Hi everyone.
1988 MGW40 ED33 Nissan Civilian
Trying to get my last final things done for rego and one thing that has got me stumped on the speedo is not working. It was a few months ago then just stopped. No blown fuses.
I've heard that if that speedo fails then it could be a faulty cluster unit? So I may need to pull the whole thing out and replace?
Has anyone had this issue?
Could it be something else?
I've got a full spare bus to switch out parts and will be hooking in tomorrow but looking for advice if it could be something other than faulty cluster?
Cheers
Mick
KJB said
06:55 PM Aug 4, 2020
Try running a new temporary "dedicated earth" to the cluster....
blaze said
07:43 PM Aug 4, 2020
It would still have a cable drive speedo wouldn't it, check the cable if it has one.
cheers
blaze
tuggersbmx said
08:01 PM Aug 4, 2020
Yeah I believe it has a cable run speedo.
Temp Earth I will try if possible.
Il pull apart dash tomorrow. See how I go.
If I can't solve il let ya know.
Cheers
blaze said
09:06 PM Aug 4, 2020
mostly the square drive on the cable get rouunded corners and wont drive, Gearbox may have a right angle drive that the cable srcews onto, check the gears, often plastic/nylon and they strip.
cheers
blaze
Whenarewethere said
08:34 AM Aug 5, 2020
Both my previous cars, a Peugeot 504 & Seat Ibiza, did over 250,000 km. Both their speedos died. With the Seat I knew the speed of the car from the tacho in each gear & had a little chart just in case I forgot.
Jaahn said
09:14 AM Aug 5, 2020
tuggersbmx wrote:
Yeah I believe it has a cable run speedo. Temp Earth I will try if possible. Il pull apart dash tomorrow. See how I go. If I can't solve il let ya know. Cheers
Hi Mick
If it has a cable drive which I also think it will have, just swap the cable from the other bus for start. There is no electricity in the speedo meter that makes it work just the cable going around (or not !!)
Jaahn
Whenarewethere said
09:45 AM Aug 5, 2020
On my cars the cable had worn to some degree but something in the back of the speedo had worn out, as the cars were so old it was not worth replacing.
tuggersbmx said
09:58 AM Aug 5, 2020
First thing il be doing is swapping over cable from parts bus to road ready bus. The rego inspectors / engineer (who I need to get a certificate off before I get rego) won't give the bus a pass without the speedo working. Pricks.
Unless if I can't fix it I might be able to get some sort of digital one and calibrate with GPS.
Mick
outlaw40 said
03:14 PM Aug 5, 2020
Engineer isnt a P#*ck as you put it he has to put his name to the work you have done , i would want it right if my name was going on the paperwork too .
KJB said
05:08 PM Aug 5, 2020
There are plenty of Digital / GPS style units on eBay for under about $50 . Cheap, easy to install and clear display. They may be the answer you are looking for.
I have seen these used in Hot Rod conversions and motorcycles. Personally I cannot see why they would not be legal , they are current modern technology. Worth checking out.
Aus-Kiwi said
05:57 PM Aug 5, 2020
As said check inner cable ? I have fixed with hammering cable square again and re oiling / greasing . If elect ? Change the transponder .
tuggersbmx said
07:46 PM Aug 5, 2020
Will hopefully have a chance tomorrow morning to inspect a bit. I've got a spare cable so that will be first option to repair. If no go then will look at electronic replacement.
See how I go tomorrow.
Cheers
Jaahn said
08:39 AM Aug 6, 2020
tuggersbmx wrote:
First thing il be doing is swapping over cable from parts bus to road ready bus. The rego inspectors / engineer (who I need to get a certificate off before I get rego) won't give the bus a pass without the speedo working. Pricks. Unless if I can't fix it I might be able to get some sort of digital one and calibrate with GPS. Mick
Mick
That's a bad attitude saying that. The rego inspector is just doing his job as he is required to do to certify the bus is roadworthy. I am disappointed to hear you call him a prick. That sort of attitude is what has caused the virus explosion IMHO.
