Superformance SpeedO

GeeDoubleYouSee · #1 (**permalink**) 01-04-2005, 10:52 PM

To all SPF owner

I would like to know if anyone has had this problem, i set my tripOmeter and now the odometer does not work, is there some kind of trick with this, or should i pull out the set knob or what. The speedometer works fine, like i said i set the trip o meter and from then on the Odometer has not worked HELP.

GWC

Steve Cassani · #2 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 07:56 AM

You reset the odo by pulling out on the knob, then turning to rotate the positions in the display to read 'zero.' Sometimes the knob fails to drop back to the normal position. When this happens, the display is frozen.

Try going through the reset procedure again. Avoid either pulling too hard on the knob or pushing it back to it's normal, free position. Pull the knob out, rotate the dials through a full cycle to restore the zeros, then let it go. Hopefully the knob will drop back to the normal position and the odo will rotate.

If you've already tried this, I'm stuck right along with you.

Zoom This · #3 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 08:04 AM

Last summer while I was on my way back from a weekend event with the club I registered hundreds of freeway miles. About 5 miles before I was to take an exit for gas, my trip odometer just stopped working/moving, even though the odometer and speedo worked fine. As soon as I stopped at the gas station, I turned the knob to reset the trip odometer and it "clicked back into place" or whatever you want to call it, and it has worked fine since. For the longest time I was trying to reset the trip odometer every time I got gas by turning the knob left then right, not really knowing which way it was to turn for a reset, or being lame enough not to remember which way it turned last time. 'Haven't had any trouble since I now reset the knob by turning it in the correct direction....clockwise, if you were to view the knob from the top looking down. If all else fails you may have to send it out for repair or just get an Autometer Smiths look-alike speedo.

GeeDoubleYouSee · #4 (**permalink**) 01-23-2005, 11:44 PM

To all SPF "smith speedo gauges":

The Mystery is over, First of all the Odometer is weakest part of the speedometer. The Odometer is Powered off a Ratchet cam system which is driven by a worm drive, the screw part of this assemble is metal, and the gear is plastic on a metal shaft which has a cam on the opposite end of the shaft which actuates a lever which ratchets a saw tooth. The plastic gear was shredded on mine. I don't suppose anyone could tell me if parts are available for this high dollar item????? All i can say is this Speedometer should have worked longer than 20,000 miles. I will check the local speedometer shop, who knows all speedometer's may be of the same design. I'll say one more thing on this subject, it's very easy to change this part out "not complicated at all".

Signed

The Bourne Speedometer expert

GWC

scr11 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 06:16 PM

GWC - I've already seen this movie, and it's not a happy ending. Here's the deal: My black gear died too. There's one place that can fix it, Nisonger.com. But, turnaround is 60-90 days, and the cost is about $109 plus shipping. And forget about them selling you the $1 black plastic gear you need. They don't/won't sell any parts. The other option is to buy a new one $239 from either a SPF dealer or Finishline and you'll get it in a few days.
I know, this sucks. But, you ***may*** be able to fix yours. Depending on how bad the gear is, you may be able to unfreeze it. I did this to mine and I'll find out next week if it worked.
Basically, you have to take apart the speedo and spray a bit of penetrating oil around the black gear. After spraying and soaking for a few days, then spray some white lithium grease into the same area. After a few days, mine loosened up and is turning again. So, when I fire up my car next week, I'll let you know if it works. I believe it will.

Good luck.

Scott, SPF#1230 / 393

GeeDoubleYouSee · #6 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 07:55 PM

SCR11
Not the only fix, I took the clip off and removed the white plastic rod "you know that part that moves the saw tooth and then I pressed the shaft out with my thumb and the gear that is on the shaft was molded to it. NO PROBLEM I have already made a gear out of brass and pressed it on the shaft and it works good and I also lapped the shaft in its hole so there is a little more clearance "which I think there was not enough to begin with "ANOTHER ECONOMY STIMULATOR" oh yea I work in a machine shop and we do the impossible everyday, its miracles that take a little longer." The only problem is that the plastic gear acts as a fuse if something goes wrong it shred's. i suppose you emailed Caerbont Automotive Instruments to try and get a replacement part with no luck in getting even a return email reply "real class" Oh yea its not the money for a new speedometer that the local blood sucking earthworm superformance dealers sell "if the Cobra never existed the Speedo would be 90 bucks at most" its about making it better than it was before. Why buy another speedo that has a shaft that is to tight that will scred another gear to cause you to STIMULATE The ECONOMY again.
http://www.caigauge.com/Caerbont_Aut...nstruments.htm

PS 109.00 bucks, i think i email them and said "sell me a part or i will make one"

GWC The Machinest

scr11 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-27-2005, 04:28 AM

Nice work GWC. I'm not handy enough to make one out of brass. I'll test my "fix" next week and let you know the results.

Scott, SPF#1230 / 393

GeeDoubleYouSee · #8 (**permalink**) 01-31-2005, 10:29 PM

To all,

There is an even better fix for this issue, There are gears that are close enough in the hobby world to fit with a little light machining and some eye ball engineering Johnson 20 tooth gear from the local hobby shop for $3.50 would work, in fact i plan on buying one myself and changing out the one i made with one.

GWC

scr11 · #9 (**permalink**) 02-01-2005, 04:31 AM

GWC - Nice find. I'll get my car on the road this week and let you know how it goes. Otherwise, I'll be off to the hobby shop!

Thanks again.

Scott, SPF#1230

scr11 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-12-2005, 01:33 AM

GWC - I finally fired up my SPF last night and went for a short cruise. Well, my speedo fix didn't work. I'm going to try the hobby shop gear route. I'll look at my "fix" this weekend and try to determine why it didn't work.

