#16: Re: Incorrect speedo - how to calibrate? Author: Harry, Location: StaffordPosted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 2:22 pm ----
E5GDM wrote:
Sorry Harry, I'm so slow posting youd corrected yourself before I got my last post up. I left it there anyway. Hope you don't mind as I thought it might answer the OP's question.
Haha don't worry all this over and under adjusting is getting to me I had to re read my posts several times and then I still wasn't sure what I was trying to say
#17: Re: Incorrect speedo - how to calibrate? Author: c128, Location: EnglandPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 3:19 am ----
c128 wrote:
I think my plan, now that I know the rev counter and speedo share the same type of stepper motor, is to make a fully working cluster out of the two based on my original cluster (for correct mileage). Then use the advice here to calibrate the speedo.
A reply to my own post just as an update for anyone searching for something similar in the future that might find it useful...
I managed to create a good cluster out of the two I now have - two stepper motors were fine out of the four (I'll look at repairing the other two when/if I need them later) so one each for rev counter and speedo.
One thing I did find after (unncessarily) removing all of the needles, putting the two good stepper motors into my original cluster and attempting to then replace the needles, is that to get any sort of accuracy you need to put the needles back with the ignition turned on and the cluster "live" - doing it with the cluster off and the motors fully at rest was just too inaccurate, at least for me.
With the speedo I carefully pushed the needle on just below the first mark with the ignition in the second position (so cluster live, engine off) then went for a drive, checked the speed against my sat nav at various speeds (good to have someone with you to read this out), stopped the car, removed the needle and repeated the above until I got it how I wanted it. My speedo is now reading about 2/3mph more than the actual speed recorded by my sat nav, so I'm happy with that.
With the fuel gauge, I filled up the tank but found the needle was reading about half full. So again, with the cluster "live", I put the needle back on so it was reading full against the top line. Similar thing with the temp gauge, that was reading near the top with needle back on - with the car cold but cluster live I put the needle back on at the bottom position - I suspect this isn't totally accurate, but it's near enough for me.
With the rev counter I just stuck the needle on when at rest. I'm not so worried about the rev counter, and I've no idea whether it's really giving an accurate reading or not, but it moves as it should and looks pretty... .
One thing that I found that wasn't obvious to me is that you pop off the dial plate, with the stepper motors attached, by pushing the three clear plastic rods that you can see poking through the back of the cluster. You do need to have the black/cream parts of the cluster separated to do this though, and that I didn't find easy (I broke some lugs on the replacement cluster doing this, but you can basically break all of them as far as I can see and it'll still stay together fine ).
I also found a teaspoon easier to remove the needles than a fork, especially if you're doing it with the cluster in place. Bit of card under the bottom of the spoon, poke it under the bottom of the needle and then carefully leaver it up; I didn't have any forks that would fit under the needles when fully pushed on.
Anyway - job done, and thanks for all the help on here .
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