Topic: Can I ungrease a speedometer?

[Faol]

Hi - this is my first post, and I DID look first for the answer, I swear, but can't find exactly what I need.

I got a 1979 CB650 in July. I love it. It's my first bike, and I've been having an excellent time cleaning it up and riding it. The speedo cable broke about two weeks after I got it, so I got a new one and stuck it in (the old cable was clearly snapped, so I just swapped out the cables and left the old speedo drive at the front wheel). I lubed it a little, per my manuals, not too close to the instrument end. No big deal.

That worked fine for about two weeks (about 200 miles - mostly I ride on the weekends). Then one night riding home I started hearing this horrible whining noise, followed by erratic movement of the speedo. I figured it had to be the cable, so I took it out, wiped it clean, and regreased it. Now I don't get much noise, but the needle has been ridiculously insane - going from bad to worse.

So I'm going for a short out of town ride this weekend. I may just yank it for the trip -it's that annoying - but I'd prefer to have the odometer and speedo working. Does anyone have any ideas from this post whether, first, my guess that the problem is caused by my getting grease into the instrument is correct, and second, what is/are the remedy options? I read that with the tach you may as well just buy a new one, but also followed the link to opening up the speedo. If I do open it up, suggestions on how to clean it? Any thoughts?

Thanks alot - I'm really enjoying this forum.

faol@yahoo.com

[Bob Wessner]

You probably saw this earlier post on erratic speedo behavior, but in case you haven't.. not sure it is your problem though.

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=3256.0

[GeorgeK]

Another thing to consider is a problem with the speedo itself that caused your cable to break. Now it is wokring on the new cable. Just a thought.

George

[scott_cb650]

I also have a 79 cb650 that had a similar problem.
My tach cable was making such a terrible whining noise when I bought it that the PO had disconnected it.
Then noise was so loud, I didn't really notice if it was running correctly, or not.  I think it was.

I first noticed that the angle the cable was routed around the frame affected the noise.
Next I tried pouring motor oil down the cable to lube it.  That helped some, but not enough.
Next I tried putting axle grease around the end of the cable that connects to the tach.  That didn't work.
I then took the axle grease and crammed it up the cable hole on the underside of the tach, as much as I could get in there.

It now works great!

PS. Good luck with the bike, I dont' think there is many of us 1979 CB650 owners out there.

[cb650]

PS. Good luck with the bike, I dont' think there is many of us 1979 CB650 owners out there.

The 650 was the stepchild the 79 was the bastard stepchild.   Sorry just had to.  There are several parts I like off the 79 over the others. Speedo is one of them.


                            Terry

[Faol]

Thanks guys, especially to Scott. Since I posted, the Speedometer blew (the needle snapped off, then the face plate came loose . . . not pretty) and the tach started making the same noise. I found a replacement instrument cluster on EBay and I'm going to try to do the switch tonight.

Scott, I am going to try your fix - I'm thinking that since both speedo and tach cables have the same problem, maybe the last owner replaced them without greasing them at all or something like that? I actually bought a spray can of white litium grease last weekend, cause I wandered by it in a hardware store and thought, "Wow! What a cool idea!". It looks like a WD-40 can, with the little straw taped to the side. I may give that a shot, just to see if it comes out in enough quantity. Maybe double-check the cable angles too, to make sure they are as close to straight as possible.

And I've been called MUCH worse than a bastard step-child. Bring 'em on. <g>