Here's something you might be interested in.
I read a few articles and decided to give it a shot.. I have taken gauges apart before, but this is the first time I have attempted to lube a speedometer.
From what I read, it seemed easy so here we go...
NOTE: Don't touch the numbers or the gauge face!! Over the years the paint will have become powdery and will smear. The oil from your fingers will mar the black and once you try to clean it you are f-ed. I'm not kidding. I learned this the hard way. The numbers on the odometer dials will also smear.
The work being performed is on the gauge from my 52 Chevrolet Styleline, but it should be similar on most speedos. It had been making racket and jumping all over the place so I had disconnected the cable a long time ago. I'm in the middle of a re-wire on the car, so this is a good time to fix the problem.
1 Disassemble the gauge. Take your time, don't pry too hard. I used a flat screwdriver to gently bend the stainless where it had been bent over to keep the bezel attached to the housing. No pix of the disassembly, it's pretty self evident.
2 Locate the brass plug. It will look like a tiny freeze plug.
3 I taped up a small drill. Using firm hand pressure, twist the drill into the brass until you have a hole.
(had the camera set to "blur")
4 It shouldn't take long to make the hole. Just keep twisting and using firm pressure. I did it by hand because I was worried that a drill or dremmel would tag the speedo shaft.
5 Work a small screw into the hole you just made.
Once it's in there, carefully work the plug out. I used pliers.
6 There is a felt wick under the brass plug, work that out. I used my drill.
7 Put a few (like 4) drops of a good, light lube into the hole. Give the shaft a spin or two. I used some stuff that my wife bought for her sewing machine because I couldn't find the Marvel Mystery Oil. 2 in 1 oil would be good too.
(again with the camera set to "blur")
8 Replace the felt wick and add a few more drops of oil.
9 You have to fill the hole in the tiny freeze plug. I mixed up some JB Weld and filled it to the top.
10 Wait 24 Hours for the epoxy to dry. While you are waiting, defile your wifes sink cleaning out 58 years of crunchy yuck from the bezel.
REASSEMBLY:
1 Here is the lube plug filled with dried JB Weld.
2 Re-attach the gauge to the housing.
3 The glass on my gauge was able to move pretty freely and would rattle before I disassembled it. I used a couple of rolls of hockey tape to secure the glass.
4 Insert the glass and ring back into the bezel. With firm pressure, re-bend the stainless around the housing in the places that it was originally bent to hold the whole thing together.
I read a few articles and decided to give it a shot.. I have taken gauges apart before, but this is the first time I have attempted to lube a speedometer.
From what I read, it seemed easy so here we go...
NOTE: Don't touch the numbers or the gauge face!! Over the years the paint will have become powdery and will smear. The oil from your fingers will mar the black and once you try to clean it you are f-ed. I'm not kidding. I learned this the hard way. The numbers on the odometer dials will also smear.
The work being performed is on the gauge from my 52 Chevrolet Styleline, but it should be similar on most speedos. It had been making racket and jumping all over the place so I had disconnected the cable a long time ago. I'm in the middle of a re-wire on the car, so this is a good time to fix the problem.
1 Disassemble the gauge. Take your time, don't pry too hard. I used a flat screwdriver to gently bend the stainless where it had been bent over to keep the bezel attached to the housing. No pix of the disassembly, it's pretty self evident.
2 Locate the brass plug. It will look like a tiny freeze plug.
3 I taped up a small drill. Using firm hand pressure, twist the drill into the brass until you have a hole.
(had the camera set to "blur")
4 It shouldn't take long to make the hole. Just keep twisting and using firm pressure. I did it by hand because I was worried that a drill or dremmel would tag the speedo shaft.
5 Work a small screw into the hole you just made.
Once it's in there, carefully work the plug out. I used pliers.
6 There is a felt wick under the brass plug, work that out. I used my drill.
7 Put a few (like 4) drops of a good, light lube into the hole. Give the shaft a spin or two. I used some stuff that my wife bought for her sewing machine because I couldn't find the Marvel Mystery Oil. 2 in 1 oil would be good too.
(again with the camera set to "blur")
8 Replace the felt wick and add a few more drops of oil.
9 You have to fill the hole in the tiny freeze plug. I mixed up some JB Weld and filled it to the top.
10 Wait 24 Hours for the epoxy to dry. While you are waiting, defile your wifes sink cleaning out 58 years of crunchy yuck from the bezel.
REASSEMBLY:
1 Here is the lube plug filled with dried JB Weld.
2 Re-attach the gauge to the housing.
3 The glass on my gauge was able to move pretty freely and would rattle before I disassembled it. I used a couple of rolls of hockey tape to secure the glass.
4 Insert the glass and ring back into the bezel. With firm pressure, re-bend the stainless around the housing in the places that it was originally bent to hold the whole thing together.