Strange Speedo readings TD5 Defender

[MW.TD5 Defender]

Since returning from a recent trip my speedo has given strange ( but consistant reading ).
Pre trip 100kph speedo ..................GPS reading 96kph.
now
100kph speedo................. 104 GPS

60, 70, 80 ( speedo) etc are all higher on the GPS as well.

My speedo needle appears to be resting lower than before. The needle is sitting well below 0 on the speedo. Have taken photos but for some strange reason can't upload then to show you.
Can somebody else with a TD5 Defender let me know where their speedo needle sits with the key turned off.

Can anybody suggest what is happening or is it just another "Landrover thing"

Thanks
lMak

[DEFENDERZOOK]

have you changed your tyres......?

[MW.TD5 Defender]

nothing is different. It is the same car that went to Alice Springs. Drove on some severe corrogations, maybe something has got screwed up with the shaking.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

the first reading sounds more correct.......the defender speedos read higher than you are actually doing.......
255 85 R16 tyres will pretty much correct the speedo reading.......



but that doesnt explain what youre experiencing..........


when you took your gps readings......were you on a straight road......gps will not read correctly if you are going around a bend......

[MW.TD5 Defender]

Going down a freeway.
As stated earlier the speedo needle is sitting below zero, when stationary
" The needle comes the "T" on "total " on the odometer reading.. Still can't upload a photo

Mal.

[discowhite]

hijack!

nothing to do with speedo's but maybe zook may know???
somethines when i start my 90 first thing in the morning the vdo tacho takes up to 10sec to read???
but not always???

ideas....


cheers phil

[Xtreme]

I'd suggest that the needle has slipped on the shaft. I'm not familiar with the Td5 speedo but probably the same as the 200 Tdi (unless they've gone electronic) in which I had to 'reset' the needle once. It's just a press fit on the shaft.

It sounds like the severe corrugations shook more than the fillings from your teeth!

[discowhite]

speedo's are electronic on defenders arent they??
maybe you have early signs of the pick up going??
abs sensor or what ever drives it??


cheers phil

[DEFENDERZOOK]

have you checked for oil in the harness.......?

may be a long shot.....but its a quick check.......



and phil.......your tacho is freezing.......buy it a new doona......

[MW.TD5 Defender]

I was thinking the same thing. Dodgy Speedo sensor. but would that cause the needle to sit below zero without the keys in the ignition?

[rick130]

speedo's are electronic on defenders arent they??
maybe you have early signs of the pick up going??
abs sensor or what ever drives it??


cheers phil

only TD5's ;)

[rick130]

hijack!

nothing to do with speedo's but maybe zook may know???
somethines when i start my 90 first thing in the morning the vdo tacho takes up to 10sec to read???
but not always???

ideas....


cheers phil

Does the signal come from the ECU or the W terminal of the alternator ?

If it's the alternator, I'm guessing that's how long the alternator is taking to get excited (working) and so isn't sending a signal. It'll correspond to how long your alternator light takes to go out.

If it comes from the ECU...:confused:

[crump]

mine sits right on zero, yours is definitely lower.

[awabbit6]

I'd suggest that the needle has slipped on the shaft. I'm not familiar with the Td5 speedo but probably the same as the 200 Tdi (unless they've gone electronic) in which I had to 'reset' the needle once. It's just a press fit on the shaft.

It sounds like the severe corrugations shook more than the fillings from your teeth!


This is more than likely the problem.
All speedos have the pointer pressed (lightly) onto the spindle. You can fix it yourself. Pull it apart and re-postion the pointer to line up with zero (it should be loose and just pull off, if not, give it a twist below zero and it will come loose). Once lined up with zero, use a screw diver handle to lightly tap it back on (hold the screw driver up-side-down like a pencil, not a hammer).

