[urq] Speedo sporadic

[Steve B]

... my mistake Dennis!  I was thinking you were talking about the odo, and was wondering why you didn't already know.

A sticky speedo needle when cold ... not a lot of BTDT, but I wonder if the needle's pivot mechanism is sticking.  Remember that there is not a direct connection to the needle, it is magnetically coupled.  I'd look at the shaft for old oil, and see if you can't figure out how the needle is damped to make it move smoothly at low speeds.  If the damper gets too viscous when cold what can you do?  Could some sort of moisture have built up inside?

Other than they both come from the same cable, the speedo and odo mechanisms are rather independent.

Steve Buchholz

dgraber460 at aol.com wrote:

>Thanks Steve;
>
>I'll take a look and see if I can get the unit apart enough to view the latter. I have had several gauges down to the fist one as I have a spare that has the infamous cracked gear lending the odo inop/sporadic - but the needle in that one works great.
>
>Seems as if I need to make one good unit out of the 2 I have. 
>
>Dennis 
>
>Denver
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Steve B <urq at pacbell.net>
>To: audifans urq <urq at audifans.com>
>Sent: Thu, Oct 24, 2013 10:45 pm
>Subject: Re: [urq] Speedo sporadic
>
>Done a archive check? This is a standard VDO weakness. There are two gears in the odo drive that will flake out. First is a plastic gear which is press fit onto a metal shaft; the stress of the shaft along with time and temperature cause the gear to break and slip and/or jam. The saxons is a metal worm gear that drives the plastic gear. Here again, VDO trusted a pressed in polished shaft to work robustly over the years and miles; unfortunately out too will slip over time. Based on your description, I'm thinking the latter. Unfortunately, those robust thinkers at VDO will not sell replacement gears to just any mere mortal, as they have super secret and precise calibration techniques only trained technicians know to make sure your odo is properly calibrated. Some people buy the garbage someone puts out that resetting the trip odometer while the car is moving is what causes the gears to malfunction. I call BS, even if that were true, why would they have designed the unit so flimsily in the first place!?! Steve Buchholz dgraber460 at aol.com wrote: > >Anyone have any ideas what would cause a speedometer to work sporadically? It is better in the cold, but will quite often not come off the peg for a good part of the trip. The cable is fine as the odometer works all the time whether the indicator needle is registering or not. When it does bounce to life it reads correctly. Don't they use a magnetic pick up to move the needle? How can that be temp sensitive. Very confusing. >I had taken it to the local "go to" shop some time ago and he blew me off with a "oh about $200-250" response - translated I'm not interested in touching it. >The patient is an URQ so the 4k and CGT units will work but do not look right with the lower speed range >TIA > > >Dennis >Denver >_______________________________________________ >Audifans urq mailing list >Manage your list connection: http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/urq >http://www.audifans.com/kb/List_information > >Pictures/Polls/Database at: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/urquattro/ > _______________________________________________ Audifans urq mailing list Manage your list connection: http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/urq http://www.audifans.com/kb/List_information Pictures/Polls/Database at: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/urquattro/ 
>