280ZX (S130) Forums Dedicated to 79-83 ZCars

Speedometer not working

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 10:37 AM
  #1  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Speedometer not working

Hey I'm new to this I just bought a 280zx and the speedometer only gose to 20mph. I heard you can just put some lube on it but I don't know how to get to it. So can anyone help?
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 11:08 AM
  #2  
NismoPick's Avatar
The Good Twin
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,639
From: Wild Wild West, UTAH!
Welcome to ZDriver!

Does the needle also bounce a lot? If so, yes, a good lube job would probably do the trick. You need to put the car on stands to access the cable at the transmission. Then follow it up through the firewall. There is another connection above the steering column.

Make sure you download the FSM from XenonS130 - S130 Reference
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 11:37 AM
  #3  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Thanks and you don't lube up the gauge itself?
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 11:58 AM
  #4  
NismoPick's Avatar
The Good Twin
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,639
From: Wild Wild West, UTAH!
The speedometer itself doesn't need to be lubed / greased. If the actual speedo gears are damaged, then you will either need to find a replacement and deal with the odometer difference, or take it to a speedometer specialty shop. Or if you have the courage, try disassembling it yourself and try to fix it (not the simplest task ).
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 12:06 PM
  #5  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Oh well thanks for the help friend and how do I locate the speedo gears? Do I have I take anything apart? And dose it tell you in the service manuel?
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 12:19 PM
  #6  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Exclamation

Take anything apart to lube it I mean
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 06:23 PM
  #7  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Ok I found it. Thanks anyways Nismo pick
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 02:49 AM
  #8  
WildmaN's Avatar
More Than Meets The Eye
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,120
From: Mesa, Az
You can use multi purpose machine oil to lube the gears. I did it with my speedometers, and it seemed to do the trick. You could probably get away with just lubing the cable that is inside the car. Use graphite to do it with. Good luck man, and welcome.
Old Jun 14, 2012 | 01:27 PM
  #9  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Well guys it seems to be the worst case. We took it to a Machanic and he told us the gears are not working and somthing was moving when it shouldent. Is it worth gettin it replaced? Do you know how much it cost ? Is there any alternative options ?
Old Jun 14, 2012 | 01:41 PM
  #10  
NismoPick's Avatar
The Good Twin
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,639
From: Wild Wild West, UTAH!
Originally Posted by Male
he told us the gears are not working and somthing was moving when it shouldent.
Hopefully the mechanic didn't say those words...

That's really generic and vague..

Which gears aren't working? What's moving?

Are you talking about the speedo gears? If so... go to the junk yard and get another for $10, which I've already mentioned:


Originally Posted by NismoPick
find a replacement and deal with the odometer difference
Old Jun 14, 2012 | 03:00 PM
  #11  
Pipsqueak's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 90
From: Central Arkansas
Originally Posted by NismoPick

Are you talking about the speedo gears? If so... go to the junk yard and get another for $10, which I've already mentioned:
I'm having the same issue, but I wish I had a junk yard that had Z's left.

how hard is it to remove the "pig tail" that is on the back of the speedo? I have grased the long part, I just hope that part solve my issue.

for now, Im just using a speedo app.
Old Jun 15, 2012 | 08:44 AM
  #12  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Well I wish I was there but my dad took it wile I was at work and the machanic said that the wire up worked perfectly but I'll ask my dad when he gets back, but we asked him to lube it with that grease because we didn't want to take it apart but he said that that wasn't the problum. And unfortunately I spent a after noon trying to find a junk yard near buy and I haven't found any with any parts
Old Jun 15, 2012 | 10:00 AM
  #13  
NismoPick's Avatar
The Good Twin
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,639
From: Wild Wild West, UTAH!
Post a "WTB 280ZX Speedometer" in our classifieds. I'm sure several people have a spare. I have one, but I won't be able to get up to my garage for a week or two.
Old Jun 15, 2012 | 01:29 PM
  #14  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Alright i think were going to take it to the transmition shop first and what's the app called?
Old Jun 15, 2012 | 06:57 PM
  #15  
FricFrac's Avatar
Mr Z++ Wiki
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,195
From: Victoria, BC
Someone has two for sale on hybrid
Old Jun 16, 2012 | 11:06 AM
  #16  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Can you post a link?
Old Jun 16, 2012 | 02:01 PM
  #17  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Thanks but my cluster is still good
Old Jun 16, 2012 | 03:09 PM
  #18  
WildmaN's Avatar
More Than Meets The Eye
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,120
From: Mesa, Az
You might have to get another cluster to get the speedometer. Besides, there is nothing wrong with having an extra cluster lying around.
Old Jun 18, 2012 | 07:49 AM
  #19  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Well I found out that my speedometer did work its just gets stuck on 20 like yours I have to accelerate from 20-40 and it will work good sorry about that it's because I always drove on little streets
Old Jun 21, 2012 | 07:41 PM
  #20  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Well I gess sence its not what I thought it was where to I get thouse digital gauges ? Are they just plug in ?
Old Jun 22, 2012 | 05:08 AM
  #21  
FricFrac's Avatar
Mr Z++ Wiki
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,195
From: Victoria, BC
DId you replace the gauge cluster yet? If it's not the speedo cable it's probably the gauge cluster. Did you check the cog for the speedo at the tranny?

IMHO the digital cluster sucks - I replaced both of mine with analog gauges asap.
Old Jun 22, 2012 | 05:24 PM
  #22  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
I that sucks I realy wanted one they look pretty cool and what's the problems with them
Old Jun 22, 2012 | 06:27 PM
  #23  
NismoPick's Avatar
The Good Twin
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,639
From: Wild Wild West, UTAH!
https://www.zdriver.com/forums/280zx...-analog-35230/

Originally Posted by NismoPick
Digital dashes are "cool" looking... that's about it. The speedo still only reads to 85mph and the digital tach is less accurate. I can think of a million other things to spend $500 on rather than a digi dash, but it's your car.

There are tons of youtube videos of the 280zx digi dash if you've never seen one work..
Old Jun 23, 2012 | 10:45 AM
  #24  
Male's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 245
From: Kansas
Thanks I didn't know they were that much. I could but some new headers and a exhaust with that
Old Jun 23, 2012 | 11:11 AM
  #25  
NismoPick's Avatar
The Good Twin
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,639
From: Wild Wild West, UTAH!
They're not usually that much. You can get them for $50-$200 on ebay... or ~$20 at a junk yard (almost non-existent now). And you must use the digi dash harness.

280ZX DATSUN NISSAN DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER TACH WITH FUEL AND TEMP GAUGES RARE OEM | eBay

It's still not worth the time or $$$.



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:24 PM.