Odometer fix (1 Viewer)

[laguna80]

Well, I recently attempted to fix my odometer because it was bugging me. This is out of a 72 fj40 BTW. The gears were completely stuck, so here's what I did. First thing was to get the odometer out. I took out the guage cluster (after disconnecting the battery off course) To remove the odometer, I had to take off a small metal clip on the left side. This allowed me to move the bar over enough to slide the opposite end up and out. I didn't have to remove the speedo plate to get the odometer out. It just slid up and out. Once that was done I disassembled it completely to this.

Now there is something extremely important to watch out for during the disassembly. This small retaining clip lies near the white gear.

This little bugger will go flying when you remove it. I used two tiny screwdrivers to pry the thing off of the bar and lucky it ended up landed on me, otherwise I think I would have lost it.

 

[laguna80]

With it all apart, I used some gun CLP (Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant) I had lying around to oil the parts. The original grease inside had congealed and gotten really sticky so I cleaned those with kleenex. I cleaned the inside of the gears/wheels with the little thingy on a toenail clipper. Here I put the washers and retaining pins on in the order that they are supposed to so I could remember what went where.

I should mention that because of the state of the original grease, it took a fair bit of prying to get the wheels off of the bar. Don't let yourself get discouraged. Once that was done, I lubricated all the parts with CLP (not sure how long that will last), then I assembled it back together. Here is the finished product.

I couldn't remember what numbers were there so I tried to set everything back to zero. I'll probably do this again whenever I have to rebuild the motor.

 

[laguna80]

Now to get it back in the guage cluster. It was basically the reverse of the removal procedure. That little metal retaining clip gave me some trouble because it's so small that it's hard to handle. I tried to show that here.

It's the part circled in black. It's on the right side cause the thing was upside down when I took the picture. After I got the thing installed, I hooked everything back up and took it for a test drive to see if it worked. Unfortunately, it only partially worked. The white gear moves around but doesn't catch the next number and turn it. I'll have to fix that tomorrow. I think the gears have be set up a certain way, but I'm not exactly sure how. Anyway, I don't know if this will help anyone, but with any luck it will help fix this annoying little thing.

 

[DirtyLawyer]

Very helpful, thanks for the pics...

 

[71/monarch]

Cool I'm be looking for the update since I've got to do this on two of my four cruisers.

 

[BJEC69]

Great info, thanks for sharing!

 

[laguna80]

Unfortunately, I never got it working properly. I could only ever get the first two numbers to spin. It seemed like the tabs on the inside of the numbered wheels weren't catching the next one when it would spin around. I thought that perhaps the rings weren't tight enough against each other to catch.

 

[Teebag]

See my warning

Warning: if you try this at home, it appears these gears can fit both ways on the main shaft - but only one way will work correctly

Odo fix:

Ordinarily I would not fiddle here, but this time is different for 3 reaons:

1. It was non-functional on arrival from Aus, and I have no idea for how long and therefore real milage.
2. I am rebuilding most of the vehicle with new or refurbished parts.
3. I have no intention of selling it for a very, very, very long time.


Ok so I got home from work 5 hours later than I expected , and did not feel like working in the garage at such a late hour, so I thought I would have a look at the gauge cluster, and see how difficult it would be to strip.

Turns out it is not that difficult

This is the shaft that all the wheels and gears run on, turns out the problem was 24 year old crusty lube, it was all just gummed up.

Between each digit is a gear that turns the adjoining digit, at the right time.

Warning: if you try this at home, it appears these gears can fit both ways on the main shaft - but only one way will work correctly

All done.

 

[Hltoppr]

This might be a stupid question, but how did you remove the speed indicator from the face; in order to get the faceplate off. Mine seems to be very, very stuck....

-H-

 

[AJAEbj42]

I carefully pulled mine (82 BJ42) with two fingers, be careful not to bend the indicator, but it does pull off. Ditto on the gears only working one way, took me three tries to get it right!

 

[Teebag]

It just pulls off, but I found rotating anti-clockwise while pulling helps

 

[RumBum]

I swapped my non-working odo with one from a 60 series cluster I had. Set it to the same mileage and works great. I failed at the cleaning and re-installing the original as well.

 

[1911]

Thread resurrection to say thanks; I used this thread and a couple of others to successfully rebuild my odometer and it made the job simple and easy to know how the thing works and goes together ahead of time. The only difference on mine (1980 FJ40) was that the main shaft was held in place by a rolled staking pin just inside the big plastic housing on the driven end, instead of the retaining clip mentioned above. The staking pin fits perpindicular to the shaft, into a groove cut in the shaft for that purpose. The staking pin came out easily with needle-nose pliers, once I figured out that was what was holding the shaft in place. Should have taken a photo of it but didn't, sorry.

A side note: when I put everything back together, the odo worked fine but my fuel and temperature gauges pegged out full and hot. Turns out that there is a small copper tab on the back of the fuel gauge that contacts the metal instrument cluster housing to ground both the fuel and temp gauges, and though it was still touching, it was dirty and didn't give a good ground when I reassembled it. Took the instrument cluster apart again, cleaned the tab, bent it out a little for more spring pressure, put it all back together, and voila! Gauges work as intended again. One more thing to watch out for if you ever have to rebuild your odo.

 

[dieseldan]

Thanks for the write up and pics Laguna - I'll buy you a cold one if you're in the neighbourhood.. my od stuck on 257,300 and would go no further - took it apart and lubed it up, back together and good as new.

If I was doing this again I would do one thing differently;

• I'd immobilize the needle spring to keep the original tension for reassembly.. would save a pile of time calibrating it again when you put it back together.

All in all it took a good hour from dash out to back in - thanks again.

 

[Assassin]

how do you remove the gauge cluster------i removed the 2 screws on the face plate------what next????

i repainted the glove box lid and ash tray "pewter' and would like to paint the face plate of the guage cluster as well----PO painted them black...........also would like to 'try" to get odometer working as well. the 10th's work and would like to get the other numbers to work as well. Thanks for the help--------

 

[mossman40]

Assassin,

you've got to remove the speedo cable from the back of the cluster, then tilt it towards you...top first, and unplug what you see there. Most people suggest you disconnect the battery as the amp gauge wires are HOT. You need to remove them also. Depending on the age or your 40, the speedo cable clips in or possible screws in. It can be a biatch to get your hand back there. I lifted my hood and pulled up on the speedo cable a bit to give me more cable in the cab. Good luck. Going out and take the 40 and the dog for a spin.

 

[cruiser_guy]

I wouldn't suggest pulling the battery cables, I wouldn't even consider taking the cluster out without pulling battery cables. It's ESSENTIAL not a suggestion (unless you like electrical problems) .

I did this to my '55 a month or so back and it works great.

 

[bellaire35]

I know this is an older thread and thus no photos. Can anyone help post photos if you still have them on how to correct my problem. I recently cleaned to odometer and after reinstalling only the white number moves not catching the next set. I know these cogs must me set correctly but I am at a loss.

 

[Birdmon]

I would love to see the photos of this also. I have the exact same problem with the 1/10's spinning but nothing else. Speedo works fine.

Thanks in advance if you can help me!!

 

[Birdmon]

Well. Even without the pictures, this thread was a HUGE (or as some of our presidential candidates say YUGE) help. I had the gauge cluster out to change the light bulbs and decided to work on my odometer, where the 1/10's spun but nothing else did.

After reading this thread and a welcomed PM from bellaire35, voila!!!

Thanks again for the invaluable help.