Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 21:06:29 -0800
Reply-To: Denys Mueller <Denys@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Sender: Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From: Denys Mueller <Denys@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Organization: Denys Mueller - Project Mgmt Professional
Subject: Speedo Saga
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Hi all,
Thought I'd share with you my speedo troubleshooting saga. Maybe someone
can use it.
It all started after a 4+ hour trip when the speedometer stopped
working. At first I thought the cable had fallen off the back of the
speedometer since the previous owner had broken the connector. I
believed this because the way the speedo stopped working. As I was
leaving a gas station the speedo started fine up to 30 mph, then bounced
once and died.
I immediately checked to see of the cable had fallen off. Nope! Was the
cable turning, again nope. That led me to believe the cable had broken,
but that seemed strange since I never heard any speedo cable noise.
Upon returning home I diconnected the upper cable from the O2 Sensor
Mileage Meter and attached a drill motor - the upper one turned fine. I
performed the same test to the lower cable - it turned too! Hum!?!?!?!
This led me to think it was the O2 Sensor Mileage Meter. I checked it
and it operated fine. Hum!!!!!! I checked the slack in both cables to
see if it was disengaging. Upon closer inspection I noted the end of the
upper cable which mates with the O2 Sensor Mileage Meter was slightly
rounded. Ah, Ha, the problem! Nope - replaced the upper cable and
retested the cable and speedo combo - it worked fine.
So why was the speedo still not working?!?! I then checked to make sure
the lower cable was engaging with the wheel properly. Yes it was - the
cable turned when the wheel turned! Then I reattached the drill motor to
the end of the lower cable where it mates with the O2 Sensor box - it
turned fine - visual observation at wheel bearing cap.
So now what? Remove lower cable and test. It turned fine when turned
from the O2 Sensor mating end - visual observation of other end of
cable.
Now the clincher - when you turned it from the wheel bearing cap end the
fitting spun on the cable - in other words the crimping of the end piece
had given way, thus no grip on the cable itself.
Solution: replace the lower cable!
Moral: Visually inspect all the parts carefully and validate your tests!
Luckily I wasn't troubleshooting an ECU problem, I'd be broken. :)
Cheers,
Denys
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Denys Mueller
Murrieta, CA
1986 VW Westy - BCHMOTL
PO '80 & '89 Westys'
"I've always wanted to be something when I grew up...
Guess I should have been more specific"
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