Speedometer stopped working

[MaximusPrime]

3 hours ago, Malc said:

well today was a first ... the speedo is still intermittently playing around but usually more often working fine these days 

BUT .  couldn't believe it,  the rev counter   has decided to stop reading sensibly .........  and I mean, bouncing around ..  the first time in 238,600 miles it's done that 

now then, what's the simple likely solution .  any thoughts gentlemen ?

Thanks

Malc

A good old fashioned thump on the dash, Malc? 😁 Was known to fix a TV or two back in CRT days haha

[Tulpen]

3 hours ago, Malc said:

now then, what's the simple likely solution .  any thoughts gentlemen ?

Thanks

You could buy the 430 that's on sale with over 400,000 miles!

[Tinonline]

1 hour ago, MaximusPrime said:

A good old fashioned thump on the dash, Malc? 😁 Was known to fix a TV or two back in CRT days haha

Oh no that doesn’t sound like a thumping fix. If it doesn’t read correctly sounds like posting it to a specialist will sort that out.

My speedo is mainly ok now and seems to have stopped sticking. Bound to happen again but it’s better for sure.

hope yours self heals. 👍🤞

[Razor61]

I would get a used instrument cluster, there is a working cluster for sale on Facebook. Easy to fit as well.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/236484945333437/

[Malc]

........... the ususl tapping the dash etc hasn't fixed it and I'm thinking, if it doesn't start to behave properly, take it to the REMAN place in Rochester we mentioned earlier ......  it's about a 30min drive for me ...........  let's see if the Jubilee gives it some sense of sensibility and presence to get itself better .........

............ yes, that Ls430 with 419k miles looks a " peach "  ..........   not sure I'd have enough years in me to take it to the magical MILLION miles tho' 

This temporary blip with my Ls400 will hopefully be just temporary and ....................  I'm still waiting to hear back from the Maidstone specialist exhaust guys with their " take " on what they're going to do to fix my downpipe emissions scandal issues ..........  that box thingy won't take anymore welding for the next MOT in November .  so I'm getting in early to make sure all's well on the day ....... hopefully

Malc

[Malc]

little update here ...  the rev counter isn't quite so " bouncy " as earlier 

............ had a call to re-visit the exhaust guys as sourcing the box thingy is challenging and they wanted to inspect again and measure up for summat bespoke if possible .......... challenging but he knows how to achieve it all ....  fabricating it, cutting, bolting, welding ? clasping bits together ..........  and hands in prayer too maybe ....  and using the existing good cats of course ......... booked for me to drop it in Monday 6th June and collect Wednesday 8th ........ a good half day job he thinks and £300 + vat 

A good result methinks . provided it all works out ok ....  no rush as MOT isn't till end of the year  ..  I'll update of course

Malc

[Rabbers]

Every time I‘ve read on this thread of speedos coming back to life after a thump on the dash, I’ve been happy for the owners, not least because it sounds like the sort of easy fix I could just about manage for myself should the need ever occur.  However, I’ve not seen any follow-up posts about whether the speedos thus fixed are reading correctly.  In other words, are the fixes real?

[steve2006]

From my personal experience with the 1994 I had the dash thump procedure always got the needles ( speedo and tachometer) up and working again with no loss of accuracy.

I finally fixed mine for good with the dried up lubricant removal procedure as previously mentioned and applying a little watch lubricant to the shafts.

I did have another problem with the speedometer reading very low when cold but this was fixed by replacing the speed conversion module ( KPH-MPH) retrofitted being an import from Japan.

I would not recommend trying the lube removal unless you are fairly competent with removing the cluster, opening the cluster with fragile clips ready to break, removing ribbon cables, PCBs and finally the actual needles.

Both the Speedo and tachometer needles are the same the only difference is the  little PCB sat on the end but this can be interchanged after lifting 4 lugs and pulling of the pins. The one on the left says “SPEED” if you look carefully

The stuck needle is due to the surface tension of the excess lubricant between the white plastic which moves away from the metal stop circled in red.

The double wound clock spring returns and damps the needle plus carries the high voltage to the needle illumination

 

[Rabbers]

Great post, Steve, but I wish you’d stopped after the first paragraph! My mind boggled thereafter🤯!!!