Jaahn
tuggersbmx said
11:22 AM Aug 6, 2020
He's not really a prick. I know he's doing his job and I'd actually prefer to know my build us safe ECT.
Just made everything more expensive and delayed my build for quite some time. It's more that rego requirements have changed in Canberra now and other state mod plates are not recognized. The bus was already engineered to be a motorhome in new but I've had to do the whole process again. So it's just been a pain in the butt.
Engineer is just doing his job. So are the rego inspectors but they can be wayyyyy over picky in Canberra.
tuggersbmx said
11:31 AM Aug 6, 2020
I got around to pulling out the speedo cables at gear box end. They seem different first. Pictures attached. One with the gears on it is the one I need to get working. As you can see from the pics the gear is pretty worn out which would most likely be my issue of no speedo working.
Unless the other one which just had the one slot at the end of the cable need to pulled apart further in the gearbox to access the same type of gear ending? But I cannot find a way to pull anything more off.
Also I need to jump back under the bus with the gear ending to see how to remove the actual gear ending itself. Hopefully just a c clip or something. The gear would not just simple pull out.
Would a replacement gear shaft from a patrol possibly work?
Cheers for any help guys.
Once again you are right about the engineer not being a prick.
I think that gear is matched to the diff gearing so the speedo reads correctly.
tuggersbmx said
03:50 PM Aug 6, 2020
Hi stretch.
Yeah I've just researched and that is correct.
So in my eyes the one from my other bus with different ratio diff won't work anyway.....but I still couldn't get the metal sleeve that plugs into the end of the gearbox on the FD33T removed. I could get the cable out but not the sleeve that holds the gear pinion.
Il order a new gear pinion for the ED33 and buy a digital speedo as well. Cover both sides of things.
blaze said
05:10 PM Aug 6, 2020
electronic is ok but I believe gps based speedo dont meet ADR. It would pay to check before buying
cheers
blaze
Aus-Kiwi said
12:51 PM Aug 7, 2020
Mark your rev counter to speed on
GPS . May not be engineered acceptable? Can calibrate Speedo by redoing speeds on
Gauge also ! If changing speedo gear is an issue ?!
Theres always equal & opposite reactions !
tuggersbmx said
01:08 PM Aug 7, 2020
I cannot find a 22t speedo pinion to swap over ANYWHERE! Japan is 6 weeks wait plus with covid probably longer. Most likely 3 months before I get it.
I found a purple 21t pinion in Australia which I could swap over and I believe it would put my speedo out a tiny percentage? Maybe 2 or 3. Engineer stated my speedo needs to be within 5%. I'm thinking purple pinion swap over plus gps speedo as back up and he should pass me on that. Fingers crossed.
Aus-Kiwi said
01:59 PM Aug 7, 2020
Thats where you can change the speedo numbers to suit !
Possum3 said
02:06 PM Aug 7, 2020
If you use the 21t pinion you will be out by 4.55% either over or under reading depending if pinion is on driven side or driving side of speedo mechanism - If there is no GPS to compare it to the engineer doing blue slip would most probably be unaware of discrepancy (unless he is told).
tuggersbmx said
04:39 PM Aug 7, 2020
Aus-kiwi.
Change gearing at speedo end?
So if I go down one tooth at gearbox end and engineer complains that it's not right should I go up or down a gear / or two at cluster end?
I won't install gps unit and hopefully it goes un noticed.
One more question.
On the speedo cable where I can replace the gear pinion. ( Too one gear smaller) it looks like there's a pin that holds it in place. I would assume it just knocks out? But don't want to go knocking it if it's supposed to screw out?
If that is a slot up the side and hollow through centre of the pin then its a spring pin. Don't know their real name. Just use pair of pliers on protuding end to close gap and it should just slide out. Bit different to the holdens and tojo l'm use too.
