Speedo sits below zero

mattp · 01-08-2006, 09:02 PM

Here's an interesting one (well, to me anyway).When I sit with the car running but stopped, say at the lights, the speedo points about 5-10mm below where 0km/h is. Just before at the lights I noticed it was hunting around a bit too. My tacho used to hunt a bit at idle, but I put new leads on today and that seems to have fixed that, now the speedo is doing it ?! Will an ECU reset maybe fix my speedo? It seems to read accurately when I'm driving (I don't seem to be speeding!) Where is the speedo sensor, maybe it needs looking at.
I can't remember if it did this before I started buggering around with the Tickford clusters, but it's doing it now.
Or is this normal? I just thought it should sit at zero when that's what I'm doing.
Anyway, any ideas would be appreciated, thanks, Matt
ps it's an AU1 Fairmont

SupahStah · 01-08-2006, 09:50 PM

That is a good one heheh
Never heard of it; sorry :s

bodes-sh · 02-08-2006, 06:42 AM

sounds like it could be the speedo sending unit or wiring somewhere between there and the cluster....if its hunting around it sounds like it could be an electronics issue

Burley · 02-08-2006, 03:57 PM

does it go to 0 wen car is off? if not.....it could be the pin in the speedo cluster...happend to my xr6...had to pull cluster apart pull of speedo pin....put a bit of superglue in it, and sit back on zero...hope this helps

burley

sfr rob · 03-08-2006, 04:44 PM

did you put the needle back in the exact same position when you replaced them? you could have put them on in a lower position.
i had my needle reading 150kmh while standing still... there was alot of tyre smoke though.

mattp · 03-08-2006, 09:26 PM

Hi, thanks for the ideas guys. When I say I was messing around with the XR clusters I didn't actually pull any apart, I just took out my Fairmont one and put the XR one in the car, so my clusters never been disassembled. When I turn the car on the speedo needle doesn't move at all. Just sits there below zero. Bastard. I don't really want to pull it apart in case I bust something. It all works, just kind of annoying with it sitting low like that, now that I've noticed it!

Burley · 04-08-2006, 10:30 AM

could the guy u got the cluster off have disassembled it....btw...would u sell ur old cluster? just wanting one for parts

mattp · 04-08-2006, 04:38 PM

Sorry, but to clarify what happened with my cluster(s). I bought a S1 XR cluster to put in my Fairmont, plugged it in, realised it de-activated half my Fairmont goodies (trip computer etc), so I took it out and sold it and put my original Fairmont one back in. So to my knowledge the cluster has never been taken apart or anything, but who knows. When I had it out I did replace the persex cos one of the clips was busted, so perhaps someone previous to me did take it apart and screw it up. Anyone have a Fairmont in Brisbane they'd be willing to meet up and plug their cluster into mine to see if it works? Hang on, I just fished out some photos I took of the XR cluster plugged in and lit up for when I was selling it, and the needle was sitting on zero... Hmmm, looks like I'm in the market for a AU1 Fairmont cluster now.

TUF514 · 04-08-2006, 09:17 PM

were you driving in reverse?

:

mattp · 04-08-2006, 10:10 PM

I found a cluster for $220 at the wreckers, which is dearer than I thought they'd be, so I'm going to try taking mine apart and re-positioning the needle for now, and if I kill it I'll get the new one then. Is a fork the best option for taking the needle off?