Speedo and mileage not working

[Joner1983]

Finally got my 1990 SRi back on the road and have just noticed that my speedo and mileage clock are not working. Fuel, temp and rev counter working fine. Any ideas?

[James McGrath]

Being 1990, it probably has a mechanical speedo cable.
There's not a lot to go wrong.

Any fault is more than likely in the clocks themselves as the rest is all mechanical.

I could just be damp getting at the electrics, especially if it's not been used for a while.

Maybe take the clocks out and check to see if the cable is ok.

[iangsi]

As James said it will be a mechanical Speedo, could be the drive cable not connected properly at either end, I'd start at the gearbox end and connect a cordless drill the square end of the cable and slowly engage the drill and see what happens.

[vexorg]

Or jack up one wheel, spin it and see if the gearbox drive moves.

[Joner1983]

Awesome, thanks so much everyone. I'll get the clocks out and have a proper look this weekend. Cheers

[vexorg]

Gearbox end is easier to check, the clocks with speedo cable are a bit of a pain to get out.

[Robsey]

The dash is a pig of a job to remove due to the number of steps involved to get there...
flexing some of the plastic trims, and
also having to twist the cluster to get in behind to disconnect / attach the speedo cable.

I have an electronic dash, so no rigid cable... but it is still a mare to get at.

Here is a How 2 that I wrote a few years ago.

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=14748&p=151398&hil ... al#p151398

[vexorg]

I've had issues putting it back in at times, it doesn't want to clear the steering wheel, with confusion of: it came out why wont it go back in???

[Robsey]

Ah yes...
I have had this too.
Sometimes it helps to turn the steering wheel 90° to one side or the other and then feed the cluster in or out from the side.

Thankfully, I have never had to take the steering wheel off.

Otherwise, it means unplugging the battery - which I suppose you should anyway if you are taking the cluster out.
And then remove the airbag, squib and so on...

Oh joy!!

[James McGrath]

Being a 1990 SRi it will have a steering wheel height adjuster.
That will make the job of removing it a bit easier if it's adjusted all the way down.

[Joner1983]

Luckily most of the trim is already off from where I removed the old aftermarket immobiliser and I need a new piece of trim because they cut a big slot in it for the immobiliser key. I find it's easier to get it apart on a hot day so the plastic bends and it less likely to crack.