Speedometer fixing & Fan Belts

Hi, just registered on here after finding it on Google.

About a month or so ago the speedometer on my 1980 Caprice Classic went out. I had issues with the needle jerking and a grinding noise, so I'm assuming that it's wire based, and the nut rounded out.

Would it be difficult or risky to replace it with my step-dad? Or should I just take it in to the local shop and have them take a look at it?


And regarding fan belts... how hard is it usually to replace them on a V8 5 liter? Mine are starting to develop cracks, so I figured preventative maintenence would be wise.

Changing the belts isn't hard at all, but it does require a routine to be followed. I don't know if the 1980 is set up this way, but later models have the smog pump run off a belt that is driven by the engine fan/water pump pulley. If this is the case with yours, take this belt off first. The older way (and the way your car might be set up) has the smog pump run from the same belt as the alternator. The belt in the front comes off first and goes on last.

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If your car has cruise control, there's a real possibility that the control head siezed. This is the thing under the hood on the driver inner fender that has two cables, a vacuum hose and a wiring harness on it. The two cables are the speedometer - control and control - transmission cables. If this is the case, you will need either a new control head and both cables, or a single trans-speedo cable from a car that doesn't have cruise, and in either case you will likely need to replace the driven gear in the transmission as this is likely stripped. To remove the speedo cable from the speedometer head will require removal of the speedometer head from the instrument cluster. I'd suggest a good manual (a Haynes Chevrolet B-body 1969-1990 manual, #24045, is excellent and about $20 at Autozone/etc).

Thanks, that's pretty much exactly what I needed to know :).

While the thread's going... my transmission fluid is getting rather murky looking, but isn't smelling bad. My step-dad said it was kind of borderline. At the moment we don't have the money to afford to get it flushed... would it be safe to drop the pan and replace the fluid in there and the filter, and then leave what's in the torque converter? Or should I wait untill I have enough money to have it flushed?

Thanks, that's pretty much exactly what I needed to know :).

While the thread's going... my transmission fluid is getting rather murky looking, but isn't smelling bad. My step-dad said it was kind of borderline. At the moment we don't have the money to afford to get it flushed... would it be safe to drop the pan and replace the fluid in there and the filter, and then leave what's in the torque converter? Or should I wait untill I have enough money to have it flushed?

Is the transmission slipping at all? Murkiness is not good. It indicates clutch material in suspension in the fluid. Definitely DO NOT get it flushed, a pan fluid and filter change is good however. While you have the pan off, check inside to see if you see any debris in there. If everything is coated with a grayish coating (called varnish), this is also an indication of internal slippage.

If you have it flushed with marginal clutches, that might actually be the death knell for the transmission.

Thanks again :). So I should drop the pan and replace the fluid and filter? If so, what filter would you recommend? I'm not sure if I'm driving a 2 or 4BBL, if that makes a difference...