speedometer head lubrication

[Harry L.]

what and how much lubricant should I use in my speedometer head lubricator to lubricate the speedo head? I will lubricate the cable also. Dutch (66 vette)

[Joe R.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

Harry, I would recommend 1 drop of a Teflon based lubricant for the #1 shaft only. I would not recommend that you lube the speedo cable or the tach cable. Just replace them as they are available from Delco.
Any excessive lubrication on these parts or cable will cost you in excess of $300.00 to get them rebuilt.
Have a nice day!

JR

[Jim T.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

Joe, what and how much lubrication is on the new Delco speedo and tach cable?

[Joe R.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

Jim,

I have some very old Delco lube that I use. It is about like petroleum jelly or maybe a little thicker. When I lube an old cable I put a small amount in a paper towel and run the cable thru once very lightly. This coats the cable with VERY LITTLE lube. Too much lube and believe it or not it will run straight up the cable housing and into the speedometer head. At that point the speed cup is full and your speedometer pointer will peg to the right and probably snap. That cable works like a screw pump with too much lubricant and you will have to pull the cluster and spend some bucks to have it rebuilt.

To answer your original question I really don't know but it is very little. When you pull it out of the casing you will get your fingers a little oily but not much comes off. At one time (back in the 70's) you could order Delco Speedometer Cable Lube. You might find some still on the shelf in an old NAPA or local parts store.

JR

[Gerald C.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

My 63 speedometer is making that infamous screeching noise intermittently and at various speeds. The speedo reads the correct speed so my guess it does not need to be rebuilt, maybe just lubricated. I've seen the lubricants suggested here, but I'm looking for a schematic of the speedo head to see where I lubricate or do I just put a small amount on each of the gears in the speedo?

Thanks

[Edward J.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

Jerry, when I repainted my cluster I took the speedo and tach out and used a very small amount of 3n1 oil to lube some of the moving parts.and at that time I took the cables out and wiped them clean with thinner and a very light coating of syth. grease.

[Joe R.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

Gerald,

You can lubricate the cable or just purchase a new cable from one of the parts warehouses.

Corvette Central sells Cable Ease for the purpose of lubing the tach or speedo cable ONLY. You cannot gob it on the cable and expect it to work for a long period of time. Just pass the inside cable thru a paper towel or cloth with some Cable Ease on the cable. A little goes a long way or you will find yourself in the speedo repair shop.

You cannot lube the speedometer head. That's a job for a speedometer repair shop. There are plenty of them advertising BUT check out their references first.

Repairing and or replacing the speedo head or tach head is only $175.00 including calibration. Go there!

JR

[Edward J.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

Joe, I found that when I had the Tach, and Speedo out, where the cable inserts into the head that when spinning with my fingers that area was dry and a light oil will work in and free the operation. I think that it is likely very old dried grease that worked into this area from the cable and over the years hardened ??

[Joe R.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

Ed,

Yes, but that snake will bite you. When there is enough slop in the shaft and bearing to work in some lubricant it will free it up BUT when there is enough slop for that it won't be long before the number one fails and it will no longer register mileage.
So when you have it apart like that, rebuilding with a new bearing and #1 is cheap insurance you won't have to tear it down again in your lifetime.
New bearings are Oil Lite bearings that will never wear out again in our lifetime along with a new #1 you should be safe for 100K miles. The old ones were only good for about 50K.
You don't want to remove the instrument cluster again do you?????

JR

[Don H.]

Re: speedometer head lubrication

JR, You are 100% correct. I have had my '65 cluster out twice this year. NOT fun anymore! Don H.