[discowhite]

Does the signal come from the ECU or the W terminal of the alternator ?


straight from the ecu!:confused:

cheers phil

[ExtremeDefender]

On comparing your tumb nail photo to my 2001 defender speedo yours does appear to be sitting a lot lower. Mine sits spot on the Zero marker.
I found simular difference in between the GPS and the speedo. -Speedo 100km/h GPS 95km/h.(pre needle position change)
Now that we are restricted to 130km/h on the Stuart Highway I might just get over the speed limit with a tail wind!! Oh what a feeling- breaking the speed limit in a defender! Yes I know the design brief did not include speed but when you have hundreds of km of open road(NT) just once in a while you wish the defender had a higher cruising speed!

[MW.TD5 Defender]

Thanks Crump , and ExtremeDefender. That is what I wanted to know, If a
TD5 Defender speedo sst on Zero when stationary. Do you have a pin that the speedo needle stops against, because if you do when mine has gone missing??

Thanks

Mal

[Snapper.VTR]

Following the excellent advice in this thread I can tell you that the TD5 Defender speedo is electronic, however the needle is a simple press fit, and mine shifted about 25km below zero.

Remove the instrument panel, disconect the wiring from the speedo, unscrew the colar that holds the speedo to the panel (hold the white bit and turn the black bit). The speedo comes out and you can very gently prise the black metal sleeve that holds the glass in place off the white plastic shell. The glass can then be gently pried free, don't worry about the odometer button it will come with the glass.

Gently pull the needle off the spindle put it back in the right position (on 0) then gently tap it on to firm it up.

Refitting is a reverse of the removal.

I've just done the test drive and all is good again.

Snapper
130 TD5

[goktu]

Got the same problem as well, will try the solution

[MLD]

Does the signal come from the ECU or the W terminal of the alternator ?

If it's the alternator, I'm guessing that's how long the alternator is taking to get excited (working) and so isn't sending a signal. It'll correspond to how long your alternator light takes to go out.

If it comes from the ECU...:confused:

There is a sensor from the TFC on the LT230 that provides a feed for the speedo and Odo. Not sure if it goes through the ECU but based on my experiment it is doubtful. When I first fitted a Scan Gauge to my defender the ECU reading of speed was accurate yet the needle was the typical 5km/h inaccurate at 100km/h. That was the case on a TD5 and Puma.

Buy, or borrow a scan gauge or like to read your ECU. It's a worthy investment to monitor your engine parameters.

It might be as simple as the needle slipping as suggested.

MLD

[goktu]

Following the excellent advice in this thread I can tell you that the TD5 Defender speedo is electronic, however the needle is a simple press fit, and mine shifted about 25km below zero.

Remove the instrument panel, disconect the wiring from the speedo, unscrew the colar that holds the speedo to the panel (hold the white bit and turn the black bit). The speedo comes out and you can very gently prise the black metal sleeve that holds the glass in place off the white plastic shell. The glass can then be gently pried free, don't worry about the odometer button it will come with the glass.

Gently pull the needle off the spindle put it back in the right position (on 0) then gently tap it on to firm it up.

Refitting is a reverse of the removal.

I've just done the test drive and all is good again.

Snapper
130 TD5


Got exactly the same problem, pin stays lower than 0 and when i accelarate, like going 20-30kms, shows as 0km. Pin is coming 20-30km lower than it should. So is easy to open the gauge as you say? Without damaging the frame?

[harro]

There is a sensor from the TFC on the LT230 that provides a feed for the speedo and Odo. Not sure if it goes through the ECU but based on my experiment it is doubtful. When I first fitted a Scan Gauge to my defender the ECU reading of speed was accurate yet the needle was the typical 5km/h inaccurate at 100km/h. That was the case on a TD5 and Puma.

Buy, or borrow a scan gauge or like to read your ECU. It's a worthy investment to monitor your engine parameters.

It might be as simple as the needle slipping as suggested.

MLD

You are correct, the signal goes to the speedo first and then the ecu.
I fitted a speedohealer where the signal goes into the ecu and adjusted the pulse so that I can run an overdrive with the factory cruise control in 5th gear (another story) and this does not effect the speedo reading.

Cheers,
Paul.