More speedo Woes

[Mongoose]

Hi,

a few weeks ago, I posted a thread about my "clicking" speedo. Having fitted a new cable and a replacement head unit, the situation has improved, though I now get a resonance type noise, especially on the engine braking of hard deceleration - it's even noticable on a floating throttle (I suppose one solution would be to try to keep hard on the gas at all times LOL).

Perhaps of greater concern, it seems that the speedo cable has started to draw up gearbox oil, creating one heck of a mess behind the dash, in the footwell and on the pedals (it smells pretty obnoxious as well). I know that the guys who did the work were finding it difficult to get the noise level down and applied the cable with grease - perhaps this has in some way created a capillary action that is pulling the oil out of the gearbox at the other end of the cable? Or is there a gasket/seal that needs to be fitted that has been overlooked.

Any help on this would be much appreciated as this speedo problem appears to be snowballing.

Many thanks.

[mk2bal]

Finally someone else with the same prob. When I did my 16v conv I put a new (pattern) speedo cable in. It did the same, started spewing oil all over the clocks. I smelt it for a while, but it wasn't until it was all over my pedals that I really noticed it.. After a nice clean, tidy wired 16v install its taken so long to clean the oil up, its all in the foam round the column etc. I've still got rags stuffed up there catching the remnants.. All I could find on a search was that someone had 'heard' of this before, but never witnessed it themselves. I removed my cable months ago, so lucky I know what rpm in 5th is equal to what speed. What make was your cable? Mine was in a green and yellow bag, still got it in the shed, jus can't remember make off top of head

[Mongoose]

Hi mk2bal,

I bought the cable from Eurocarparts (ref 648440240).

I suspect that the cable itself is not "self lubed" as well as the original VW parts and can certainly start out a bit noisy until they have worn themselves in. I know that the guys who installed it were having problems with noise after fitting it to the replacement head unit. I am going to speak to them next week to try to find the root cause, I will also ask them to fit a new cable with a light application of lubricating oil.

I am wondering whether, in trying to suppresss the noise, they went further than greasing the head end of the cable and also increased the amount of gearbox oil by topping up via the speedo hole (presumably this would increase the lube on the plastic speedo drive at the gearbox end of things?). If this is infact the case, it may be a case of them draining the excess by removing the plug from the side filler hole and allowing it to drain to this level. Perhaps there is an expansion/breather area that has become blocked ( I have done some forum seaching that suggests that this might be the case), forcing the oil up the only way out (the cable) a little like the way the rocker cover gasket sometimes starts to weep where the breather system becomes clogged.

I will let you know how I get on.

[X4MGS]

Next time try and get a proper VW part...

That magic fairy dust makes all the difference with some parts...

[Mongoose]

Hi X4MGS,

do you know if you can still get VW speedo cables; the dealer that I asked told me that they had been obsoleted?

PS, thanks again for all your guidance on my original thread of a few weeks ago - much appreciated

[mk2bal]

vw do still sell the cables, theyre about £50 though,so i thought id leave it for now... i think its more down to the way the cable is twisted, it could be the fact mine looks reversed is maybe why its sucking up instead of forcing away. though i still think its a bit odd. the donor car had no sign of oil when i took it all out, so the gearbox breather etc isnt blocked, its just my particular cable. mine came from a local parts place, but could be manufactured by the same people euros get theres from. will check next time i go to the shed. damn expensive for what they are, even pattern one was nearly £30 if i recall

[Mongoose]

Didn't some guy called Archimedes suss this out some time ago?

[mk2bal]

yeah id say thats whats happening... god damn moody cable

[X4MGS]

If VW UK don't have any, try VW classic parts in Germany. £50.00 sounds a lot but when you have had to buy 2 after market ones that dont work and cause all this agro... It seem's a cheaper option to me in the long run...

Mongoose... No Worries M8!!

[Mongoose]

Ok,

I have done a general search on cars that have experienced this sort of problem...

http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?t=11929

It sounds as if there is may well be some sort of seal or "O" ring that is needed at the gearbox end of the cable, and when this goes the cable siphons up the oil. A search on this site has yielded up the following as a possbile part number (courtesy of rubjonny).

"171 957 861 B - 020 gearbox speedo seal - 80p+VAT"

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=33909.msg1581429#msg1581429

Hopefully:

1. This part will cure things.
2. It has not been discontinued by VW.

Fingers crossed.