dkmcgowan

I was adjusting and cleaning up a new gauge cluster to replace my idiot lights in my 96 XJ with full gauges...

So I was taking apart the speedometer gauge and it all came apart pretty easily. I wanted to put my original odometer into the gauge. I had to pull the speedometer needle upwards, it came out, it has a needle on the end and a long rod, all came out pretty easily.

I put everything back together and all seemed to work fine except pushing the rod back in didn't feel smooth.

Also, now when I move the speedometer needle, it doesn't slowly fall backwards to 0 mph... It also doesn't seem to have seated all the way, but I'm not pushing very hard, didn't want to damage anything.

Is this needle not meant to ever be pulled out? They had to add it at the factory after the fact because otherwise they could not have put the face plate on, so I know it can come apart, just not sure how to put it back together.

Any suggestions or help? Did I break everything?

MonacaYankee

The short answer is that you will need a new cluster.
The needles and motors are easily damaged and are also calibrated.

dkmcgowan

I read someone drove, using gps to determine speed, then put the needle back on matching gps speed, which calibrates it and it worked. I plan to try this and see, hoping for the best

vulcan1701

^This

It worked for me.

dkmcgowan

I plan to try it this weekend. When I push the pin back in, it doesn't seem to go as far in as it use too. I haven't pushed really hard though, didn't want to break anything. I figure if it still works, I will get it calibrated again, then push pretty hard to seat it fully again.

Will update once I see if it works.

Turbo X_J

Why didn't you just go to the DMV and get a sticker?
+1 stepper motors are very fragile it's probably wrecked.

dkmcgowan

I didn't get a sticker because if I could wanted it to be accurate, keeps my low mileage looking correct when I get emissions done, which keeps carfax looking correct, etc... and it would just bother me if it was wrong.

I put it in last night and it somewhat worked, but was jerky. I kept playing with it and would get it to work for a bit then it would stop. I had it perfect for a second, then it stopped on its own.

I gave up and assume that speedometer is broken. So I was able to reset odometer and that workes, but it requires you to remove needle and I see no way around that, and on this one that seems to ruin the smoothness and reliability of the speedometer needle.

I ended up just moving my original odometer into the new housing, so I have all the gauges like tach, volt, and oil pressure and a working original speedometer, just the speedometer is not the same style and I lose the trip meter.

Turbo X_J

It's really wrong now.
Odometers are tamper proof for just this reason. The law requires certain things like verification and documentation, anything else is known as fraud.

dkmcgowan

Not trying to start a legal debate, I know your not supposed to tamper with the odometer. I also know you will never get in trouble with no intent. My wife is a state prosecutor and the laws are written very broad and I was breaking them, but my intent was the exact opposite, I was trying to make it exactly accurate, no intended fraud. You will never get in trouble for that.

I also actually talked to GA dmv, they won't even give a sticker, 96 tag I got was odometer exempt, state does not care about mileage at all, nothing they will do.

Either way, odometer still worked but speedometer needle was no good and not reliable.

I'm fully accurate and legal at this point, original untouched odometer in the housing with the full gauges. It doesn't look terrible, it's not the same color, but all is working and I guess I'm happy, accurate, have full gauges, and legal!