Amazon: 122S Noisy Speedo

[kmkemper]

The last two months the colder weather has set in around here, and the speedometer is making a lot of rattling noises that it did not do before, sounds like it is eating itself. The noise tends to reduce once the car has been driving for a while. Has anyone else experienced this? Wondering if it is temperature-related, a cable issue or gearing within the speedo, and whether simple lubrication is the solution. The issue came on suddenly, rather than a small rattle that has become worse.

[Ron Kwas]

kmk;

Noisy Amazon Speedometer when cold is not uncommon...and the noise gets worse the colder it gets...so you can imagine the howling sounds emanating from the Dashboard in the dead of winter here in New England...you cant hear yourself think...!

I've never done a root cause study, but I rather believe it to be due to wear and the resulting slop of the tuning components immediately inside the Speedo, but possibly the Speedo Cable entrance. In general, I believe those components are banging from one side of the slop to the other, and cold just exacerbates this. You might try loosening slighly repositioning and retightening the SCable in the the Instrument Cluster...maybe a shot of Tri-Flow lube into the SCable, and a tiny shot onto the Speedo to lube things. I recommend against using WD-40 for this, as it is mostly solvent and doesn't leave much in the way of lube behind, long-term.

The thing I'm concerned about is any spray lube making its way to the back of Inst Cluster plastic...I'd hate to have to look at it after that and for ever...so be warned and spray away!

Cheers

[SwallownAmazon]

Mine has rattled since day one and still does. Remedy is to turn the radio up a bit louder.

.

[arcturus]

Out of curiosity, is the amazon speedo dial or ribbon. If it's ribbon as mine is on PV, my speedo got so noisy I disconnected it!

[Volvo_133]

Amazons are the ribbon type. This is my 4th (roadworthy) car, they have all had quiet speedos.

[wowoguy]

My 133 speedo has developed a slight grating noise but not loud. The speedo reading appears to be registering a couple of MPH slower than I am going, unlike modern cars which appear to be calibrated slightly higher than you are going. I found another used speedo cable in the trunk when I bought it a year ago; I guess the previous owner may have known something I didn't.

Having recently had a genuine 1960s push button Motorola radio fitted I'll take swallownamazon's advice and now turn that up if it gets too noisy, then go home and apply that other gem of wisdom and "drink good wine"!

[Ron Kwas]

...one gets the best advice around here...!

[Mike Rains]

Friends, I too have had a noisy speedo. It is worse in colder weather for sure. I suspect it is lube related. My car is a '66 P130. Early in my restoration, I had the speedo cluster out of the car and cleaned it up nicely but didn't disassemble it in any significant fashion.

I've since purchased a cheap used speedo and have disassembled it to better understand where the noise could be created and if there is any possible way to resolve without taking it out of the dash.

My noise is a squealing, sort of screaching one that increases with speed but does not occur all the time. Cold weather makes it worse and almost guarantees its return.

Back to the speedo. Basically, the only place you can get significant noise is right inside where the speedo cable enters. The speedo cable drives a small magnetic cylinder (like small flywheel) that induces the speedo tube to twist based on rpms of the magnet. This cylinder is direct driven from the speedo (e.g., no speed change) but has a worm gear that then goes external to drive the main odometer and through another gear set, the trip odometer. Nether of those gear units move fast enough to create any energetic noises in my opinion.

So the culprit for energetic noise has to be in the main input area which would be just past the speedo cable input and on the far right or the speedo cluster as you face it as the driver. It could be bearing/lube related but I also think there could be some slight rubbing between the spinning magnet and the aluminum tube that slightly rotates to indicate speed. If there is contact between the rotating magnet and the indicator tube, it would have to be very slight; otherwise the speed indication would be significantly affected.

Right now, I'm leaning towards dried up lube in/around the two shafts that see speedo cable RPMs.

Now, upon disassembly, I have discovered some screw holes and other manufactured openings that may prove possible for injection of an aersol driven lube. I have only examined this spare speedo on the bench and haven't been able to confirm any accessibility under my Amazon's dash. That will be the true test.

It may be a month or two before I figure this out. But I am determined to, because my speedo noise is quite irksome at best and down right embarassing as worst. I'm brand new to this forum but if it allows pictures to post, I'll try and do that.

Regards.

[123GT-AMAZON]

Hi ya ,

Mike that is a excellent write up thank you for the much welcomed info for us all to further understand the way this might be happening .

Welcome to the forum look forward to your posts in the future , your going to fit in here we'll just like Ron a wealth of technical knowledge !

Kind regards
Robert.w

[Mike Rains]

Thanks for the kind words. Yes Ron has some amazing insights on these cars. I have used several of his kits including the starter button, alternator add and seat springs versus strapping. All were excellent products and well instructed.