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Speedo not working

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I took the instrument panel out to change the lightbulbs. Once connecting the Speedo cable, the speedometer isn't working yet the gauge for the rpm does work?

Anyone have any ideas?

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You might of not pushed the speedo cable right the way in, there is a little clip which holds it on so that may of stopped it going all the way home. Try and get your hand in behind and push it in a little more, I found you can just about get behind the instruments via the hole for the radio so you may need to pull the radio out.
Rev counter will still work as that gets a signal from the coil to work out the revs of the engine.

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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mark1gls first time I don't think I connected it properly. But the second attempt I feel as if it went all the way in, yet it still didn't work.  I had pushed the clip down and pushed the cable all the way in.

Really puzzled.

I saw in one of the posts that I should see if the Speedo cable rotates whilst the car moves. Will do this tom.

Any other pointers?

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You may of pushed in the square wire which drives the speedo into the cable when pushing it back in, if you are sure it's 100% home then you may need to pull the cable off again and check the square wire turns when moving the car which will mean pulling the instruments out again to check, if it does spin then see if you can pull the wire out a little, a mm or 2 is all that it may move then try to reconnect it and see if it works.


1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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mark1gls said

You may of pushed in the square wire which drives the speedo into the cable when pushing it back in, if you are sure it's 100% home then you may need to pull the cable off again and check the square wire turns when moving the car which will mean pulling the instruments out again to check, if it does spin then see if you can pull the wire out a little, a mm or 2 is all that it may move then try to reconnect it and see if it works.

Hey MK1Allan

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mark1gls said

You may of pushed in the square wire which drives the speedo into the cable when pushing it back in, if you are sure it's 100% home then you may need to pull the cable off again and check the square wire turns when moving the car which will mean pulling the instruments out again to check, if it does spin then see if you can pull the wire out a little, a mm or 2 is all that it may move then try to reconnect it and see if it works.

Hey @MK1gls


Hey mark1gls is the square wire in the cable that you are referring to? Also do I yank this square wire inside the cable by 2mm??

I haven't installed everything back properly so I should be able to look at the cable properly tom morning

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Yes the square bit is inside the cable, that is what fits into the middle of the speedo drive at the back of the instruments, try and pull it out a little but don't pull to hard.

You only need to push the car back or forward to see if the square bit inside the cable turns.

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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mark1gls I pulled out the square bit and reconnected the panel the Speedo still didn't move.

Also the square bit does turn around when the car slowly moved

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I pulled the square bit off, luckily you fit it back in and abracadraba the Speedo is working yaaaaaay. Thanks mark1gls

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Glad to hear it's fixed, if the speedo needle starts to jump about a lot when driving it may need a new cable but if it's ok don't worry about it.  :thumbs:

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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Tbh I'm thinking of changing the cable - looks worn out     . How do I disconnect it from the gear box side? Also what's the best position for the cable in the engine bay? Currently it's under the carb which I don't like…

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There is a screw or bolt which holds the cable onto the gearbox, remove screw/bolt and VERY carefully and slowly pull the cable up as straight as possible, there is a plastic cog on the end of the cable which is held on by a small circlip and if you hit the sides of the gearbox removing the cable the plastic cog can fall off the cable and drop deep inside the gearbox, if lucky you can fish it out and if unlucky it's inside your gearbox and properly gets mashed in small bits by the gears and if very unlucky it's locks up the gears… So be very careful removing the cable.

I'll have to have look at where my cable runs but I think it goes between the carb and rocker cover, not underneath the carb….


 

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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Oh yeah... keep the cog safe from the old cable you remove from the car as you need it for the new cable, you need to pull the cog off the cable, keep an eye on the metal clip which holds the cog on as you may need to reuse that as well.

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.
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