Hi. I bough my 88 lxi hatchback a few weeks ago and I noticed that the odometer works slower that how it suppose to be. The speedometer niddle is not working good either. When I start the vehicle and switch gears, the niddle goes up but finally stays at 10mph during the whole drive. The Odometer measure like 1 mile for every 5 real miles. What do you think that is wrong? The speedometer cable?thanks in advance.
you could check the connection on the back of the cluster... make sure the speedo cable is clicked in to the cluster properly. I've had my cluster out a few times... it's not very difficlut.
Thank you for the answer but you think that that can cause the odometer run slower? According the autocheck report looks like it has been like that at least 13k miles ago.Thanks
Originally Posted by jonrichert
The speedo and odometer are controlled by the same cable (sortof), which runs from the back of the gauge cluster to the speed sensor in the tranny. If the cable popped out at either place or is broken inside the sleeving it will do exactly what your describing.
Last edited by HostileJava; 09-23-2004 at 08:51 AM.
Yeah, I removed the cluster panel and it looks like the speedometer cable is properly connected. Probably I have to replace the whole cable or something like that. I am planning to leave it like that if have to put some money to fix it. Now it show 133k miles which probably are like 185k, so whenever my odometer shows 180k miles probably I will really be around 400k!!lol. Thanks.
QUOTE=HostileJava]The speedo and odometer are controlled by the same cable (sortof), which runs from the back of the gauge cluster to the speed sensor in the tranny. If the cable popped out at either place or is broken inside the sleeving it will do exactly what your describing.[/QUOTE]
you may also want to check that the speedo cable is correctly in the tranny as well. it comes out the top of the tranny, kinda towards the firewall.
Greg
1989 LX-i 2dr 5spd (R.I.P.)
2008 CBR 600RR -- 1995 Toyota Supra NA -- 2013 Nissan Frontier Pro-4x
Well regardless of what you want to do, it won't pass any inspection with that not working.
i'm not sure on that. my dad's truck's speedo doesn't work, and yet it passes. it may depend on the place inspecting it, or the state...
Greg
1989 LX-i 2dr 5spd (R.I.P.)
2008 CBR 600RR -- 1995 Toyota Supra NA -- 2013 Nissan Frontier Pro-4x
That's true, I just asked the guy behind where I work on the way out, and he told me know. But I guess it just depends. I hear anything goes down there
Hi, Thanks for your answers. It just passed inspection in july so I dont think that it will be a problem. Yesterday I follow the speedometer coming out from the firewall going to the manual transmission I think. But it goes connected to a piece where are two others hoses connected. Do you know the name of that piece? That piece goes connected to the manual tranny I think but I noticed that the piece had a play, I mean you can move it with your hand, It suppose to be like that? The rubber cover on the cable connection it can be moved in circles too. After that I was moving it I drove the car and the speedometer was working for like 1 mile and then it went down again to 10 mph. This morning I tried to move it again the same connection and the speedometer stop completely together with the odometer. 20 minutes later after one stop it started working in 10mph again. So I think that the problem is in that connection but I dont think that the cable is bad. I will take out a few connections to have room to access the connection but I would like to know what part is that one where the speedometer cable is connected right before the tranny and it suppose to be loose? Remember that part has two hose connected to that part. Thanks for your time in read this message.Adrian.
Rides:
88 Honda lx-i hatch 5 sp
89 Volvo 740 GL
Last 7 years:
86 Nissan 200sx/ 71 Beetle/ 88 Escort GT/ 97 Honda Accord/ 90 Nissan 240sx/ 93 Celica GT/ 99 Honda CRV/ 92 Corolla/ 03 Civic/91 Explorer/ 99 Suburban
That's the speed sensor and power steering assist. The faster you drive the car the less assist you get from power steering. Those hoses are part of the power steering system. It should not have any play. If it does it's more then likely because the arm that the bolt goes through that holds it on snapped off. This is very common. You can pull another speed sensor from an auto or manual a20 tranny. Any will fit.
Thanks very much for your answer. So I have to replace the speed sensor, there is no way to just tight the arm from the speed sensor?. If I replace it, do I have to drain the power steering fluid? Do I have to rise the vehicle or I can do it from the top, removing a few stuff of course. Thanks again, Adrian.
