Troubleshooting Speedometer

[eodtek32]

Speedometer went out on my 96 Tracker. Tore into it to note that the speedo cable had become disconnected. (I hate the type that have a small plastic retaining clip) Reattached the cable and the speedo still does not work. So I dug into the problem a bit more. After reviewing the pages at fixkick here is what I have noted:

Connected the cable (at the sending unit) to a drill and the speedo turns.

Viewed the speedo sending unit with the vehicle running in gear (on jack stands); the sending unit turns.

Put it all back together and the speedo is dead but the trip odometer works.

No sounds or indications that the cable is binding.

Any thoughts on what the problem might be???

Thanks,

Brian

96 Tracker
2WD, 5 sp MT

[fixkick]

i too hate the head cable clip its aluminum too, and will bend and hold and illegal shape.

if the odometer works then the cable is good. and trans, and all gears. odometer is first to get the rotary signals. (spins via worm gears)
next in line is:
the speedo is a mag coupling, (does not touch odometer side) its magnetic.

the speed is bad.

see the magnet below.?- it dont touch the cup so if the needle jams, the speed is dead.


Put it all back together and the speedo is dead but the trip odometer works.

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lots of times the cup bushing fails, and make racket.
the driver ,drives ,ignores this, and it gets worse faster, and jams. the cup , just jams.

[eodtek32]

It just doesn't make too much sense that the speedo works when spun by the drill but not when connected to the tranny.

[fixkick]

there is only one main shaft in the head.
if it turns both most work. if not one is bad.
the drill turns pretty fast, may be it over comes the seize inside.

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may be the odometer is stalling too. just not noticed. but the 1/10's stalling would be seen if looking careful.

you can drive with the top cable end pulled and see the inside cable spin,
if it does and you try to garb it moving, it must be impossible to grap. be careful.. 95HP behind it.
rear wheels off floor in 1st gear. a good test.

the head loves to fail about 150k. ive seen.

ive had to buy 3 heads and make one. sometimes. lots of dead heads about (rock band?)

[eodtek32]

there is only one main shaft in the head.
if it turns both most work. if not one is bad.
the drill turns pretty fast, may be it over comes the seize inside.

---

may be the odometer is stalling too. just not noticed. but the 1/10's stalling would be seen if looking careful.

you can drive with the top cable end pulled and see the inside cable spin,
if it does and you try to garb it moving, it must be impossible to grap. be careful.. 95HP behind it.
rear wheels off floor in 1st gear. a good test.

the head loves to fail about 150k. ive seen.

ive had to buy 3 heads and make one. sometimes. lots of dead heads about (rock band?)

What file formats are permitted for uploading of video? I have a short video that is in MOV format showing the speedo being driven by a drill.
I have not noticed any lagging on the trip odometer as you have suggested. Perhaps you might see something I missed.

I also conducted the engine running w/tranny in first gear and the cable turns slowly.

I have just hooked the cable back into the cluster, started the engine and engaged first gear. I noticed that the speedo needle oscillates without indicating speed. Let me shoot some video to post.

Thanks for the help so far.

[fixkick]

SOLVED:!
oh, im not sure, never tried it. i can host videos, they are HUGE, my server will puke or worse, charge me big money, $5 a month now, no more....
a drill can be like 500 rpm or 3000. i have like 5 drill motors. some scream. and is an unfair test. (fast , slow is valid)

if the tires, spin rear, and the drive shaft pins, can be done by hand, keys in pocket. beast way with 2 persons.
then the speedo drive end, spins, both speedo gears (xfr case), and the not missing , speedo cable clip there, (funny thing on mine was stripped out) and the cable spins and at the other
end the end (top side) is still square, and person #2, grabs the end cable line, and tries to stop the cable, and can't, then all is good below. for sure, no guessing.

that leaves one thing. the head.
if the cable is square still good at head, then the odometer works, unless its gears are stripped out.

then the rotational energy shaft part of square socket drive. there. it spins , it has no way to stop spinning ever. (cable test passes above)
this shaft spins, and the magnet spins, there is no way for it not to ,ever. (at this point)

if the mag spins it the spins the CUP, it must overcome the needle spring and its friction and is the #1 all time favorite to not work, this friction, if more than the magnetic field allows.

i dont need a video ive had every failure mode here. speedo, it's guts, the cable and the 2 gears in xfr case. (im so sorry yours iS DOA)

the jerking you see, is the cup crashing. 100% SURE.
this is very very common. and you can hear it easy,

when the needle shaft bushing fails, worn to nothing this allows the CUP to go totally out of control and move in illegal angles.
and then the cup hits the magnet (illegal transgression of this air gap) and it goes nuts.

Classic bad needle bush.

[eodtek32]

So what you are suggesting (besides go without the speedo) is to replace the cup.

I would prefer to have the speedo operational as I am not the only one who drives this vehicle.

The bushing is not specified within your exploded view. Can you indicate this?

Thanks for the help so far.

[fixkick]

there are 3 ways (the head is modular)
1 if you have the speedo, out, the bottom tag, sticker shows its part number. and suzuki has some , internal clocks left.
2 car-parts.com might have it as will local wrecking yards.
3 ebay.com.

96 Tracker
2WD, 5 sp MT
my guess, is 2 doors. (typ.of USA built cars, not exports, they vary)
Guess no ABS,
Guess, no tachometer.
and not a SPORT 1.8L (trackers are never SPORTS)

here is my list (partial) there are 16 heads, the huge variances are canada KPH /MPH usa, and doors/speedo/abs (axle ratio)
http://www.fixkick.com/sensors/speedo/cl...frack.html

based my guess, its a dash 68AB0 head,
with an internal meter 34120-68AA0 (same meter used in both ABS/and non ABS cluster ) so can base internally swapped. if wrong head is found.


ok suzuki has it in stock (this is just a sub module) id have to see that tag and photo of whole main head, to be sure.
http://www.suzukicarparts.com/parts/1995...eid=214820

now GM
does GM sell parts for this head>?

i have a full gm parts list but the speedo and engine are excluded
on the GM site it shows this
91172830 - speedOMETER HEAD All (not stocked)

when you remove the ECU or speedo head of any GEO tracker, the head has the Suzuki partnumber sticker , so does the ECU.

what I did was make sure the EBAY seller
1: shows real photo of front and back. (not stock (wrong) photos as most do)
2: the tag number the bottom.. key ! factor.
3: and a NO DOA , when received. (no noise either)
4: pin count on the connectors, the rear view in#1 solves this.