A curious issue

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Juansamwell

Juansamwell

Member
Posts
23
Location
Cornwall
Hey everyone,

Its been flipping ages since I posted anything, so I thought Id make this one a doozy! The entire time Ive owned my Landy its had a very unusual speedo related issue. The speedo works as well as they do generally, needle stays still with no wobble, reads about -10% due to bigger tyres fitted but that's ok.

The issue is that its lazy. After about 5 mins on a dual carriageway/motorway (I live in Cornwall so have the former more than the later, but did once drive it to Bristol) the needle starts to head home to the lower end of the speedo dial. Eventually chilling out at about 25/30 mph once I've been going for 20 mins+

Its not the biggest issue as I normally have waze on which displays the GPS speed, I'm just absolutely flummoxed how its possible. The speedo cable is in good condition and turns freely and the dial in the dash works just fine most of the time, only dropping at speed and longer drives.

Any insight from the brain trust very gratefully received. (Picture for interest)

Sam
 

Attachments

  • sheep.jpg
    sheep.jpg
    190.4 KB · Views: 30
Wow! Excellent conundrum.

Logic (bits to look at):

1) worm that drives the cable, the big gear in the rear output casing on the transfer box.

Are there too many shims and as the box warms the clamping force on the worm reduces causing it to slow down?

2) cable.

Is it binding when it's warm?

3) clock

I never looked at one of these, but if 1 & 2 are eliminated, then send it off to be checked out. Or you could go clever and fit a digitalised original version. That takes a remote signal from a clever gadget fitted to the gearbox.
 
Hey man, thanks for the reply.

1) its had two different transfer boxes, both produced the same issue/result, so I think I can rule that out, also it is fine hot at lower speeds, only seems to be sustained driving at 50-60 that does it.

2) I think we are onto this now.

3) This is next (The get it checked replaced route, I've got a bit of a thing against digital/led stuff in series Landies, put a usb socket in the dash once and have to tape over it's infuriating blue LED)

Ill come back to the post once I've swapped the cable and let you know if it cures it
 
The way the outer cable attaches to the back of the speedo isn’t the best. This could be worse with a cheepo cable. I pulled a zip tie really tight, round the outer cable where it fits on the back of the speedo, to get mine working after it stopped one day. Basically the inner wasn’t quite reaching the speedo.
I did first order a replacement speedo cable but it didn’t even latch on the speedo. So took a few photos of the issue and they refunded me and I binned the new cable. Did my temporary fix 3 years ago now.
 
Oh yes. Britpart cables. avoid. Charlie ECU on eBay is supposed to sell good ones, no experience, mines original.
 
I'm in agreement with the over electronic thing. I do have a radio and a CB, that's plenty semi conductors for me.

If you want semiconductors buy a modern defender. If you want reliable semi conductors buy a Japanese built Toyota.
 
It could be something getting hot in the speedo. Perhaps a drop (no more!) of oil where the speedo shaft runs in the bush in the back of the speedo might help.

Logic: The speedo relies on the generation of eddy currents. These currents decrease with temperature, and so, the torque acting on the needle would reduce. This might explain why it works for a while, and then gradually weakens.
 
ive never really trusted a gps speed as just about every car i had a gps unit (sat nav) in was reading around 5kph slower then the cars speedo, a isuzu truck it read around 10kph and i was like nah no way a new isuzu truck would be out 10kph. i only will use it as a guide.
 
Actually, that's correct. Most vehicles over read by up to 10%.

It's a couple of things:

1) protection against speeding tickets, if the car was accurate or under reading, then the manufacturer could be on the hook.

2) the car gets serviced earlier, more profit for the dealer.
 
Wildefalcon said:
Actually, that's correct. Most vehicles over read by up to 10%.

It's a couple of things:

1) protection against speeding tickets, if the car was accurate or under reading, then the manufacturer could be on the hook.

2) the car gets serviced earlier, more profit for the dealer.
Click to expand...
ahh ok i see what you mean.
ohh yeah the dealers yep thats where tons of cash can be made with some makes of cars they sell ok'ish and they get you back on parts and servicing.
say for example land rover in australia here are ranked among the worst for servicing costs and parts and some have had serious issues and all the dealers do is fob them off, one person i heard of had a litihium battery failure on the new gen defender and they could not drive it till the replacement came and the thing is or was there was none spare at all in the entire world at that time and i think maybe one was in america but import charges were through the roof and the owner had to wait like more then 6 months as landrover never made certain spare parts asll they had was stock to build new crs and none for parts in case there was a failure and most of the new gen defenders in australia do bugger all k's before they try to sell them on and you wont get one any less then about $85,000. i have never seen one with more then say 30,000k's thats how rubbish they are they have poor reputation over here.
 
Have you checked the tightness of the rear output shaft nut? When they come loose it can make the speedo do some odd things as they are only friction drive, mine worked backwards when it was loose (speedo went up as I was slowing down and vice versa)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

19_Hue_95
300tdi Speedometer / Transducer
Replies
12
Views
3K
Curly Oak
C
2008Freelander
New member New Zealand 2008 Freelander next to my 1982 G-Wagon LWB
Replies
6
Views
618
2008Freelander
2008Freelander
thenuttydog
Disco 4 (LR4) Discovery 4 instrument cluster not working
Replies
1
Views
3K
lynall
L
Scotiawhiskers
P38A Speedo inaccuracy - P38 V8 4.0 auto
2
Replies
34
Views
5K
Scotiawhiskers
Scotiawhiskers
Blob
L322 Gearbox Speed Sensor?
Replies
3
Views
4K
Craigyboy90
C
Back
Top