Follow the bouncing speedo needle...

[studeclunker]

I've finally got the speedo working on Ed for the first time in the four years I've owned the truck. The problem is that the needle bounces constantly. This is accompanied with a click for each bounce. What is the problem? I re-lubed the core when installing it. Is it hanging up somewhere? I'm going to take it apart to see if there's any undue wear, still, any ideas?

The application is a '62 Champ pickup with a V8, 3-speed manual.

Hope you all had a great time in SB.[8D] Wish I could've been there.[8]


Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
Lotsa Larks!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?

[JDP]

It's likely a frayed core or a nick in the housing. If it's in the speedo, try lubing it, some even have a oil wick.

JDP/Maryland
66 Sports sedan
64 Daytona HT/R2 clone
64 Daytona R2
63 GT R2
63 Lark 2 door
62 Gt Hawk
62 Lark 2 door
60 Lark HT-60Hawk
59 3E truck
58 Starlight
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[ddub]

I had the same problem with a 64 Champ. I dismantled the unit, cleaned and lubed acording to directions I found on the forum (or was it in TW?). It reduced the problem about 99%, still a little flicker but acceptable.

Don Wilson
53 Commander Hardtop
64 Champ 1/2 ton
Centralia, WA

[John Kirchhoff]

Make sure there are no sharp bends in the cable because they have a tendency to make the cable wind up and then spring free before starting the whole process over again. One very large gentle bend is preferable over several small sharp ones.

Sometimes just dribbling some lube down the cable doesn't get the job done if there's hard, dry, aged grease somewhere, usually at a low spot in the cable where gravity gave up on it. It's easy to pull the cable completely out the end and use a solvent like gasoline to dissolve the old crud on the inner cable and the outer cable. Then relube it and slip'er back in.

Sometimes bouncing needle problems are in the gauge itself, either hardened grease on the pivot shaft or the little brass bushing it rides on is extremely worn. My first efforst would be on the cable checking for kinks or dry grease.

By the way, how'd things go after your unfortunate mix of tractive coefficient (or lack of), kenetic energy, gravity and prayer?

[Mike Van Veghten]

Mine's apparently old hard grease.
Original Champ. speedo working fine, replaced it with an NOS Commandor....it's now a bouncing, noisy wonder.

Taking it apart again is a pain too.

Mike

[studeclunker]

quote:Taking it apart again is a pain too.
Mike

Yes, doubtless true. Anything in the dash on a Stude seems to be a pain to work on. Come to think of it, any make's dash is a pain...[}]
There's no fraying on the core that I was able to see before installing it. It's possible that the housing has a kink. I'll look into that.

I think I'll try pulling the cable and housing to clean and service it first. Then I'll try a little Chemtool and re-lubing.


Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
Lotsa Larks!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?