Noise from instrument cluster

[tuna]

The car is a 1993 Festiva L, basical a strip down model. 5 speed with a heater, 219K miles, still runs goods but my instrument cluster makes a loud grinding like noise. The speedometer will jump up to between 70-85 mph while I am still in 2nd gear. Just put a new speedometer cable on it, I thought that might be the problem with the speed jumping like it was, but this did not correct the problem. I assume that it is in the instrument cluster housing where the speedometer cable hooks up to in. Any Ideas on what to do to correct this problem? A different instrument cluster? If so know where any are available at?

[Damkid]

if you pull the instrument cluster out and try and clean up where the speedo cable hooks on to, it "might" solve the problem

i'm suggesting that first since it's free

also if you update your profile with your location there maybe a member nearby you that could give you a hand

[packrat427]

Did you replace just the cable , or the whole housing that encases the cable .

If you just replaced the cable , maybe the housing has a burr inside of it .

Like Damkid said , maybe the sluster itself , taking it apart on trying a light lubricant on the internals .

[tuna]

cable and housing were both replaced, but I have tried to lube the internals of the cluster yet. will try to get to that today if possible.
thanks.

[tuna]

Cleaning the internals seems to have worked right now, just have to readjust my needle back to zero when I am not moving now.

[packrat427]

Cool , glad it is back to normal

[ejp2fast]

how exactly do you do lube up the instrument clusteru internals?

[Justin]

Mine is Doing the same thing but I'm Replacing it soon anyways.

[ejp2fast]

I just had the instument cluster out to fix my jumping bouncing speedometer. it was flucuating about +- 5 mph before i took it apart...
i lubed the cable and checked the instrument cluster and lubed a little the 1.5" diameter wheel that turns the worm gear....
got it back together and it is MUCH WORSE!
NOW, it says 15 mph when i am going 45, and lags, jumps erratically.
I am thinking it is in the speedometer gear at the transmission. Anybody else have this extreme problem? How had is it to take the speedometer gear out?

[edudu77]

Yup. I'm on my second speedo now. It had been jumping about, and not staying accurate, now it jumps straight to 85 and starting making a grinding noise day before yesterday. I talked to a repair guy, he said it was the bearing. Could be what yours is too, hard to say. I'm giving up on using old clusters, gonna build a custom unit soon as business picks back up.

Donovan

[GenevaDirt]

what did you use to lube it with? I have switched out clusters numerous times and have had no issues what so ever.

[ejp2fast]

used engine lube, graphite based... talked to some guys at work here and one guy said the exact same symptoms happened to him on his 70 Buick skylark.. and it was the speedo gear, not the cluster.

[edudu77]

I wondered about the gear too, since it would "pop" in reverse...i replaced the cable and all that, but this cluster only lasted 2 months before it went. I'm not sure how the gear assembly works though, if it idles in reverse, or what. My gear is very stuck in the tranny...I've gotta get it up in the air so I can work on that thing...could be the reason my clusters keep dying.

Donovan