1949 chrysler royal speedometer

[Jeff I indu]

My speedometer has been ticking for some time. Almost sounds like a lifter except the noise stops completely at a stop and speeds up as I speed up. Its bouncy but fairly accurate. Anyhow, today at about 40 miles an hour it it started making a huge racket and the speedometer needle pegged at the 100+ mile side of the gauge. After a stop it started off with just the tapping until I hit 40 mph again and it started again with the racket and the speedometer needle pegged. So I believe I have a internal speedometer issue. I've pulled the instrument cluster a few times before. My question is this something that is repairable? I don't see where parts are available. Is there a place that I can send the cluster to that specialises in speedometer repair for something this old? I see used units on Ebay but they look like junk. All my other guages and lights in the cluster work perfect so repairing mine would be my first choice

 

Jeff

[Merle Coggins]

When’s the last time it’s had some lube. Both in the speedo unit and in the cable? 

[Jeff I indu]

Not by me. You think it could be that simple? I've read about lubing the cable but not about lubing the speedometer itself. I will pull the cluster tomorrow. If it something I can do myself I will do it

 

[chrysler1941]

Both ! Sewing machine oil what I used ?

[p15-1948]

When I got my 49 the speedometer wick was bone dry.

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

The inner speedo cable should really be pulled out from the speedo head end of cable housing.

IT should be carefully checked over for any wear/unraveling or other damage ...cleaned up then lubed. 

Might also want to look at the outer speedometer cable housing for any kinks severe bends or being too close to the exhaust header pipe.

[Bryan G]

I've had speedometers do the exact same thing on a couple other vehicles, one a Ford, the other a Chevy. The latter actually spun all the way around, at very high speed, eventually breaking the needle off. As I understand it, and maybe I'm wrong, the cable and the needle aren't connected but one side has something steel and the other side a magnet, with just the right amount of slippage factored in. Dirt, corrosion, lack of lube might lock the two halves together. 

 

The cable on my 49 was broken; a replacement was cheap and not all that much trouble to replace (mostly the challenge was getting it routed correctly around the shift linkages/steering column, etc.) It runs very smooth now. I need to pull my speedometer someday as the trip odometer reset is frozen.

[Kilgore47]

The speedometer in the P15 was pegged a 100 when I got it.  The speedo was broken.  Looked like the mag drive locked together somehow and broke the speed cup shaft and twisted the clock spring beyond repair.  Picture attached.  This speedo is repairable but I couldn't find the correct speed cup on line.

 

After days of searching I found an instrument cluster for 150 bucks.  It had all but the temp gauge.  Took a chance and got it.  Had to disassemble the speedo to clean and lube it and it works good now.  The speedo that was in the car when I got it was an Autolite.  The replacement speedo is a Stewart Warner.  They both bolt in place.