Thread: Changing odometer reading (legitimate!)

Otto Instruments Evens rd Rocklea can do the job

+1 for otto

I have had the my Cooper S speedo and a few other smiths gauges rebuilt their.

They look better then new now.

Series speedos are easy to do this on. The front bezel is removed by turning it until the turned over tabs come opposite the gaps on the body. This may be difficult if the O-ring has gone gooey. Then remove the works by undoing the screws on the back. With the number wheels accessible, these can now be turned individually in the up direction, starting from the least significant figure (as when it turns past 9 it will increment the next wheel, and you don't want to do this after you have already set it.

Handle the works very carefully, and avoid getting fingerprints on the face or the glass (early ones had glass faces, later ones used plastic). Old oil could be removed using contact cleaner, making sure it does not spread onto anything that shows. reoil very lightly with sewing machine oil, especially the bush that the input spins in, and the reduction gears for the counters and their shaft bushes. Reassembly is the reverse.

Hope this helps,

John

How critical is it to have accurate mileage on a vehicle that, given that the series speedometers reset at 99,999?

When I changed to a 6cyl speedo on the SIII with KPH and MPH and odometer, not to mention a higher top speed I just left it. When the insurance company asked about how old the car was and how much mileage, I was straight forward and told them the speedo had been replaced, but that they only went to 100K, so I couldn't really tell anyway. I don't think anyone will be fussed.

However John makes it sound like an easy fix.

Originally Posted by Michael2

However John makes it sound like an easy fix.

It is, except for the gooey O-ring. Why I have (fairly) recent experience with this was that about six years ago I replaced the speedo in my 2a with the one out of the Series 3 that also supplied the cab and doors, it having the advantage of a trip odometer and that it read in kph instead of mph - more convenient since the road signs are all in kilometres today. I set the speedo to the same distance as the one I took out (corrected for change of distance units), but of course, I have no idea how many times, if any, it had been round the clock before I got it.

John

Originally Posted by Michael2

How critical is it to have accurate mileage on a vehicle that, given that the series speedometers reset at 99,999?

When I changed to a 6cyl speedo on the SIII with KPH and MPH and odometer, not to mention a higher top speed I just left it. When the insurance company asked about how old the car was and how much mileage, I was straight forward and told them the speedo had been replaced, but that they only went to 100K, so I couldn't really tell anyway. I don't think anyone will be fussed.

However John makes it sound like an easy fix.

May not seem crucial until I tell you that it had 35000km on it when I got it, 42000km on it now and has never been round the clock after spending a lot of years parked in a shed on a farm. The speedo I want to put in it has 70000km on it (2-3 years more driving at my usage) and it will effect things like the warranty on the gas system I just had fitted.

Not that anyone really worries about mileage on such an old vehicle but it would be nice to keep the figures accurate if I can.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Series speedos are easy to do this on. The front bezel is removed by turning it until the turned over tabs come opposite the gaps on the body. This may be difficult if the O-ring has gone gooey. Then remove the works by undoing the screws on the back. With the number wheels accessible, these can now be turned individually in the up direction, starting from the least significant figure (as when it turns past 9 it will increment the next wheel, and you don't want to do this after you have already set it.

Handle the works very carefully, and avoid getting fingerprints on the face or the glass (early ones had glass faces, later ones used plastic). Old oil could be removed using contact cleaner, making sure it does not spread onto anything that shows. reoil very lightly with sewing machine oil, especially the bush that the input spins in, and the reduction gears for the counters and their shaft bushes. Reassembly is the reverse.

Hope this helps,

John

Cheers John, I'll give this a try. Might take a while to wind it all the way round and back to where I want it. good project to do in front of the TV at night!

Just out of interest, does the cable from the speedo drive cable come out of the housing? I have a spare speedo cable to go in it (the plastic clip on the speedo end is broken) but I noticed the end that goes into the gearbox on the new cable assembly isn't square. There is a brass bush on the top end but does the cable part slide out of the tube and can it be swapped for my internal which is fine?

I have a few odd spare o-rings and I don't think the one on mine is gooey yet, seemed to move easilly.

Originally Posted by pfillery

Cheers John, I'll give this a try. Might take a while to wind it all the way round and back to where I want it. good project to do in front of the TV at night!

You don't wind it round - just turn each number wheel individually, a maximum of one turn for each (unless you overshoot and have to go round again). Total time should be no more than ten minutes for that.

Just out of interest, does the cable from the speedo drive cable come out of the housing?

yes.From the top end, from memory. But on one occasion I have made a new metal clip to replace a plastic one - helps to have a lathe!

I have a few odd spare o-rings and I don't think the one on mine is gooey yet, seemed to move easilly.

Have fun, just treat it all carefully and make sure you understand what you are doing, and you should have no problems.

John