Fix your odometers!!! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jbach36 · #1 10-08-2007, 08:01 PM

Someone just did a post "how many miles on your ride". I'm surprised at how many people wrote, "I think mine has 450,000 miles but I'm not sure, the cable broke 4 years ago".

Folks, folks, folks ... what's it going to cost to fix an odometer cable? $15? And just think of the benefits you get!

1) You get to know how FAST you're going.
2) You know when it's time to change your oil, so your car CONTINUES to go a long time.
3) You'll ACTUALLY KNOW how many miles your car has on it. Just think! It might only have 280k, not 345k.

It's sort of like the "oldest man on earth". He thought he was 121 years old, but someone who did research on him found out he was only 78 or something.

jeff 1991 (I think but I don't know, maybe it's actually a 1998, if only there were some way to tell!!) with 111k ... for real.

zeke · #2 10-08-2007, 08:11 PM

I wish my problem was a $15 cable!

I think my problem will be solved by rebuilding the odometer myself or buying a new cluster from a junkyard ($100)

#3 10-08-2007, 08:19 PM

Most of the time it's simply a slipping odometer gear issue. It only takes 30 minutes to fix if you have basic tools.

A speedometer should never cost $100 from a junkyard. $20 at the very most, if they want more you should look elsewhere.

zeke · #4 10-08-2007, 08:23 PM

he says he won't break apart the cluster - so ya think I should find another yard?

May drive me to try to fix it myself

#5 10-08-2007, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeke

he says he won't break apart the cluster - so ya think I should find another yard?

Unless he can guarantee that it works, definitely yes.

Chocolate Benz · #6 10-08-2007, 08:58 PM

The problem is usually the leftmost wheel on the total miles recorder slipping on the shaft. The wheels are plastic and over time the solvents leave the part and the hole gets a tiny bit bigger and won't grip the shaft. Diesel Giant has an on line instruction pictorial on how to fix the problem. I used green Loctite and applied a very small amount with a hypodermic needle. Careful you don't vaccinate yourself with the green stuff. The biggest challenge was getting the speedo cable screwed back on when putting the cluster back in.

#7 10-08-2007, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate Benz

The problem is usually the leftmost wheel on the total miles recorder slipping on the shaft. The wheels are plastic and over time the solvents leave the part and the hole gets a tiny bit bigger and won't grip the shaft.

Almost. The worm gears and gear that transmits power to the trip odometer are plastic but the gear on the odometer shaft is metal.

I didn't use any loctite, I just scored the shaft with a screwdriver to provide a positive bite between the gear and shaft.

klaus kallas · #8 10-18-2007, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Almost. The worm gears and gear that transmits power to the trip odometer are plastic but the gear on the odometer shaft is metal.

I didn't use any loctite, I just scored the shaft with a screwdriver to provide a positive bite between the gear and shaft.

Just seconding this. Has worked every time and takes about 30 minutes start to finish. It doesn't take much to get the gear to grab the shaft again.

Klaus

Cain74 · #9 10-19-2007, 04:38 PM

I just used a set from Odometer Gears last week. Very easy to do. I gave him a call and he walked me throught it. Really nice guy. The only down side is the gears seem a little loud. i am goin to try som lithium gease to see if that quiets them down. If it doesn't he said he would try a different type of material.
I suggest buying a full set of gears (3). At first I had one broken gear, but after I started taking it apart the others fell to pieces.

lutzTD · #10 10-08-2007, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate Benz

The problem is usually the leftmost wheel on the total miles recorder slipping on the shaft. The wheels are plastic and over time the solvents leave the part and the hole gets a tiny bit bigger and won't grip the shaft. Diesel Giant has an on line instruction pictorial on how to fix the problem. I used green Loctite and applied a very small amount with a hypodermic needle. Careful you don't vaccinate yourself with the green stuff. The biggest challenge was getting the speedo cable screwed back on when putting the cluster back in.

if you remove the clip on the side of the motor first, you get an extra 6 inches of cable to pull through the firewall. then its a snap to screw on the cable to the cluster and replace the cable in the clip on the side of the motor

dwoloz · #11 10-08-2007, 10:26 PM

Its not the cost, its the priorities
My trip odometer likes to get stuck but its on the end of my long list of to do items for this car

lonewolftek · #12 10-09-2007, 11:05 AM

Anyone got tips for fixing the electric odometer/speedometer on an SD? I'm guessing there's a sending unit somewhere I should test, but I have no idea where it might be.