Speedometer keeps clicking....
 

This is on my 300TE.

I had a wobbly speedo a while back and replaced the cable. It was unsuccessful...

I then replaced the cable AGAIN thinking I pulled on it or something, but now its clicking. Fast clicking that increases with speed.
It is NOT the odometer clicking -- I have experienced this quirk and its not the rollover clicking. It is 100% speedometer.

I swapped the speedometer unit to eliminate that and it still does it (again disproving odo). It both wobbles and clicks, although the wobbling and clicking is inversely relationed (wobbling decreases with speed as clicking increases)

Any ideas guys?
Is there something that I have missed doing correctly during installation or anything?

Make sure u push your speedo mile reset on the dash board all the way in. If you do not, it is known to cause the clicking sound and you can't resert it while the car is moving.

^.

Hi ps2cho,

I have the same problem as yourself. - clicking speedo. It seems to be worse when cold (in cold weather). When it warms up, the noise abates however the speedo needle still fluctuates badly.

To experiment I have just changed two clusters between two cars. The problem stays with the car. The speedo that was clicking is as silent as a mouse in the other car and whats more there is a complete absence of fluctuation.

I know that the cable is good in the problem car - I changed it recently.

So! Deduction : The problem lies with the sending unit in the transmission.

I'm wondering if there is some sort of difference in the new speedo cables? Maybe very, very slightly thinner?

Maybe you can "squeeze" the trans end of the speedo at the tip a bit in a vice to let it spread out and engage better in the transmission?

What I'm thinking is possibly the cable is not as long as it should be and it is skipping in the housing instead of catching fully.

That was my idea to some extent also. I was thinking it was not pushed far enough in on the speedo-side...but that would also fall under your idea of the cable not being long enough in the first place.

I called my local MB stealership and they want $130 for a new cable :eek:
Insanity!!!

The low speed wobbling is a classic cable issue. Assuming you have a "good" new cable, having it routed properly and located in its clips does make a difference.

With my new transmission installed, I am still having problems with the wobble.

My speedometer has been rebuilt, and the transmission has been rebuilt.

It HAS to the cable? But I have gone through 2 of them now...is my only option to go buy Dealership?

Have you tried lubricating the cable?

-J

I had a loud clicking sound when it really got cold but also always wobbled regardless of the temp . Changed the cluster head, lubed the cable...nothing worked. But when I re-build the tranny, I figured I'd replace the speedo cable (I have a 95 e320 wagon) with the OEM GEMO (less than 40 bucks) cable. I immediately saw the issue with the bad cable so...in with the new. I fould it easier to work the new cable up from the bottom of the car versus starting from the inside of the car. With the a clear line to the transmision (still tilted down as the drive shaft was not attached yet) I was surprised I fiddled with it for a good 15-20 min to get the aluminum collar with the squared cable shaft seated all the way in to the transmission. There were times when I thought I was damaging the cable trying to get it to seat in correctly. The square shaft has to be aligned with the square "hole" in the transmission to slide in all the way. There was a few times I thought it was in right....boy I'm glad kept tying as it finally slid in about another 1/4" of an inch. Never thought it would be that tricky...or I'm just slow. Now the speedo is wobble and click free....smooth as butter.

This sounds like THE solution!

I will try doing it from the underside first and let you guys know how it goes. But yes its that final 1/4" that I am also struggling with.