Mike Finkbiner > '87 Westy > Moscow, Idaho > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com


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