[Malc]

1 hour ago, Rabbers said:

are the fixes real?

at that moment in time YES, for sure .  but permanent, well, only time will tell ......  and mine, at 27 years young, well, it's all about a little guesswork, wishful thinking, occasional dash thumping and a prayer ...  self-healing sometimes, even if it's only until the next Event ......  makes for good reading on here tho' 

I'll get the exhaust sorted before i go down the route of spending out even more money on a more permanent and hopefully new lifetime fix for the errant needles

.............. then it's wheel refurbishment too  ...  @£450 or so ....  will this expense ever end 

Malc

[steve2006]

14 hours ago, Rabbers said:

Great post, Steve, but I wish you’d stopped after the first paragraph! My mind boggled thereafter🤯!!!

Ha ha did I not mention the 4 pole asynchronous motor and SE125 DIL driver IC 😀

[Howplum]

This is the modification mentioned on a US website that I did on my old cluster which at least avoided the need to dismantle the gauge itself.

[Malc]

On 5/24/2022 at 6:48 PM, Malc said:

I'll get the exhaust sorted before i go down the route of spending out even more money

Exhaust front section fabricated and all fixed today ...  she does sound a lot smooooooother  ......  that desperately quiet V8 roar is back  ( £300+vat) 

.......... wonder if that will last another 27 years and 239k miles .........

Malc

[Rabbers]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

.......... wonder if that will last another 27 years and 239k miles .........

No doubt you’ll be letting us know at the time, Malc.

[Malc]

On 6/8/2022 at 6:22 PM, Rabbers said:

No doubt you’ll be letting us know at the time, Malc.

doubtless I shall .  I'll be just 99 and awaiting a card from Prince  ???  then to be King

As I said somewhere, the wheels look ace now after refurb .. £250 cash but centre caps not done .. they seem all ok with their solid state plastic construction

My nephew keeps pushing me to better look after the Ls400 ...  sure he's thinking he'll inherit when I pop off .....  he's getting the 1932 Triumph whatever I'm sure 

I just cannot see me letting the old gal go you know, what would I want with a different V8 4ltr  anyway and if I did 10k miles a year from now to then she'll only have covered 510k miles ... with another 500k miles to go I'm sure 

NOW my purpose today was to say that both the speedo and the rev counter are self-healed ....  well the spedo most of the time ..  when she's running it does look as if she's about right with the mph reading too 

Just that pixels climate reading, air flow direction centre pod that only works after an age of heating up / car running ......  an hour maybe ....  the pixels become readable 

I'll get around to it all I'm sure .  no rush tho' ............

Malc

[Rabbers]

5 hours ago, Malc said:

 

…My nephew keeps pushing me to better look after the Ls400 ...  sure he's thinking he'll inherit when I pop off…

I hope he’s subtle about it, at least.

[runsgrateasanut]

On 5/25/2022 at 9:28 AM, Howplum said:

This is the modification mentioned on a US website that I did on my old cluster which at least avoided the need to dismantle the gauge itself.

Not clear as to what you have done here. Any link to the US thread?

[Howplum]

Unfortunately I can't find a link. However, I drilled a small hole in the face of the cluster, just a millimetre or two above the needle's normal position when off, and inserted a small length of suitable gauge wire, which I painted satin black. This acted as a mechanical stop and worked well.

[Malc1]

my speedo has indeed again been misbehaving from time to time BUT yet again I suddenly see it's working fine ........... it's in and out and up and down like a yoyo .  at least the Rev Counter behaves fine these days ...  I really can't fathom the speedo tho .  whatever the weather and temperature etc she misbehaves from time to time . and I still give the dash above a gentle'ish tap when she's stuck still ....  'twas all fine yesterday so I'll be leaving well alone methinks  😇  ......  and nigh on 246k miles now too 🤩

Malc

 

[runsgrateasanut]

8 hours ago, Howplum said:

Unfortunately I can't find a link. However, I drilled a small hole in the face of the cluster, just a millimetre or two above the needle's normal position when off, and inserted a small length of suitable gauge wire, which I painted satin black. This acted as a mechanical stop and worked well.

Yes I've seen that thread using a piece of wire to manouvre the needle which I believe had stuck on 100?  Thought about drilling a hole near to the speedo pillar and then trying to clean the Post but I'd need do it for the Rev counter as well. It only sticks in the Summer Malc. Never had it stick in the winter. Not keen to do this.

Did find a thread of and Indian guy taking a later model console apart but I don't think I could do that in the yoga pose he adopts. Not flexible enough!. Too hot to muck arund me thinks.

[runsgrateasanut]

ooops Pakistani gentleman not Indian.  Here's a link