The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Wierd Speedometer Cluster Sound

I get a rotational scraping sound inside my dash that increases when going faster. I've listened to the sound, and the it seems to originate from the speedo cluster. My speedometer needle bounces around like crazy. I suspect it is the speedometer cable turning the gear inside the cluster that is the problem. What are some measures to take in order to fix this issue? Thanks.

Disconnect the cable from the back of the speedo. Pull the core out of the cable. Put some grease on it as you feed it back in. You may have to disconnect it from the trans. to get it to feed in all the way.

Well, I pulled the cluster out and put a hole in my brass oil pressure line. Oil everywhere! I capped the line for now, but anyone know where I can get a replacement?

don't think the metal line will be available, but plastic replacement line at any FLAPS, along with new ends ... the noise could be the speedo head dirty and the cup spun by the magnet scrapping [not a "gear"]

Bill

I've oiled it up and it seems to have fixed the problem. Found some metal line on ebay, but I'll check my local parts store. Thanks!

mbarrad, I just got a "kit" from Advance Auto that is the right size. You do have to use the fitting that screws into the oil guage though. Its called a "threaded sleeve" or "compression fitting". This kind of fitting uses no compression "o-ring". I know O'Rielly's has them as well as NAPA. The old ones are hard to get off the end of the old line so a new one just insures it seals off good.

Hope this helps.

Its copper tubing. And as Alvin says, get new fittings.

i have a 63 chevy C10, bought a new speedo cable hooked it up, now my speedometer needle bounces like crazy!!!! from 30-100, and making a weird winding noise, any ideas, first rebuild, young and trying to learn the ropes ??????????

Did you lube the cable? Your symptoms are typical of a dry cable.

LMC carries the copper line with fittings.

No, but i will, whats the best to use ???

I had the same thing happen on my Impala,I tried lubing the cable but no luck. The noise was coming from the head so I changed the head, same thing so I tried and loosened the head cable about one turn and the noise and jumping needle went away.Hope this helps

I bought my copper tubing from the hardware store and the fittings from Oreilly auto parts.

Maybe the speedometer head needs the old hardened grease cleaned out and re-lubed.



Tim

any auto parts sells the kit or what ever you need.

Had the same problem when the cable was very cold. Used white lithium grease on the cable. Fixed the noise and eratic needle.
Had the same problem years ago, found the drive cable was about 1/2 inch too long and put pressure on the speedometer head.

When yours makes the noise, does the needle then get off kilter? Mine migrates so that 0 becomes 50, almost like the hub is being forced too fast for the needle or something. So I disconnected the cable and it just sits pointing at 50 all the time now. I can move the needle back to 0 but it just moves again.

When disconnected the needle reads 0. When I spin the cable input the needle goes up and returns to 0.
Sounds like your head is sticking. I used some WD 40 to get it to spin freely.