Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
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- feel_ixx
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
I tested a NA6 today, I noticed the speedometer needle was vibrating slightly when I was slowing down. What is the deal with this? What could be causing this?
- Felix
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- bruce
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
In the old days it used to indicate that the speedo cable was about to break (I think - it was a long time ago).
- JBT
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
It could mean it's frightened
......nah, probably the cable binding slightly.


- feel_ixx
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- fastfreddygassit
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
speedo needle shaking?
Does it make any noise (grinding etc)?
Probably the cable, as it might need lubrication but if the internal sheath is damaged then you may as well change it.
Lubrication is fairly straightforward. Do a google search for lubricating motorcycle or bicycle cables.
However...
It could also be indicative of someone playing with the speedo. If someone has tried to play with winding the speedo backwards or forwards (after they work out that backwards doesn't work)
and they use a high rpm motor or a drill dríven stepped up transfer, it will weaken the speedo spring.
I would think it highly unlikely that this is the case (as a second hand cluster isn't that expensive) but it is worth mentioning.
And on the subject of clocking your speedo...electronic odometers are easier to "wind" back than mechanical ones. Scary isn't it?
Does it make any noise (grinding etc)?
Probably the cable, as it might need lubrication but if the internal sheath is damaged then you may as well change it.
Lubrication is fairly straightforward. Do a google search for lubricating motorcycle or bicycle cables.
However...
It could also be indicative of someone playing with the speedo. If someone has tried to play with winding the speedo backwards or forwards (after they work out that backwards doesn't work)
and they use a high rpm motor or a drill dríven stepped up transfer, it will weaken the speedo spring.
I would think it highly unlikely that this is the case (as a second hand cluster isn't that expensive) but it is worth mentioning.
And on the subject of clocking your speedo...electronic odometers are easier to "wind" back than mechanical ones. Scary isn't it?
- Matty
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
mine used to do that. Cable issue I believe, but it never failed completely on me.
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
Cable. If someone has been working on it recently I would blame them. They have probably damaged it. Mine does it a bit. I was surprised that these were still used in 1993?
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
Usually means the cable is on the way out.
O6 Marble white NC ;91 Malibu Gold NA 1800 BP4W;1990 BRG LE hardtop, unmolested, original; 1993 Brilliant Black hardtop, unmolested, restored.
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
remove the cable, pull out the cable from its insulation, spray with a solvent to get out all the sticky old grease, as u guide the cable back into its insulation, run it through ur fingers with multi purpose grease on ur fingers, coating it as it goes back in. should solve ur problems
- Benny
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Speedo needle shaking. What does it mean?
feel_ixx wrote:I tested a NA6 today, I noticed the speedometer needle was vibrating slightly when I was slowing down. What is the deal with this? What could be causing this?
The answer is pretty obvious.
It's an MX-5, and it doesn't want to slow down!


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