Shaky Speedo Low Gauge Readout

[MJ20]

I just finished the gauge cluster swap and the open rad conversion. I also swapped in a speedo cable with the pulse generator adapter and recalibrated the mileage on the cluster.

 

Do you think the cable needs lube or the cluster is worn out? I haven’t re-lubed the cable yet and I think I read somewhere to pack grease in the connections to stop the shakes, but I can’t find that info again.

 

The oil pressure and volts read low as far as I can tell. The oil is showing around 20 driving and goes up to 40 if I rev it up, which may be correct for all I know. The volts read about 12.5 running and I show 14.2 at the battery with a meter. The temp seems to be right on and I just put five gallons of gas in on an empty tank and it went to half full. The gas gauge in the original cluster used to do that too and almost went back and forth like a tack when driving so I may need to look at the sending unit about that minor problem. But as for the oil and volts maybe this is a cluster problem or maybe a ground problem?

[chicofuentes0224]

Do you think the cable needs lube or the cluster is worn out? I haven’t re-lubed the cable yet and I think I read somewhere to pack grease in the connections to stop the shakes, but I can’t find that info again.

 

 

You need to grease the cable to get it to stop vibrating. Don't ask me with what grease though. Someone else is gonna have to tell you. I used a grease we use on restaurant equipment and it only lasted two weeks. I'm too lazy to pull the cluster back out to regrease it though :oops:

[Eagle]

Try white lithium grease on the speedo cable. Also, check the cable routing to make all bends as smooth and wide as possible. Tighter bends are more prone to the cable "whipping."

[maddzz1]

Try white lithium grease on the speedo cable. Also, check the cable routing to make all bends as smooth and wide as possible. Tighter bends are more prone to the cable "whipping."

 

Are you saying to cover the entire cable w/ grease before you put it in? or just the end where it connects to the cluster?

[Eagle]

Try white lithium grease on the speedo cable. Also, check the cable routing to make all bends as smooth and wide as possible. Tighter bends are more prone to the cable "whipping."

 

Are you saying to cover the entire cable w/ grease before you put it in? or just the end where it connects to the cluster?

Do NOT grease the end where it inserts into the cluster. Lay the cable out straight, then pull the inner core out of the outer sheath. Apply grease while you slide the core back into the sheath.

[MJ20]

Thanks. I’m going to do the lube on the cable next weekend. The cable removes easy now that I have the short cable to the cluster.

[TNT]

There is a grease made for lubricating speedo cables.

 

Here's an example:

 

SLIPKOTE SPEEDOMETER GREASE is a premium quality, low temperature calcium grease that provides superior flexible cable housing lubrication at temperatures as low as -65°F. It is designed to prevent pulsating in wet or dry conditions and will outperform an ordinary grease as a speedometer cable lubricant in Automotive, Truck, Farm, Marine, and Industrial applications.

 

Try stopping at a motorcycle shop, they should have the correct lubricant.

 

If there is an auto repair shop/dealer that has been around for years they should be able to help you also.

 

I go to the local Ford dealer that has been around for 40 years. I bring in the cable, pull it apart lubricate it and slide it back together. They charge me $1.00 cash. They have a 8 ounce can of Ford speedometer cable lubricant.

 

After lubricating the cable with a light coating of grease, slide it back into the cable housing from the transmission end. Push it untill you can grab it from the other end and pull out a foot or two. Push it back in and you should be ready to reinstall it. Doing it this way helps keep excessive lubricant from getting into the speedometer housing, but helps get the cable housing fully lubricated. Be sure to clean the grease off of the end that hooks up to the cluster.

 

I have also had to clean out the housing because of rust or old grease buildup. I spray in some PB Blaster and work the cable threw it a few times. I use some brake clean when done and blow the housing out with compressed air after that. Then just spray the cable down with brake clean or take it to the parts washer to clean it out. After that I apply the lubricate and reinstall it. This can be done with the cable still in the vehicle.

 

If I think about it I will take a some pictures when I pull the cable out of my MJ. It won't be reused since I'm converting it into a 95 XJ wiring and driveline set-up.

 

This would be a good tech write-up. If anyone has some pictures, send them to me and I'll make the write-up and give you credit for your work.

[MJ20]

I’ll check out that cable grease and take some pics when I get a chance to work on the comanche.

[MJ20]

I fixed the shaky speedo. It didn’t seem to be a lube problem. It turned out the speedo cable was 3/8” too long to fit properly in the housing on the tc. When I connected the speedo cable to the tc I had to push the fittings together and screw on the large nut. That put a preload on the speedo cable end to end inside the housing. The fitting on the ‘90 tc this cable came off of must have a recess that allows the extra length. My Comanche doesn’t. The problem wasn’t the extra length of the square drive end but the distance where the cable becomes round again.

 

I relieved the cable back a ½” by removing a complete wrap of cable and silver soldered the cable end to keep it from unwinding. Then I filed the excess solder square. Made the whole cable a ½” shorter to the start of the square ends. I didn’t know how this would work out, but It works perfectly.

 

I finished up the cluster swap and then finished the open rad conversion. Yahoo. Here are some pics.