Noisy speedo

[72Hardtop]

I replaced the speedo a few months ago and now the speedometer makes a tick..tick.....tick..tick.....tick..tick noise when moving. I had the bus in the shop since January and it wasn't making the noise prior to going into the shop. I pulled the instrument panel and removed the cable. If I spin the speedo using my fingers fast enough I can hear the aforementioned ticking noise. Any recommendations?

I was thinking of giving it a few days (driving) or so to see if it would clear up on it's own. Figured it was from sitting so long at the shop.

[bajaman72]

Mine starts screeching at me and I squirt liquid wrench in the hole where the speedo cable goes. Shuts it up for a little while.

[Amskeptic]

Mine starts screeching at me and I squirt liquid wrench in the hole where the speedo cable goes. Shuts it up for a little while.

Follow it with engine oil. Liquid Wrench has such intense detergents that the cable may quietly eat itself in half.
Colin

[hambone]

What about some sort of silicone or other type of spray? Lithium? Not sure what's out there.

[bajaman72]

Hmm. I do have spray silicone. I don't know where it came from. I don't even know what you would use it for other than boobies
How do you spray motor oil? Or remove the speedo and pour?

[72Hardtop]

I was under the impression that no oil/lube of any kind was allowed into the speedo... Perhaps graphite?

[bretski]

Good timing on this thread. The weather has been so nice in Colorado the last few days that I started driving Klaus to work. My speedo cable does the "tick, tick, tick" as well, but only in the cold (morning). I've just figured that old grease in the cable tubing solidifies in the cold, then thins out as the ambient temp increases???

A little searching led me to this graphite oil lubricant from Dorman (Part number 9-1812):



Anybody tried this product?

[hambone]

But how do you get it in there without disassembly?
Seems like all VW speedos eventually start a moanin'.

[vdubyah73]

more likely cable noise. i unscrew the cable from back of the speedo and squirt some mystery oil into the cable. i'll do that several days in a row. the mystery oil softens up old grease. its also important to look at the cable route from the dash to the wheel. look for anyplace you can straighten the path.

[72Hardtop]

I replaced the cable a few months ago and routed it the same path as the old one. It wasn't making any noise until after I picked it up from the shop where it had been sitting for (2) months. It even ticks in reverse. I removed the cable from the back of the speedometer and noticed that while spinning the speedo with my fingers it will tick if I spin it fast. When I originally purchased the cable I used Royal Purple synthetic lubricant spray and fed it into the cable and let it soak the entire night before reassembly.

[Amskeptic]

I replaced the cable a few months ago

Who knows then, what sort of manufacturing quality you are dealing with.
Colin
(p.s. VW plastic tied the cable to the steering column bracket on the earlier 70's buses, it makes a slight s bend that quiets things down)

[72Hardtop]

I bought it from German supply and routed it the exact same way the old one was routed including ties. My problem is if I remove the cable from the back and spin the speedo quickly I can hear the ticking.

[vdubyah73]

is your odometer working?

[chitwnvw]

What about the plastic gear in the speedo? Is it a steady tick tick? Or does it happen like once a mile?

[72Hardtop]

is your odometer working?

Yes.