On occasion I have to drive 230 mi. for my job. The last 3 times, the odometer has stopped about 170mi.into the trip. After sitting all day it works again. It works fine in town on short trips. Any ideas?
Thanks
Russ

I have a mechanical speedo.
it runs to the tranny. Thanks for the idea.

Yes, folks usually say it is this blue gear that is cracked.


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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

Once again, Art, GREAT photo.

Years ago, before Google could solve any problem, I repaired two VDO odometers with cracked pinions - one on a 240 and the other a Vanagon Syncro with a similar set up.

In order to close the crack, I pressed a collar onto the gear hub. The collar was cut and de-burred from a length of brass tubing which was sized (luckily) to form an interference fit on the hub. Then, I gingerly serrated the gear shaft with a pair of dykes and pressed the gear onto it. I couldn't possibly remember the exact size, but the tubing was the miniature type found in hobby shops, K&S brand.

It was fussy work, but in both cases, the repair lasted all the rest of the miles I cared to put on the vehicles.

Rich (Near Pittsburgh)

Thanks, Rich. I'll include a few more pics as long as someone is interested.

I have a collection of brass and aluminum from the K&S display, some of which still has sub-25-cent prices on it. The tubing, and what I can scarf from collapsible antennas comes in handy for just those sort of repairs. Congratulations on doing an effective and satisfying repair from someone who understands the patience it needs.

My 84 speedometer, which kept mileage OK until it got warm, was a case of the die cast gear slipping on the shaft. I would not have thought the shaft was softer than the gear, but all I had to do was reverse it to provide its full diameter to the gear again. No dyke-knurling necessary. It recorded the miles faithfully until I sent its carcass to Valhalla at 375K.










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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Never pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom.

On my 1987 240DL I had the same problem. I changed the real end oil to 140 weight, and the problem disappeared.

Thanks for the good info. I will post back later with the results.
Russ

I think your odometer may have one of two problems.

The common one written about is a cracked nylon gear. It loses its grip on the shaft.

The one trouble I had on a high mileage 84 was under the die cast gear; the shaft had worn thin.

Both troubles tend to exhibit themselves as things warm up and expand, I guess.


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Art Benstein near Baltimore

A husband got in big trouble after his wedding anniversary.
His wife told him the day before: "Tomorrow there better be something in the driveway for me that goes zero to 200 in 2 seconds flat."
The next morning the wife found a small package in the driveway.
She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.

If you don't want to...sometime in the near future...have to pull the cluster and either replace the gear and or place a drop of super-glue on exactly the right spot ---worked on my 75,

Give up on using the Trip Reset. Use math if you need to figure your trip mileage.

Mind over Matter. The Matter being a no longer functioning Odometer.