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Speedometer not working, what is solution[ALL/1988] posted by Perry Montgomery on
Tuesday, 27 January 1998, at 9:28 p.m.
Here are the particulars. I have a 66 122 4dr with a bw35
automatic trans. It has 300,000+ miles. In the last few weeks,
while driving, the speedometer has been jumping a little(it is
the bar type that moves from left to right). Today, it was
jumping and all of the sudden it stopped working all together.
I disconnected the cable from the instrument panel to see if it
was spinning, would spin while the tranny was not in motion, and
to see if it would pull out of the housing. The cable will not
turn while the car is not moving. I can however turn it by hand
while the car is in motion although it will not spin on its own.
My question is how can i tell if it is the cable or the gear
inside the transmission that is malfunctioning. If I pull the cable off on the tranny side what
will I be able to determine by looking at both. Any advise would
be helpful.
Thanks
Perry
Re: Speedometer not working, what is solution[ALL/1988] posted by irv klein on
Tuesday, 27 January 1998, at 11:52 p.m.
Disconnect cable at speedometer. Turn speedometer connection by hand to make sure speedometer is working. The bar should move. If ok then pull on speedometer cable end to see if cable is snapped. If snapped it will come out of housing. If not it is the gear in tranny connecting to cable. It is plastic and is made to strip against the steel gear inside the tranny. Very easy to replace. Simply disconnect cable from tranny and pull it out with a pair of visegrips. As a matter of experience when the speedometer goes it is usually the tranny gear.
Re: Speedometer not working, what is solution[ALL/1988] posted by Glenn Goodspeed on
Wednesday, 28 January 1998, at 8:53 p.m.
Yeah, I think Irv is right. I was going to say something similar, but I couldn't for the life of me remember how to get the gear out of the transmission. Now I remember pulling on it with Channellocks, but it seems there also was a setscrew that had to be removed first. The plastic gears are still available from Volvo for some models. -Glenn.
Goodspeed's Volvo 1800 Newsletter
Re: Speedometer not working, what is solution[ALL/1988] posted by Ted Y. on
Thursday, 29 January 1998, at 1:01 a.m.
Yep, those guys sound right. I'm no mechanic, but I've had a lot of experience with Volvo spedometers. I've had a 122S, a P1800ES and a 1977 245. The most common problems I ALWAYS see in old Volvos are: broken speedo, no emergency brake, frozen bolts on rear brakes/lug nuts, busted locking mechanisms (especially on pre-240's), leaky steering racks, O.D. malfunctions, blower motors on last leg (rather gouge out my eyes with a warm spoon than replace another), broken trim peices, standard-issue cracked dashboard, and "out of comish." fuel sending unit.
Notice none of these things are "engine-related". NOBODY in the world can build a more reliable motor.
Sorry for the rambling...
Back to the speedo, Don't replace the cable (though it's tempting) without first replacing the gear. You'll snap a new cable (about $20) if it turns out to be the gear or the speedo. Dab a little WD-40 in your speedo too, it's probably got grease in there from your trans, anyway.
Good luck, and keep me posted.
Fellow Vovo-path,
Ted Y.
two@GTE.net