Possum3 said
07:58 PM Aug 7, 2020
STRETCH ARMSTRONG wrote:
If that is a slot up the side and hollow through centre of the pin then its a spring pin. Don't know their real name. Just use pair of pliers on protuding end to close gap and it should just slide out. Bit different to the holdens and tojo l'm use too.
They are called Roll Pins and should be pushed out with a mandrel.
tuggersbmx said
08:04 PM Aug 7, 2020
Righto then.
Cheers.
Il be onto that once the rain stops.
Slot the new pinion in and hopefully should be all fixed. Fingers crossed.
blaze said
08:28 PM Aug 7, 2020
have you checked the cable yet, could also have failed.
cheers
blaze
tuggersbmx said
10:47 PM Aug 7, 2020
What's the best way to check cable?
Spin the pinion at the gear box end and have someone sit on cab and see speedo needle moves at all.
blaze said
01:54 AM Aug 8, 2020
remove and inspect, after you take the drive off the bottom it will most like just pull out from the top
cheers
blaze
cheers
blaze
cheers
blaze
Both my previous cars, a Peugeot 504 & Seat Ibiza, did over 250,000 km. Both their speedos died. With the Seat I knew the speed of the car from the tacho in each gear & had a little chart just in case I forgot.
Hi Mick
If it has a cable drive which I also think it will have, just swap the cable from the other bus for start. There is no electricity in the speedo meter that makes it work just the cable going around (or not !!)
Jaahn
On my cars the cable had worn to some degree but something in the back of the speedo had worn out, as the cars were so old it was not worth replacing.
There are plenty of Digital / GPS style units on eBay for under about $50 . Cheap, easy to install and clear display. They may be the answer you are looking for.
I have seen these used in Hot Rod conversions and motorcycles. Personally I cannot see why they would not be legal , they are current modern technology. Worth checking out.
Mick
That's a bad attitude saying that. The rego inspector is just doing his job as he is required to do to certify the bus is roadworthy. I am disappointed to hear you call him a prick. That sort of attitude is what has caused the virus explosion IMHO.
Jaahn
Just made everything more expensive and delayed my build for quite some time. It's more that rego requirements have changed in Canberra now and other state mod plates are not recognized. The bus was already engineered to be a motorhome in new but I've had to do the whole process again. So it's just been a pain in the butt.
Engineer is just doing his job. So are the rego inspectors but they can be wayyyyy over picky in Canberra.
I got around to pulling out the speedo cables at gear box end. They seem different first. Pictures attached. One with the gears on it is the one I need to get working. As you can see from the pics the gear is pretty worn out which would most likely be my issue of no speedo working.
Unless the other one which just had the one slot at the end of the cable need to pulled apart further in the gearbox to access the same type of gear ending? But I cannot find a way to pull anything more off.
Also I need to jump back under the bus with the gear ending to see how to remove the actual gear ending itself. Hopefully just a c clip or something. The gear would not just simple pull out.
Would a replacement gear shaft from a patrol possibly work?
Cheers for any help guys.
Once again you are right about the engineer not being a prick.
cheers
blaze
GPS . May not be engineered acceptable? Can calibrate Speedo by redoing speeds on
Gauge also ! If changing speedo gear is an issue ?!
Theres always equal & opposite reactions !
Aus-kiwi.
Change gearing at speedo end?
So if I go down one tooth at gearbox end and engineer complains that it's not right should I go up or down a gear / or two at cluster end?
I won't install gps unit and hopefully it goes un noticed.
One more question.
On the speedo cable where I can replace the gear pinion. ( Too one gear smaller) it looks like there's a pin that holds it in place. I would assume it just knocks out? But don't want to go knocking it if it's supposed to screw out?
They are called Roll Pins and should be pushed out with a mandrel.
cheers
blaze
cheers
blaze