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Posted By Discussion Topic: Speedometer -- page: 1 2 3     supereal 12-05-2009 @ 10:53 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Starter drives should be kept absolutely dry, without any lube, as it tends to accumulate enough grime to cause the drive to stick. WD40 is as much solvent as lubricant. Its best quality is that it takes a long time for it to evaporate and/or harden. It can be used to oil clocks, etc, by squirting some into the cap, or other container, then apply it to the pivots with the point of a toothpick dipped into the stuff. If you just spray it over the works, it may free it up, but eventually will require a solvent bath to get it clean. Stroker 12-04-2009 @ 2:56 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1460 Joined: Oct 2009 I've used a lot of "snake oil" in my day, and WD-40 we have to remember was only intended to be a Water Displacing product. I have a couple of favorites that I have come to rely upon as solvent/lubricants: Aero Kroil is expensive, but a pretty decent product that creeps well into little spaces, and leaves a little lube behind without a gum residue. My "homebrew" is simply 50% hydraulic fluid (not brake fluid), and 50% acetone. I'm also a fan of Marvel Mystery Oil, and I've found that if you are lubing really delicate stuff, it works well with the 50% acetone thinner mentioned above. For sticky starter Bendix drives, I've had really good luck with "Dri-Slide", which is mainly sold in gun shops. There used to be an aerosol product called "Tri- Flon", which was Teflon-based, but I haven't seen it for a few years. JebNY 12-04-2009 @ 2:04 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 44 Joined: Nov 2009 Never had it happen to me but I have heard of problems using WD40 on speedometers and clocks. It works for awhile then gums up worse than before. You need to clean the mechanism out the best you can and then use a light oil like they use on sewing machines. Jim... 1950 F1 Stake alanwoodieman 12-04-2009 @ 9:41 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 868 Joined: Oct 2009 had a similar problem with a 57 x-brand auto, there was a small hole in the back/bottom of the speedo case, shot a little WD40 in the hole and it worked like a charm, as I suspected the grease was hard 51f1 12-04-2009 @ 4:26 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 573 Joined: Oct 2009 The temperature here recently dropped into the 40s. That's when the bouncing stopped. I attributed it to the cool weather. It warmed up, but the bouncing didn't return. Like I said, I have no clue. Richard supereal 12-03-2009 @ 2:22 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 I'd go along with Tom's observation. It is likely that driving loosened up some hardened grease. Most speedos that bounce do so more often as the temperature drops. I have a very long cable in my '47 that reaches back to the overdrive on the rear axle. It, too, starts to jiggle a bit when the temps drop. 51f1 12-03-2009 @ 1:45 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 573 Joined: Oct 2009 Well guys, we must have frightened my speedometer with all this discussion. With 2,050 miles on it, it decided to quit bouncing below 25 mph. Now it's rock solid throughout it's range. I give up. I have no clue. Richard This message was edited by 51f1 on 12-3-09 @ 1:46 PM supereal 11-26-2009 @ 2:33 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Speedometers are like clocks. They need periodic cleaning and lubrication. They were not made to last 50 or more years, in any case. If they were, they would have been designed with bearings in the housing. trjford8 11-26-2009 @ 12:07 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4214 Joined: Oct 2009 Rich, lubricating it does not remove the old grease and may or may not soften it up. 51f1 11-26-2009 @ 10:41 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 573 Joined: Oct 2009 But I lubricated it! Richard

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