Scott, SPF#1230

GeeDoubleYouSee · #11 (**permalink**) 02-12-2005, 03:40 PM

scr11,

After scraping the first gear i have come up with the dimensions to machine the gear. it was difficult to do at best but worked really well in the end. if you will private message me with your personnal email address I will give you some info. The gear project I will post at a later date, I have to write a process to be followed. I just recently bought an oil temp. gauge, $150.00 What a rip off, us Cobra people sure get targeted. I bought a GBI precesion gauge for my water temp and it looks very close to the smiths, at $110.00 less and I would have bought an oil temp gauge of the same brand but I got miss led by the range of the band.

GWC

GeeDoubleYouSee · #12 (**permalink**) 02-27-2005, 11:42 AM

Speedometer

The problem of odometer is solved, now I just checked my odometer for accuracy and the results are not good. The test I performed was a 20 mile test, in which case i got a 30 mile reading. The gear that drives the odometer is not at fault, I think my trans gear is the problem. I have a 19 tooth gear on the trans side, Does anyone know what gear should be used with a tremec 3550 and 3.73:1 ratio differential??? Has anyone with a superformance cobra checked thier milage "real time"?

Thanks

GWC

Bill Wells · #13 (**permalink**) 02-28-2005, 04:33 AM

i used a portable GPS unit and my speedo is within 2-3 mph of gps actual in all speed increments of 10 mph from 30 to 70 mph . i can live with that. i just mentally adjust as i drive and look at the speedo . bill.

Dream Master · #14 (**permalink**) 02-28-2005, 07:41 AM

GWC, Please let us all know if you have found a replacement gear and what it is. I have dealt with this problem and am too frustrated that the Nisonger people hold us for ransom. It is an easy gear to change, I just need some of them. Source, part number or any specs for the replacement gear would be helpful.
Thanks,

Doug Reed

Goober · #15 (**permalink**) 02-28-2005, 08:41 AM

When I lived in the UK, I had a lot of British cars that used Smiths instruments. Believe me, they all had their little problems. However, there is a gauge company in England that can do the repairs and will sale parts. I had my last speedometer fixed there and it worked great. Give me a few days to dig out the name and I will post it. They are a small company and don't have a website. I think he works out of a small office and has been in business since the 40's.
BillWells- I checked my speedo against GPS and I run within 3-5 MPH (If you can calculate the bounce)
If your running 3:73/TKO, just keep it around 2200 RPM and you will slide by the cops.

Mark

GeeDoubleYouSee · #16 (**permalink**) 03-02-2005, 12:18 PM

Bill Wells,
Check your Odometer, not speedometer. There is no link between the speedometer and odometer. speedometer cable is direct drive to odometer, speedometer is magnetically influenced by magnetic flywheel.

Dream Master,
I'm working on a gear right now, yes it is easy to change and your speedometer is easy to get out of the dash. What i need is the number of teeth on the gear, Mine was so badly chewed i could not get a teeth count on it. I made a gear "20 tooth 48 pitch" that worked just fine, but it was wrong in the count of teeth. I think there is 24 teeth on it??? The gear i started with was a robinson gear from a hobby shop, i had to machine it on a lathe to make it work but it worked great. Caerbont Automotive Instruments told me the plastic gear was to save the speedometer from getting more serious damage, CRAP AT 200.00 plus dollars to replace that gear, HOW MUCH MORE SERIOUS ARE WE TALKING WHEN A NEW SPEEDO IS 230.00!!
So dream Master, if you can get the gear teeth number or any one else that is going to remove or has a smith speedo on the bench.

http://www.speedycables.com/ will repair the problem at 200.00 a crack.

I will sell you the gear, it will be metal. You will have to send me your part. The plastic gear is molded onto a steel shaft. I might be able to get a plastic gear, but i need to know the number of teeth and pitch "# of teeth at the very least"

Goober
By the time we are done fiddling with duty fee's for shipping and repair cost's to cosmic Heights and repaired with built in economy stimulator. "what a hodge podge" See if your repair guy will sell the part we need???

Thank You all for your input

GWC

Bill Wells · #17 (**permalink**) 03-02-2005, 12:52 PM

GW,,,my goof. you wrote odo, i was thinking speedo . duh..my mind is frozen from too much snow here this year. my regular odo and trip odo have always worked fine. sorry for the confusion, my confusion. bill.

GeeDoubleYouSee · #18 (**permalink**) 03-02-2005, 10:09 PM

Bill Wells,
What I was getting at is plot a 20 mile course and then compare it to your odo, use maps on Yahoo or mapquest then do the course, see if its off. Thats what i was intending to get from anyone that would participate.

GWC

GeeDoubleYouSee · #19 (**permalink**) 04-10-2005, 01:11 PM

To all Superformance:

I checked my Odometer, I marked a 20 mile distance and checked it in my other car. The other car read 10.5 miles. My Cobra does not have a ratio adapter, which I am going to need. So far I have got a 100.00 price to sell me the proper ratio adapter and make a new speedometer cable and they will put the ratio adapter where i want "close to the tranny is best cause you don't want to much distance torqing on the inner cable"

So if you have a Superformance Cobra and it's piling up the milage, chances are you don't have a ratio adapter and your off 10 miles for every 10 miles you put on the car "NOT GOOD" So check your Odometer's and please reply with results

GWC

Turk · #20 (**permalink**) 04-10-2005, 01:48 PM

Does this mean Hal only has 5000 miles on the Great Stroker?