speedo musings

[rhock99 at epix.net (Ryan H)]

Michael, that sqwauking when cold was likely where the speedo cable meets the cluster - mine did the same thing until I took it off and all the metal shavings fell out, then I oiled it up some.  And yes, it was worse in the cold.
Unfortunately, I don't know how to calibrate the speedo.  But I do know that the stop pin is NOT where the needle should rest naturally.  If you could take the stop pin out (or just flip the speedo needle under it) it should rest a bit (~1/4") below it.  Make sure if you take the needle off, you flip it under the pin first to see where it rests.  That is the position you will pop the needle back on.

> 
> From: "Michael Abatzis" <abatzis2@hotmail.com>
> Date: 2003/12/21 Sun PM 02:05:56 EST
> To: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> Subject: speedo musings
> 
> note: original post broken up. see subject "my car is fast again" for more 
> exciting speedometer related insights!
> 
> 1) anyone know how to calibrate a speedo? the mechanism's interesting, for 
> those who've never seen it. there is no direct connection, through gears or 
> otherwise, between the speedo cable and the needle. the cable runs into a 
> metal disk, which spins within, and doesn't actually touch, a (magnetized, i 
> assume) metal cup. the cup is connected to the needle, and the whole thing 
> is preloaded with a small coil leaf spring (like the kind in a thermostat). 
> calibration is (i think) achieved by turning the needle itself, which should 
> affect the amount of preload on the metal cup. this seems like it would be 
> extrordinarily difficult to calibrate, but hopefully it's something easy 
> like "adjust it so the needle JUST returns to the stop when moved". 
> otherwise you'd need to do something like "at this rpm, speed should be x 
> mph". install speedo, compare, take speedo out, move needle, repeat until 
> you get it right. this would be a colossal PITA.
> 2) the motometer and vdo units are very different. the vdo is much lighter, 
> and harder to dissassemble. i couldn't figure out how to get it completely 
> apart. the motometer was easy. the gearing systems for the odometer also 
> looked different, more than just the difference between plastic and metal 
> gears (the motometer has some plastic gears in the mechanism also, btw, 
> although these apparently don't break much).
> 
> my car is fast! woo woo! as a side note, that screeching when the speedo is 
> cold is now gone. i don't know what the hell that was.
> 
> -Michael Abatzis
> New Orleans!
> 1988 Scirocco 2L 16v RIP
> 1987 Scirocco 2L 16v...
> 
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