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Broken odometer?

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mrsprite

mrsprite

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I finally broke down and got the speedo kit from Rivergate (two years of guessing my speed was enough!). I hooked everything up and the odometer quit working after 2 miles and the trip odometer won't reset itself after pushing the button. The speedo works beautifully and is pretty accurate too (at least according to the "your speed is X" traffic signs).

My question is, is this a common problem with the speedo? Is it easily fixed or should I just buy a new speedo? If I need a new speedo, does anyone have one on the cheap?

BTW....I have a Bugeye, but it has late 60's Spridget gauges.


FWIW, the speedo in my BE has been non-op for about 15 years (no cable hooked up), so it may have been busted to begin with. I did lube the speedo with some oil prior to the cable hook-up too.
 
At the very least, as Donn says, taking one apart and seeing how it works is an educational exercise that may offer a chance for a repair to be made! What/where did you lube on the speedo?
 
Did it stop working when you tried to reset the trip odometer?
 
Trevor Jessie said:
Did it stop working when you tried to reset the trip odometer?
Click to expand...

Nope. The odometer just quit working while on the test run after installing the cable. The trip odometer actually still works, but I can't reset it. As for trying to reset the trip.....it never budged the first time I pushed the button or subsequent pushes either.

As for the oiling......I just did what their instructions said and put some 3-in-1 oil where the cable attaches to the back of the speedo. It's very likely I did nothing at all though.

I guess I can disassemble it......I'm good at that. :wink: I can't do any more damage I suppose and it's not like I need the speedo right now.....I haven't had a working one in 2 years, so what's a few more days?
 
Is this a 4" speedo or one of the later 3-3/8" speedos
 
It's a 4" gauge.....I'm guessing from a '65 or '66 Sprite.


It looks like this:

12376_.jpg
 
Nope, I don't have one of those.
 
Well I feel a little stupid now. I have owned cars that require pushing a button to clear the trip odometer and I've owned cars that require you to turn a knob clockwise to do the same......never have I owned a car that makes you do both! The trip odometer works great and I can zero it out now. The main odometer still does not work, but it is odd that it did work for 2 or 3 miles before quiting. I guess I'll pull it apart and take a look. I can live without a working odometer as long as the speedo and trip are functional, so no biggie either way.

Thanks! :smile:
 
Google for and download the 27 page PDF by Anthony Rhodes entitled "Repairing Jaeger & Smiths Speedometers". It will be very helpful both in showing how to service your gauge and explaining how it works.

Since the trip odo works but the main one doesn't... it could be that the spring for the odo pawl has come off.
 
As Doug says, or maybe the pawl itself is mis-aligned or has slipped and is not engaging with the cogs to move the odometer!! Chances are it is a fairly simple remedy!
 
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