speedo needle bouncing????

[chrstys1989]

ok-ive searched and search and i learned a lot about the speedo cable and all...
but heres my question..My speedo gauge needle bounces alot-but calms down around 40-50mph..at lower speeds though its jumping around...
I have located the speedo cable in the engine-and looked at it and all looks good to the eye....

where should i start??it did not do this before the rebuild,but the tranny never even came out...
should i unscrew it,and screw it back in?????

[HondaGuy]

Don't know if this helps but my 92 bounces about 3MPH until around 40 then it calms down and it has never had any tranny work done to it.

[chrstys1989]

hmm.thats what shes doing...whats really weird is it did this when my tranny mounts were bad-but when i changed them, it stopped and was nice and still...Now i have checked the mounts,everybodys AOK...i dunno whats up with these speedo's...

[anomaly]

The speedometer needle bouncing is usually an indication that the speedometer cable is going bad.

There are a couple of things you can try. In all cases you will have to disassemble the instrument cluster (like we discussed to install your gauge bezel).

1) Check the connections. The easy ones to check are in the engine compartment. Inspect/check that the cables are secure at the transaxle, the lower cable to upper cable connection, and the upper cable to speedometer connection. Basically making sure that everything is tight and as it should be.

2) <I heard this works, dont know myself> Re-grease the connections at the upper cable to lower cable connection and the upper cable to speedometer connection.

3) Replace the Upper cable. This is the one that usually goes bad and causes the speedometer needle to bounce. Do a search for a thread I did regarding this in the performance forum and you will read about all the relevant information that I posted with numerous others sharing their relevant information from their experiences.

4) If all that doesn't work, then replace the upper and lower cable assembly, and possible the speedometer drive gear assembly.

5) And then if all that doesn't work, take it to a speedometer repair shop.

[chrstys1989]

ok-i sprayed the speedo cable with white lithium, which did make a lttle difference-but were still reall wobbly around 10-25mph...
hmmmmm.....

[eastcoast89pgt]

My 89gt was doing the samething, my bolt is broke off the speedo cable so every now and then I have to snug the cable up.

[Thahman]

Yeah.. mine bounces between 20-35 and makes a tick tick tick noise- very annoying!

[chrstys1989]

just got the tick,tick,ticking...and yea 15-40 is my 'bouncy zone'

[oilburner]

Pull out the speedo cable and inspect the cable for frayed or loose wires. Also checks for kinks.

You might try reseating the cable, cause the ticking sound may be caused by the tip of the cable not seating properly in the speedometer keyhole.

[dsprlx]

More than likely, the speedo is binding at a low speed where it can really catch something inside the cable. I know my mitsu is doing that until about 20mph because the replacement had a bent part that goes inside the keyhole. It would turn strangely by hand, but easily. Also my keyhole was slightly rounded and I accidently got some grease on there. I know it's a mitsu, but same principle. I can live with mine, it sounded like a choir of banshees before I changed it, so it's much better now.

[mmerritt]

bouncing needle

I have had trouble like this in other cars. Think, how much trouble is it to get to all that stuff, put it back in and then find out it's still bad. Simple fix--new cable. That works and will save you all that time.

[HondaGuy]

Yeah, I figure if you need accurate speed readings in a car going that slow you shouldn't be using your speedo anyway. So until mine breaks I am gonna let it be.

[NineteenNinety]

Yeah mine does that same thing but only when it rains...

[ricks89gl]

I counted 4 people who started their threads off with "Yeah".

[anomaly]

yeah?