Wow, doing 20 mph at a stoplight! :o

[Detman101]

Hehehe...I was sitting at the stoplight today and noticed that I apparently was doing 20 mph while stopped...in neutral. Finding that odd I smacked my speedometer and the needle dropped down to where it should be.

My question ( I know you knew this was coming ) is:
1. Can I take apart the speedo and clean it up so the needle moves without any binding or getting stuck?

2. What does a jumpy tach usually indicate? It's not a fuel or ignition problem as the bike runs fine. Can the tach be taken apart and fixed up as well?


Thanks everyone,
Dm of mD

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Wow, doing 20 mph at a stoplight!

Hehehe...I was sitting at the stoplight today and noticed that I apparently was doing 20 mph while stopped...in neutral. Finding that odd I smacked my speedometer and the needle dropped down to where it should be.

My question ( I know you knew this was coming ) is:
1. Can I take apart the speedo and clean it up so the needle moves without any binding or getting stuck?

2. What does a jumpy tach usually indicate? It's not a fuel or ignition problem as the bike runs fine. Can the tach be taken apart and fixed up as well?


Thanks everyone,
Dm of mD

1. Probably. I have my 1100 instrument cluster apart right now. It's a PITA though.

2. Poorly lubed and/or worn cable. The tach is probably fine. The cable is the prob. Unhook the cable from the engine and look at the end. It should be one narrow slot straight across. Yours is most likely a narrow slot with a butterfly worn into it. Get a new cable. Lube it well. Check your routing also. Make sure the cable isn't getting bound up anywhere.

Michael

 

[80gs1000e]

Re: Wow, doing 20 mph at a stoplight!

My question ( I know you knew this was coming ) is:
1. Can I take apart the speedo and clean it up so the needle moves without any binding or getting stuck?

2. What does a jumpy tach usually indicate? It's not a fuel or ignition problem as the bike runs fine. Can the tach be taken apart and fixed up as well?


Thanks everyone,
Dm of mD

1. No. Not without actually cutting it off at its base once disassembled which a few people have done with success. Also, a lot of failure. I had the same problem with my 77gs550. I took the speedo/tach unit off, broke it down as far as I could and shot about a gallon of WD40 in there through the few places where I could stick the nozzle in and rolled the unit around tillit was soaked. Drained it and tach and speedo now operate very smoothly now.

2. Take your tach cable totally off, clean it and lube the hell out of it. No more bouncy.

 

[Anonymous]

I was able to get into my tachometer by carefully peeling the metal band that holds the glass in place. I made a few cuts along the underside of the band, then used a screw driver to pry the underside of the band away, loose enough to remove the glass. The band can be cinched again after repairs.

I've also heard of cutting the plastic case of the speedometer completely around just below the band holding the glass, then epoxying it back together when done with the repair.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Wow, doing 20 mph at a stoplight!

Hehehe...I was sitting at the stoplight today and noticed that I apparently was doing 20 mph while stopped...in neutral. Finding that odd I smacked my speedometer and the needle dropped down to where it should be.

My speedometer needle rotates in full circles whenever the bike moves...

2. What does a jumpy tach usually indicate?

It usually indicates broken tachometer. Or broken cable. Or both.
Question for all: are used Suzuki tachometers/speedometers worth buying? Or are they going to fail just like the original ones did? Are there any aftermarket replacements?

 

[Detman101]

Yes, I would also like to find a decent aftermarket replacement for my tach and speedo if anyone has any suggestions.

While I love the ratty look of my oem hardware I would like something younger and more reliable.


Dm of mD