Rides:
88 Honda lx-i hatch 5 sp
89 Volvo 740 GL
Last 7 years:
86 Nissan 200sx/ 71 Beetle/ 88 Escort GT/ 97 Honda Accord/ 90 Nissan 240sx/ 93 Celica GT/ 99 Honda CRV/ 92 Corolla/ 03 Civic/91 Explorer/ 99 Suburban
Speed sensor is easy to pull out. If your looking at it from the front of the car, there is a small arm that extends to the right of it with a bolt in it. That arm is what usually snaps. The bolt in the arm is the only thing holding it firmly in place. Once you remove that you'll have to give it a good tug to remove it from the tranny. Once it's removed just unclamp the two hoses going to it and plug them up right away cause power steering fluid is going to start pouring out. Connect those hoses to the new/used speed sensor, push it firmly back into the tranny, bolt it up(not to tight though since the arm snaps easily), and connect the speed sensor cable. You will need to fill up the power steering resovior to replace any fluid you lost. Just turn the steering wheel back and forth all the way a couple times to get any air out of the system and fill the resovior back up to the full line.
The whole process should only take you 15-20min.
Edit: I just want to clear somthing up. Is it the whole piece that's connected to the tranny that's moving or just the cable itself that has play?
Last edited by HostileJava; 09-24-2004 at 09:16 AM.
Actually I think that both of them. The speedometer cable should not have any play? How do you disconnect it? there is a rubber cover, under that cover is where the connection is?. I was trying to diconnect the speedometer cable to connect it again but it was too hard because I didnt have enough room. Later today I am planning to take a look again.I check with autozone and the speed sensor is way expensive like $211. I havent seen that part in ebay. Do you know another source of used parts in internet?Thanks, Adrian.
Rides:
88 Honda lx-i hatch 5 sp
89 Volvo 740 GL
Last 7 years:
86 Nissan 200sx/ 71 Beetle/ 88 Escort GT/ 97 Honda Accord/ 90 Nissan 240sx/ 93 Celica GT/ 99 Honda CRV/ 92 Corolla/ 03 Civic/91 Explorer/ 99 Suburban
There is a clip that goes sideways around the cable to hold it in, just pull that off and the cable should slip out. I'd get it from a local junkyard. That's probably your best bet. Neither should really have any play in them.
Sounds more like the cable isnt seating in the sensor correctly. Especially since you said it was working for a short time after you moved it around at the sensor and now its not working again. That would be my bet.
There will be a slight bit of play in the cable going into the sensor. If you slide the rubber boot up you'll see a notch in the upper housing of the sensor a little bit below the end where the cable goes in. The metal end of the cable that goes into the sensor has a notch in it as well. Theres a "c" clip that goes into the notch and holds the cable. If the clip isnt there the cable will raise up a bit and not turn properly.
If the clip is gone you should be able to pick one up from any local parts store. It's shaped like a "c" but the ends curve back outwards into a circle, if that makes any sense.
If you think you need a sensor still get one from a salvage yard. I may have 1 or 2 of them sitting on a shelf from my old transmissions if you dont have any luck finding one
Thank you very much. Right now I am waiting to picku up my car from the Honda dealership that the car had a recall on the front buckle seat belts that they were broken when I bought the car. I will check the cable today or early tomorrow and if it does not work, probably I will get the speed sensor from you. Thanks again!
Rides:
88 Honda lx-i hatch 5 sp
89 Volvo 740 GL
Last 7 years:
86 Nissan 200sx/ 71 Beetle/ 88 Escort GT/ 97 Honda Accord/ 90 Nissan 240sx/ 93 Celica GT/ 99 Honda CRV/ 92 Corolla/ 03 Civic/91 Explorer/ 99 Suburban
Vinny I think you need to send me one, the one on the SE-i is broken and I need to get a new one before i get it all back together.
you need a speed sensor Jimbo? I'll look and see I think I have 2 of them laying around. 1 for sure maybe 2 though
Guess what! I inspect the speed sensor again and I noticed a bolt, the one that holds the speed sensor, that it wasnt tight enough, so I tight that one not too hard and now everything is working fine. I dont know for how long is gonna last. I hope that it last long enough for now. Now there is no play in the speed sensor. The speedometer cable has a light play almost nothing which it suppose to be normal. Thanks a lot guys for your help today, this forum rockkkkkkksssssssssss
Rides:
88 Honda lx-i hatch 5 sp
89 Volvo 740 GL
Last 7 years:
86 Nissan 200sx/ 71 Beetle/ 88 Escort GT/ 97 Honda Accord/ 90 Nissan 240sx/ 93 Celica GT/ 99 Honda CRV/ 92 Corolla/ 03 Civic/91 Explorer/ 99 Suburban
Glad you got it all worked out. Yeah Vin, I've gone through like 3 of them now because of swapping out the trannies and that stupid arm breaking. Let me know what you want for it or shipping or whatever.
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