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PostPosted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:44 pm 
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848cc
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The speedo in my Cooper S sat unused for 40 years and consequently the speedo has seized up and snapped the cable.

Some questions:
Is it worth attempting to disassemble the speedo myself (I already have it out of the car) to clean up the gears and re-grease and test my luck or is it a waste of time and also great potential to really stuff it up?
I also have the old cable and the outter removed from the car and will need to order another, when re-installing would you use all new parts, or keep the original outter and just replace the inner cable?


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 7:01 am 
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Location: san remo nsw
Firstly, if the outer isn't damaged/rusty inside, just reuse it.
Regarding the speedo head, you could remove the 'Clock from the box' and soak it overnight in a dish of kero/oil mix. Put it in face up but keep face out of solution, probably wouldnt stain it but might effect old paint. The use an old small screw driver or similar, ground to same square as cable, carefully work it back and forth ti ll its free. Make sure it doesn't grab needle side and over wind the tiny clock spring behind needle. It's usually just dried up old grease the 'sticks' them up.
If thats succesful, give it a spin using old bit of cable in a battery drill.
Clean with brake clean and lube sparingly.

Or take it to instument place.......if you can find one nowdays. :-)


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 7:18 am 
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Location: Wollongong, NSW
Given the price of another genuine Cooper S speedo it might be worth getting an instrument shop to fix it? Howard Instruments in Vic are one place that still fix them

In regards to the cable, a new one I bought had the plastic collar on the top out of centre. It was spinning on an eccentric axis and caused the needle to wave up and down. If you get yours rebuilt, get a cable from the same shop and they can test it too

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:05 am 
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Plus one for the above. with a 'S' speedo prices running at $600 and up, I'd give it to the professionals!


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:14 am 
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Location: Wodonga - Vic/NSW border
are you sure the speedo is seized? cables do snap - take the broken end of the speedo cable and use it to turn the speedo by hand...

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:31 am 
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simon k wrote:
are you sure the speedo is seized? cables do snap - take the broken end of the speedo cable and use it to turn the speedo by hand...


Definitely seized, pulled the speedo out of the car, can't turn the drive in the back of the speedo by hand at all.


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:45 am 
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Location: Holt ACT
peterb wrote:
Firstly, if the outer isn't damaged/rusty inside, just reuse it.
Regarding the speedo head, you could remove the 'Clock from the box' and soak it overnight in a dish of kero/oil mix. Put it in face up but keep face out of solution, probably wouldnt stain it but might effect old paint. The use an old small screw driver or similar, ground to same square as cable, carefully work it back and forth ti ll its free. Make sure it doesn't grab needle side and over wind the tiny clock spring behind needle. It's usually just dried up old grease the 'sticks' them up.
If thats succesful, give it a spin using old bit of cable in a battery drill.
Clean with brake clean and lube sparingly.

Or take it to instument place.......if you can find one nowdays. :-)


There's Howards in Melbourne and Lionel Otto in Brisbane. I've used the latter.


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 12:35 pm 
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Location: Brandy Hill, NSW
Try squirting some inox or WD in the drive


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:44 pm 
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DavidE wrote:
peterb wrote:
Firstly, if the outer isn't damaged/rusty inside, just reuse it.
Regarding the speedo head, you could remove the 'Clock from the box' and soak it overnight in a dish of kero/oil mix. Put it in face up but keep face out of solution, probably wouldnt stain it but might effect old paint. The use an old small screw driver or similar, ground to same square as cable, carefully work it back and forth ti ll its free. Make sure it doesn't grab needle side and over wind the tiny clock spring behind needle. It's usually just dried up old grease the 'sticks' them up.
If thats succesful, give it a spin using old bit of cable in a battery drill.
Clean with brake clean and lube sparingly.

Or take it to instument place.......if you can find one nowdays. :-)


There's Howards in Melbourne and Lionel Otto in Brisbane. I've used the latter.


I think I will give Howards a call on Monday, the thought of stuffing up my original speedo due to my lack of knowledge is holding me back frim just tearing it apart and figuring it out from there as I might with other components!


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 11:00 pm 
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If you have not pulled speedos apart and reassembled them before, it's easy to bugger them up. Don't ask how I know this.
An S speedo, I'd not risk it. Send it out. ;)

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 11:01 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:44 pm
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Location: Camden
DavidE wrote:
peterb wrote:
Firstly, if the outer isn't damaged/rusty inside, just reuse it.
Regarding the speedo head, you could remove the 'Clock from the box' and soak it overnight in a dish of kero/oil mix. Put it in face up but keep face out of solution, probably wouldnt stain it but might effect old paint. The use an old small screw driver or similar, ground to same square as cable, carefully work it back and forth ti ll its free. Make sure it doesn't grab needle side and over wind the tiny clock spring behind needle. It's usually just dried up old grease the 'sticks' them up.
If thats succesful, give it a spin using old bit of cable in a battery drill.
Clean with brake clean and lube sparingly.

Or take it to instument place.......if you can find one nowdays. :-)


There's Howards in Melbourne and Lionel Otto in Brisbane. I've used the latter.


I have also used Lionel Otto in Brisbane and happy with service and results.


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 12:16 am 
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Location: Brisbane north
+1 for Lionel Otto. Repaired the dino's ammeter a few years ago. Great service.

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 9:05 am 
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So glad there was no unauthorised, inappropriate squirting going on here :P

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 9:17 am 
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Location: Muswellbrook -- NSW
I have used this place in Newcastle quite a few times ,only for Tachos though , but found them good .

http://www.gauge-shop.com.au/


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:41 pm 
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Location: near Baulkham Hills, NSW
http://www.attspeedautoinstruments.com/ in St Marys. I've not used them but they have been there a while.

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