Speedometer needle bounces

[Dino]

I decided to put the Charger into storage a little early this year as winter has pretty much arrived and on the last friggin' ride something has to go wrong right?   

I have never had issues with the speedometer but today that changed.  Doing around 60, the needle started bouncing between 70-80, when slowing down it read accurate again then bounced a bit again but not as much.  Does this sound like a cable or gauge issue?  Can the cold have anything to do with this?

[XH29N0G]

I suppose that if the cold caused something to bind up a little (either in the cable or the speedo head), that it could bounce.  Hopefully it goes away when it warms up. I spent a long time chasing a bouncing needle that came from the speedo head being bound up slightly. 

[Dino]

It'll be around 50 over the weekend soI'll take it out and see if it still does the bouncy thing.  If not then I'll assume it was the cold and some cable cleaning and regreasing after the winter may be a good idea.

[JamieZ]

Every time I've had a car that did that it was the cable.  I've tried regreasing them but I haven't had much luck. Usually I find they have been melted by touching some part of the exhaust and end up buying a new one.

[myk]

Speedometer cable for sure.  I have a thread where I asked for help in how to install my new one.  I'll try to find the link.  If I can't find it, I'm sure you'll figure it out as it's pretty straight forward...

[A383Wing]

you can try lubing the cable, but all the speedometers I had that were bouncing like that was a bad speedo head.

[stripedelete]

   Could be the head.
Mine was a little plastic bushing.  But it was making noise.  Sent it of to some place I can't remember for a refurb.  $100.

[myk]

Dirk could always pull it and check the operation.  Regardless, I would change it anyway-that cable has done its time and its only like $60 or something...

[fy469rtse]

Yep cable , or at least lubrication ,
Tell me Myk , have you cleaned those girls hand prints off your car  bet you havn't,

[Dino]

I'll try to lube it first.  I could install the cruise control vacuum pod and get a two part cable, but I'm missing all the other cruise parts.   If it's the speedometer itself then I'll fix it when I install the tach.  At least if the parts are available.

[myk]

Yep cable , or at least lubrication ,
Tell me Myk , have you cleaned those girls hand prints off your car   bet you havn't,

Lol, I missed those areas with the spray detailer for a while.

I'll try to lube it first.  I could install the cruise control vacuum pod and get a two part cable, but I'm missing all the other cruise parts.   If it's the speedometer itself then I'll fix it when I install the tach.  At least if the parts are available.

You have 'cruise?  That's so cool...

[Pete in NH]

Hi Dino,

I would try a light coating of grease on the cable first. I suspect the cold caused the old grease to thicken up and cause the cable to bind. I would slide the inner cable out of the housing clean off the old grease and re-grease it with a light grease. You want something that will work over a wide temperature range of hot and cold. I've used old Mopar distributor cam lubricant which I'm sure they don't make anymore. I had a speedometer shop guy tell me a light coat of Vaseline but, I can't remember if I've ever tied it.

[Dino]

Thanks Pete I'll give that a shot.

Myk my car did not come with cruise but I bought the vacuum pod controller, the cabels and the vacuum hose on ebay for $25.  The cable sheaths are worn so I'l get new cables.  ithink the speedometer would work if I install just that and add the rest of the cruise components as I find them. I'll never use it, I don't even use cruise on my daily, but it's fun to have.   

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

you can try lubing the cable, but all the speedometers I had that were bouncing like that was a bad speedo head.

I concur.....

[Dino]

I'll still check or replace the cable but if it's the speedometer itself it will have to wait until I am ready to put the tach in.  I've had this cluster in and out so many times I'm still not over it.   

Is it something that can be repaired or am I looking at a new speedometer? 

[Ghoste]

There used to be places that could recalibrate your speedo head and remagnetize them as part of the procedure but they all pretty much gone out of business.  Someone, somewhere still has the ability and living in the Detroit area you may luck out.  Ask around some of the old timers, they may know a shop.  Outside of that, a resto place specializing in instruments becomes the next choice I guess?

