Speedo Failure Options

[bd1308]

I was driving and the speedo was stuck on 60 the whole way home. Stopped at a light and it went to zero and never moved since. The odometer works perfect but the speedo hardly works at all. I took it apart and found grease all over the cup that is connected to the needle...grease all over everything. Is this normal? Should I grab another speedo, or use a bike speedo?

[lapuwali]

First time I've heard of the speedo failing but the odo working. Usually the other way around. Can't be the cable if the odo works.

You can look for a speedo shop in your area to see if you can get it fixed. Or send it to PA or NH Speedo to have them fix it (expensive). Or buy a VDO electronic speedo that reads off a VW speed sensor adapted to your cable (about the same in price). Or buy a used speedo off Ebay (not so expensive). Or use a bike speedo (Sigma Sport BC800, goes up to 188mph, has both trip and regular odos, switchable between mph and km/h, about $25).

Bad things about bike speedos: they don't have lights in them, so you can't see it in the dark unless you cobble up something; rigging up the magnet and sensor are sometimes a real pain. You'll need to attach the magnet more or less permanently to something (I used superglue when I did this on my Mini), and you'll need to make up a bracket to hold the sensor reasonably still and within 4mm of the magnet. Any wobbling of the sensor mount will throw off the speed reading. They look like a digital watch is stuck to your dash.

Good things about bike speedos: you can calibrate it to within 0.01mi or 0.1mph of being exactly correct if you have the patience; they work even in reverse; no cable to fail.