The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors loud sqeaking from speedometer.

Got a new speedo cable and needle in the speedo and for 20 miles or so it worked pretty good, then it began to squeal. Low and slow at 1st then loud and bothersome within minutes.
i disconnected the new speedo cable to try to minimize any damage.
Is there a way to get some lube into or otherwis quietdown a 49/50 speedo without pulling it?
Dave

The actual cable should pull out of the housing. Lube it up good & stick it back in. I use white lithium assembly lube. If it still makes noise you may need to lube the speedo itself.

I lubed up the new cable before I installed it.
Sound definitely is coming from inside the speedo.
I shot some PB Blaster into the speedo where the cable installs but haven't had a chance to road test as I'm still working through another issue.
If that doesn't work it looks like I'll need to have the speedo refurbished.

Recommendations on a speedo rebuilder and approximate cost?
Thanks
Dave

You should be able to do the speedometer yourself. When you installed the needle I assume you had the speedometer out and apart? Did you run in with a drill to make sure it was working? (take an old cable and make a short test cable and put that in your drill. They run CCW by the way for forward)

Rebuilds cost between $100 and $300 depending on parts, etc... I took mine apart when I cleaned it and put new decals on the gauge face, new needle, glass and bezel. Check out my pictures...


Also, I think just spraying WD40 or blaster in it is bad because it will just attract dirt and get gummed up. (IMO)


Here's a link to my recent post.

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...Main=143826&Number=971696#Post971696

I'd recommend doing a web search for one close by. I used a well known rebuilder several states away and had to go over a week at a time without while he was rebuilding it then again after he was fixing his mistakes. One thing to try first. Get a small syringe from the drug store. Fill it with light weight oil such as sewing machine oil. Somewhere on the part of the speedo where the cable fastens is an stamped indentation. There an opening at the 'bottom' of that indentation what's filled with a fibrous batting material. Stick the needle into the fibrous material and inject as much of the oil as it will hold. I'm not a speedo expert but I believe that batting is for lubrication of the shaft. It's worked for me in the past. Try it, it's quicker and much cheaper than sending it off if it works. Every speedo I've seen isn't open to the inside where the cable enters so shooting lube into the hole does no good. Good luck.

Check your cable also

I purchased one that had the square drive to long
...pic...
Inserted
Went to the auto parts store and bought another cable
...pic...

May not be your issue, just another thing to look at

Here is a Stovebolt Tech Tip that explains how to oil the speedo, similar to Tiny's description.

Note the little brass cap at the base of the threads. Read about removing it and lubing the speedo in th section titled "Starting back at the base of the speedometer assembly" in ...
> Jeff Erickson's Tech Tip

My speedo made an "Erk, Erk, Erk" sound at low speeds. I pulled the speedo and followed the oiling instructions in the Tech Tip. No more "Erk, Erk, Erk." I believe that I used SAE 20 3-in-One oil in the blue can.

- Lonnie

I wasn't aware of that tech tip. Thanks for posting it Lonnie.

I would tend to agree, as I was taught from a very early age that speedometer and cable was one of those times to use dry graphite for a lubricant in lieu of petroleum-based lubes.

Great info.
I never thought about checking the tech section, shame on me

Update: For better or worse, shooting the speedo full of PB Blaster seems to have quieted the beast, atleast for the time being. I don't have to tell y'all what a pita it is to R&R the speedo, so I'm going to make a tactical decision and let it ride for now....
It's pretty stable upto 40 mph, above that it starts wavering, perhaps 2 to 3 mph. I ran it up to 60 just for a short time to check it against my gps and it was close enough. I just avg'ed inbetween the higher & lower needle deflections.
This is the speedo I got in my big trade, it's out of a 50 3100. The only difference I could tell is the high beam indicater is white instead of blue and the needle (whats left of it) in my 49 was red while the 50 was white.
I can opt to either try to rebuild my original or have it done, i'll ponder on that.
Thanks for the info
Dave.

High beam indicator should never be white (most are red, I think). Most likely is that the red plastic filter has been melted away and you are getting unfiltered light from the lamp. I chose to go with a blue filter (homemade from blue glass) to match up with modern high beam indicator color.

Here is a photo of my rebuild speedo with blue high beam filter installed.