Speedometer Cable

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Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 09:38:23 -0700
From: "Tong, Donald L" 
Subject: Noisy Speedo Cable
To: "'Toyota 4x4 Digest'" ,

Jay Kopycinski mentioned he had a noisy speedo cable on his '91 4-Runner
and wondered if anyone had comments or experiences to share.

I too have a '91 4-Runner and was getting some speedo cable noise.
About three months ago, over the course of three weeks, I probably took
the dash apart six to ten times trying all kinds of things.  First I
tried to inject some grease down the cable but that didn't work.  In
fact, right after I tried that, I got some really loud noise for about
15 seconds while driving down the freeway, and that made me think it was
the speedo head.  It was a loud screeching type noise which can't be the
cable, so I'm guessing it was some plastic parts rotating in the speedo
head.

Other things I tried on the cable were Lubriplate, Break Free, and
WD-40.  At one point I even drove around (maybe about five miles worth)
with the instrument panel removed just to see if the cable would make
noise and thereby eliminate the speedo head as the problem.  No luck.
So I hooked up a 1/2" drill to the speedo head to see if it would make
noise and again, no luck.

And if you haven't guessed by now, I was very reluctant to pull the
speedo cable out of the car.  Looked like way too much effort for what
should have been a quick fix.

Last thing I tried was driving through the neighborhood *very* slowly
with the instrument panel removed, and putting small drops of oil on the
speedo cable as it turned.  I also popped off the cable retainer on the
on the speedo head and put a drop or two in there just in case.

For the next couple days I figured it wasn't working and I was going to
have to live with the noise.  But noise is kind of a funny thing - when
it's there you know it, but when it finally disappears you take it for
granted.  My speedo's been quiet (like it should be) for the last two
months at least, meaning I don't remember when the last time was that I
was annoyed with it.

So if I have any recommendations at all, it's to try a little oil (I
think I just used a few drops of 10W-30 motor oil) on the speedo head
and cable and give it a couple weeks to work its way in.

Donald Tong
donald.tong@unisys.com

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Date: 30 Jun 1997 16:03:00 -0700
From: "Jay Kopycinski" 
Subject: Noisy speedo fix
To: "Toyota 4x4 List" 

                      Subject:                              Time:  3:50 PM
  OFFICE MEMO         Noisy speedo fix                      Date:  6/30/97

I wrote before that the speedo in our 4Runner was making
noise. I further found that the cable was the problem.

I had previously tried fixing it by lubing it with some 
motorcycle chain lube I had. That fix didn't work.

Donald Wong mentioned that he had had good luck quietening
his with some 30W motor oil.

I removed the instrument cluster and wrapped some duct
tape around the plastic piece on the end of the cable to form
a little cup. I then made a mixture of lubes I had lying around
(some light machine oil, some 30W, and a little bearing assembly
fluid). I figured one of these viscocities should work. 

I poured some of my mix in the cup at the end of the cable
and taped the cable vertically up inside the dash. I drove it
like this for a day and then added another dose of lube drove
it another day.

It seemed to work its way down into the cable and after
about three days I put the instrument cluster back in and
it has been quiet ever since.


______________________________________________
Jay Kopycinski                              '85 Toylet   (ROKTOY)
Gilbert, AZ                                    '85 4Runner (her project)
ryna10@email.sps.mot.com           '91 4Runner (for sale)
http://www.netzone.com/~jayk
Arizona Lo-Rangers 4WD Club            TLCA #3243
______________________________________________

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