Speedometer or cable problem?

[carpenter_jai]

Hello,

I've had a long run of good luck, (mostly) with my 95 metro 3 door, 3 cyl 5spd. Though I had finally got fed up with not really knowing how fast I was driving for too long though. I started searching old threads here a week ago and found some usefull information -thank you! (links posted below). I had been with no speed reading and odometer for a while. I removed the speedo drive gear from the transmission (transaxle). Made sure cable is mating up and turning with the gear. Attached speedo cable to instrument cluster through the firewall. Turned by hand, saw the needle on the guage move up by turning one direction. Stays static until turned the opposite direction by hand. (Shouldn't the needle fall on its own when not being turned?) I then reinstalled the speedo drive gear.

That was a week ago. Since then I have been driving around with a speedometer needle that is constantly so close to a good impression of the kid from exorcist ). It gets quieter as it warms up at least.

I lubed the cable, but was not able to slide the cable from the housing. I picked up a new instrument cluster from the parts yard. $32 CAD, ouch. I took a photo of it below.

What I want to know is, am I going about this right, to assume that my problem lies in the speedometer itself? OR should I assume that the cable is too short to mate up nicely with the back of the speedometer as Dr. Bill demonstrated?

Instrument cluster from a 91 Swift (4cyl, auto) Lights on bottom from left to right read:
seatbelt, OD/OFF, low fuel, ABS, parking break on, running lights, turbo, power,oil level (text), oil (icon), battery, infl rest, check engine, seatbelt. (Whew!)

I hope this works in a 95 metro...

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...ro+speedometer

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...ro+speedometer

[Woodie83]

I would think the needle should drop back down on it's own too, but I've never tried that so I can't be sure. You'll certainly be happy with the tach, even if it doesn't solve your speedo problem.


That is not a 91 cluster, 89-91 were rectangular. I suspect its a 95 or newer, with the ABS light, but who knows, there are a lot of lights on there for things no Swift or Metro ever had.

[mr.Hand]

looks like mine!

95 Metro

But, I have never seen some of those lights! THE TURBO LIGHT? What's that do?

haha

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

Physically this cluster should be plug and play, although you may end up with some interesting warning lights. You might consider swapping in your overlay. I haven't taken one off, but there has to be a way. With an airbag light I would suspect it is 95 or newer as well. Might look into when airbags were added to Canadian cars. Since no one else has mentioned it I'll point out the one big issue; A 4 cylinder tach will not read correctly on a 3 cylinder car. There is a solution over at the Team Swift site but it requires removing a resistor from the circuit board and replacing it with another one.

good luck
MMM

[richard123vmt]

I don't know your answer but the cable should pull out of the housing. I installed a new cable just today. The new cable had to be removed to grease it. If you cable does not come out it probably means it is frayed. Your needle should return to zero because the drive is magnetic. There is no physical connection between the cable and the needle.