gf's '89 RS-

When we got the car the speedometer was making noise and was bouncy. We put a new speedometer cable in (not lubed) and it worked and had been pretty good other then still a little bouncy for months. Yesterday (first cold morning about 38*) it started making horrid squealing noises and started flying all over the place. I had a whole cluster from the JY that I had laying around if I ever needed to swap speedometers. So I took out the old speedometer and put the new one in with the old (correct) odometer. No difference, it was still making noise and bouncing. Took the whole Speedometer cable out and lubed it with "Dry Graphite" lubricant. Just got it in and tried driving it around the block and it's still doing the exact same thing. Now when driving with the cable disconnected, it doesnt make any noise. Also if I try to turn the inner metal cable with my hand with it attached to the tranny it doesn't turn. So whats up? Was the second new speedometer i got from the JY no good either or do you think it's something else?

I dont know what to do and my gf needs a speedometer...

 

I gave up on speedo's in my car, I have no luck at all with them...

That's normal, you've disconnected it from the speedo head, and it's still connected to the tranny gear, so you shouldn't be able to turn it. Here's a better test, connect it back to the speedo head, disco' it from the tranny. Try and spin the center part with your hand, while lying under the car. Get the wife to watch the speedo, does it move? If not, disco' it from the speedo head, and try again, can you turn it? If not the cable is obviously toast.
If it did move the speedo a bit, try using your drill, chuck up the center, and spin it slowly (make sure you spin it in the "right" direction.). Spin it up to 100mph if you have to, you'll get the noise, and be able to pinpoint it easily in the quiet garage, rather than over motor noise.

 

Ya i know that is normal i just figured someone would post and tell me to test that. Im going out to try what you just said so ill post back with my results.

Thank you.

 

Ok, speedo is definently making noise? Just dinging back and forth. Are we using the right kind of lube? Im pretty confident that the cable is fine and thats its the speedometer itself.

 

Well, two speedo's in a row are bad you think?

no, I wouldn't use dry graphite. I'd pour gear oil down the tube, from the speedo side, so it runs down the tube via gravity.

 

well we had to switch the odometer roll over so i had to remove the needle. I wasnt sure if i was messing up anything behind there because the stuff is so sensitive and fragile.

Gear lube it is in the A.M then if not im hittin the yards.

 

Ringing like a bell? I'd put my money on both speedo heads being bad.

 

I flushed the cable housing the brake cleaner, I think, until the fluid was clear, then I ran the cable itself through a palmful of Sly-Glyde, a Napa lube for speedo cables (as well as other things), down into the housing. Had to twist the cable a bit to seat it into the tranny gear.

By the way, are new GM cables prelubed?

JamesC

 

Ok I put in a new(used) speedometer from another camaro in the JY, it works. No ringing. I used 80w90 gear oil on the cable and now it only makes a buzzing type noise above 40 mph and bounces around the speed...

Cable is like 5 months old too so i dont know whats up. Anymore ideas guys?

 

anybody?

 

JamesC, so its possible to remove the spiral inner cable? My speedo cable just broke on me, and it seems easier to replace that inner cable rather than the whole thing.

 

Yes, but make sure the new cable is the same length. IIRC, some auto parts stores sell cables that you can cut to length.

JamesC

 

So I just removed the speedo cable and sure enough it broke in two near the trans. I think its was really dirty from sitting for years and was even up to its GFX in flood waters, but you can't keep a good 3rdGen down!

Since its broken in two I can't tell the proper length. James seems your car and mine are practically the same car right down the the color (cept mine's not an IROC and I bet your's is in much better condition), what was the length of your speedo cable?

 

I was going to replace the cable itself, as you intend, but the auto parts version was clearly longer. Long story short, when the motor was out, I replaced the housing and cable with a new GM version. I'm not sure what the length was. Sorry.

JamesC