Odometer repair question

[psaboic]

Folks, the trip odometer on my 83 300D is starting to slip when it is warm outside. Consequently, when it slips, the main odometer does not move either. I have read a lot of the repair threads, and while I could probably do it myself, I would prefer to have a shop do it. Can anyone send me shop recommendations for odometer repair.

Many thanks

[BWhitmore]

Palo Alto Speedometer in Palo Alto California.

[psaboic]

Thank you!!

[martureo]

JamesDean (forum member) does this repair as well. I've had him calibrate my speedometer (a service he does not regularly provide) and he did great work.

Here's his company link.
Cruise Control Repair

[okyoureabeast]

*2 on James. Might as well send your climate control and cruise control relays to as well. Just do it all and have them last another 20 years.

[tyl604]

When the trip odometer on my '81 300SD stopped working, I just ordered the plastic gears. Replaced them in about ten minutes and good to go.

Could that be your problem? Do not know if the 300D has the same setup as the SD.

[psaboic]

Pretty sure it is the plastic gears. And I believe the 300D has the same setup as the 300SD and 300SDL.

[BWhitmore]

The other possibility is the shaft that holds the trip odometer numbers is slipping. The solution is to remove the brass bushing at the end of the shaft and using a small file ground the shaft where the bushing fits to provide some teeth to tighten things up.

[tyl604]

Looked like this:



The only problem I had was that I screwed the screws down too tight and the tripometer would not move. Had to pull the cluster out again and loosen the screws and it has worked ever since.

Hope this may be your only problem.

[Diseasel300]

Originally Posted by psaboic

Pretty sure it is the plastic gears. And I believe the 300D has the same setup as the 300SD and 300SDL.

The W123 uses a mechanical speedometer with a cable physically connecting it to the transmission output shaft. The W126 (300SD/SDL) uses an electronic speedo with a stepper motor in the speedo and electronic sensor in the transmission. They work on very different principles. If you have slipping on the W123 style, you likely have a mechanical problem (don't overlook the reset button) like a loose shaft or internally stripped gears as mentioned above.

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by tyl604

Looked like this:



The only problem I had was that I screwed the screws down too tight and the tripometer would not move. Had to pull the cluster out again and loosen the screws and it has worked ever since.

Hope this may be your only problem.

What screws?

My 240d odometer just stopped working tonight. It’s a like new car with only 72k miles on it, Ive owned it a long time….

When I slightly pressed the reset button,,it would start moving again, at least until it got to 9/10ths, and then would stall unless I kept constant pressure against the reset button…. The main odometer would also stop.

I did repair the dimmer potentiometer, so it makes me wonder if perhaps I have something screwed down too hard or something - some sort of user error that impeded operations.

I haven’t put a lot of mile on the car in the last few years, just because if life, kids, etc. But I do love driving it, with a working odometer. So hoping you can tell me what screws were too tight, perhaps I caused a similar scenario….

My speedometer needle is also extremely smooth and bounce free on this car… fwiw…

[tyl604]

The screws that hold the clear plastic cover on the passenger side. I had just tightened them in a normal manner and found the gears would not move. So I released the tension on the screws two times before the gears would work and they have been working fine since.

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by tyl604

The screws that hold the clear plastic cover on the passenger side. I had just tightened them in a normal manner and found the gears would not move. So I released the tension on the screws two times before the gears would work and they have been working fine since.

Ok thanks. The only thing I removed and tightened was the potentiometer. Not sure how that could affect it, but I thought perhaps it could…

No idea why it started slipping on mine. Not keen on removing the cluster, because the speedometer needle is never as bounce free afterwards…

Thanks!

[oldsinner111]

long ago, on my w126 sd I ordered gears, a couple fit on a shaft, and they spun not turning odometer. So I rougher the shaft and slid gear with super glue gel, no more problems

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by oldsinner111

long ago, on my w126 sd I ordered gears, a couple fit on a shaft, and they spun not turning odometer. So I rougher the shaft and slid gear with super glue gel, no more problems

Yes looking like this is the way.

Thanks!