[stripedelete]

  Could be the head.
Mine was a little plastic bushing.  But it was making noise.  Sent it of to some place I can't remember for a refurb.  $100.

I think it was Premium Dash.   

[Shakey]

Noticed the needle bouncing on mine also, usually around the 95 - 100 mark.  Figured it was the cars way of telling me to lift off the throttle a bit!   

[71 SE3834V]

Hi Dino,

I would try a light coating of grease on the cable first. I suspect the cold caused the old grease to thicken up and cause the cable to bind. I would slide the inner cable out of the housing clean off the old grease and re-grease it with a light grease. You want something that will work over a wide temperature range of hot and cold. I've used old Mopar distributor cam lubricant which I'm sure they don't make anymore. I had a speedometer shop guy tell me a light coat of Vaseline but, I can't remember if I've ever tied it.

Pretty much what I was going to say. I'd use just a basic all purpose grease not a high temp wheel bearing grease as it thickens up in the cold. Try cleaning and greasing first as it's cheaper but my experience is when the grease dries up it tends to binds up and bounce at low speeds and gets better at higher speeds.

Oh and I got a last ride story for you. I drove my Galaxie to my daughters house to store it for the winter. Stopped in front of the single car door of the garage. Got out to make sure I was lined up good and when I walked behind the car it stalled like somebody shut it off. Wouldn't restart. It had fuel squirting in the carb when I pumped it so I figured it's something electrical. We had to push the beast into the garage, shut the door and called it a day. One more thing on the list to do this winter.

[Dino]

Hi Dino,

I would try a light coating of grease on the cable first. I suspect the cold caused the old grease to thicken up and cause the cable to bind. I would slide the inner cable out of the housing clean off the old grease and re-grease it with a light grease. You want something that will work over a wide temperature range of hot and cold. I've used old Mopar distributor cam lubricant which I'm sure they don't make anymore. I had a speedometer shop guy tell me a light coat of Vaseline but, I can't remember if I've ever tied it.

Pretty much what I was going to say. I'd use just a basic all purpose grease not a high temp wheel bearing grease as it thickens up in the cold. Try cleaning and greasing first as it's cheaper but my experience is when the grease dries up it tends to binds up and bounce at low speeds and gets better at higher speeds.

Oh and I got a last ride story for you. I drove my Galaxie to my daughters house to store it for the winter. Stopped in front of the single car door of the garage. Got out to make sure I was lined up good and when I walked behind the car it stalled like somebody shut it off. Wouldn't restart. It had fuel squirting in the carb when I pumped it so I figured it's something electrical. We had to push the beast into the garage, shut the door and called it a day. One more thing on the list to do this winter.

Don't you love it when this stuff happens on the very last ride?  Just with the bouncing needle, I was 5 minutes from my destination where it would sit all winter and something had to go wrong to keep me busy thinking about this thing as if it knew it was going away.   

[Dino]

I've been driving the car most of the day and temps were just below 30.  When I left this morning the needle bounced between 55 and 60 while doing a steady 55.  After a while it was reduced to a light wobble and eventually it was steady again so I'm imagining the issue may be with the grease.  I can't imagine the speedometer head would fix itself like this but I'll delve into it after the winter.

[squeakfinder]

I had a speedometer gear get wallered out (plastic gear against steel speedo cable) and it did the bouncey thing.

[Dino]

I'll play it safe and check the speedometer and replace the cable as well.  Would it be a bad idea to install my cruise control unit and run the double cable even when I don't have the control lever or brake pedal switch?  If not I'll go that route.

[VegasCharger]

Hello Dino, if you end up having to replace the speedo cable I have a used speedo cable pulled from a 72 B Body (should be the same) that is in good condition that I will let you have on the cheap. But I'm assuming that you would want to buy a new one. But just in case.

[Dino]

Hello Dino, if you end up having to replace the speedo cable I have a used speedo cable pulled from a 72 B Body (should be the same) that is in good condition that I will let you have on the cheap. But I'm assuming that you would want to buy a new one. But just in case.

Thanks for the offer Vegas!   

I have not made up my mind yet but am leaning towards installing cruise control cables.  I'll let you know though.