The Ford Barn

123finboy · 10-29-2013, 09:58 AM

The speedometer in my '58 Skyliner [332V8 mated to a Cruise-o-Matic] wags violently above 30mph, swinging wildly between zero and ninety, while also making a terrible grinding noise. Is this a cable problem, or is it also in the head behind the speedometer?

Also, if I get a new cable, are they all the same for '58 automatics, or do I need to find a specific one for the Cruise-o-Matic?

Thanks in advance.

Cool Hand Lurker · 10-29-2013, 10:18 AM

It sounds like a worn cable that sticks, then winds up, then springs loose again. Try putting a new cable inside the casing and lube it well beforehand.

Ole Don · 10-29-2013, 01:32 PM

I would remove the inside cable part from the housing, clean it, and apply fresh light grease to the lower 2/3rd. Then, if you can get under the dash with a mirror and a light, right on top of the housing where the cable connects often is a brass cup pushed half way in a hole. Pop out the brass and add several drops of ATF. Replace the plug and hope for quiet operation.

ford3 · 10-29-2013, 04:13 PM

its either the cable or the speedo outer housing, try the cable first, then the outer housing, these are easy checks, if neither of those fix the problem then you go to the hard thing, get the speedo out of the housing, on top of housing where the cable housing screws onto the speedo you will see a small welch plug, looks like a small freeze plug, remove it, under it you will see a a felt wick, remove it and clean it in paint thinner or gasolene, dry it, put two or three drops of 3n1 oil in the hole and turn the speedo shaft with your fingers till it turns real easy, put a small amount of oil on the inner speedo shaft and any thing else you can reach, dont over do the oil, only need a small amount, put 3 or 4 drops of 3n1 oil on wick and retun it ti the hole you took it out of, put another drop or 2 of oil on top of wick and replace the small plug, put every thing else back together and install in dash, in case your not familar with 3n1 oil its also sewing machine oil, 10w or transmission and be used, but 3n1 oil is best

darrell · 10-30-2013, 02:37 PM

I had a 58 that done this twisted my cable off.it seized in the dash and I had to replace the whole thing.dry of greese.

123finboy · 10-31-2013, 06:53 AM

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Thanks guys, this is a big help. Darrell: I was able to disconnect the cable at the speedometer housing before anything snapped, so hopefully lubricating the head and replacing the cable will solve the problem. I see new cables for Ford-O-Matic equipped cars, which I presume will also work with the Cruise-O-Matic?

darrell · 10-31-2013, 08:25 AM

if the trouble is in the dash you shouldn't have to replace the cable.try lubing it first and try it.

ford3 · 10-31-2013, 09:54 AM

123finboy, do as darrel suggests, lube cable first , then ithe speedo, the trouble with doing two things at once you will never know what the problem was after its fixed

ford3 · 10-31-2013, 09:58 AM

123finboy, you need to know the length of your cable so you can get one the same length, you may have to buy one of the speedo cable kits and make your own

Shadetree · 10-31-2013, 10:13 AM

I bought a speedometer from eBay to put in my `51 F1. On my first drive the speedometer went wild. Fearing I would destroy my speedometer, I immediately pulled over and disconnected the cable. I went back home and sprayed WD-40 into the speedometer receptacle and it has worked well ever since.

123finboy · 12-06-2013, 10:47 PM

Thanks for all the great advice. We cleaned and lubed the cable, which was needed, but that did not completely solve the problem. We ultimately pulled the speedometer and cleaned the head to remove the old gummy lube. We then added fresh 3-in-1, and it now works like a champ, quiet and steady. Thanks again.

10-29-2013, 09:58 AM	#1
123finboy Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 35	Wagging, loud speedometer The speedometer in my '58 Skyliner [332V8 mated to a Cruise-o-Matic] wags violently above 30mph, swinging wildly between zero and ninety, while also making a terrible grinding noise. Is this a cable problem, or is it also in the head behind the speedometer? Also, if I get a new cable, are they all the same for '58 automatics, or do I need to find a specific one for the Cruise-o-Matic? Thanks in advance.

10-29-2013, 10:18 AM	#2
Cool Hand Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Minn Posts: 1,565	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer It sounds like a worn cable that sticks, then winds up, then springs loose again. Try putting a new cable inside the casing and lube it well beforehand.

10-29-2013, 01:32 PM	#3
Ole Don Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: St. Michael, Minnesota Posts: 1,713	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer I would remove the inside cable part from the housing, clean it, and apply fresh light grease to the lower 2/3rd. Then, if you can get under the dash with a mirror and a light, right on top of the housing where the cable connects often is a brass cup pushed half way in a hole. Pop out the brass and add several drops of ATF. Replace the plug and hope for quiet operation.

10-29-2013, 04:13 PM	#4
ford3 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: oroville calif. Posts: 1,453	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer its either the cable or the speedo outer housing, try the cable first, then the outer housing, these are easy checks, if neither of those fix the problem then you go to the hard thing, get the speedo out of the housing, on top of housing where the cable housing screws onto the speedo you will see a small welch plug, looks like a small freeze plug, remove it, under it you will see a a felt wick, remove it and clean it in paint thinner or gasolene, dry it, put two or three drops of 3n1 oil in the hole and turn the speedo shaft with your fingers till it turns real easy, put a small amount of oil on the inner speedo shaft and any thing else you can reach, dont over do the oil, only need a small amount, put 3 or 4 drops of 3n1 oil on wick and retun it ti the hole you took it out of, put another drop or 2 of oil on top of wick and replace the small plug, put every thing else back together and install in dash, in case your not familar with 3n1 oil its also sewing machine oil, 10w or transmission and be used, but 3n1 oil is best

10-30-2013, 02:37 PM	#5
darrell Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: p.e.i. Posts: 1,060	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer I had a 58 that done this twisted my cable off.it seized in the dash and I had to replace the whole thing.dry of greese.

10-31-2013, 06:53 AM	#6
123finboy Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 35	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thanks guys, this is a big help. Darrell: I was able to disconnect the cable at the speedometer housing before anything snapped, so hopefully lubricating the head and replacing the cable will solve the problem. I see new cables for Ford-O-Matic equipped cars, which I presume will also work with the Cruise-O-Matic?

10-31-2013, 08:25 AM	#7
darrell Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: p.e.i. Posts: 1,060	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer if the trouble is in the dash you shouldn't have to replace the cable.try lubing it first and try it.

10-31-2013, 09:54 AM	#8
ford3 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: oroville calif. Posts: 1,453	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer 123finboy, do as darrel suggests, lube cable first , then ithe speedo, the trouble with doing two things at once you will never know what the problem was after its fixed

10-31-2013, 09:58 AM	#9
ford3 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: oroville calif. Posts: 1,453	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer 123finboy, you need to know the length of your cable so you can get one the same length, you may have to buy one of the speedo cable kits and make your own

10-31-2013, 10:13 AM	#10
Shadetree Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cottageville, WV Posts: 1,535	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer I bought a speedometer from eBay to put in my `51 F1. On my first drive the speedometer went wild. Fearing I would destroy my speedometer, I immediately pulled over and disconnected the cable. I went back home and sprayed WD-40 into the speedometer receptacle and it has worked well ever since. __________________ Son, you will never blow an engine up in high gear.

12-06-2013, 10:47 PM	#11
123finboy Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 35	Re: Wagging, loud speedometer Thanks for all the great advice. We cleaned and lubed the cable, which was needed, but that did not completely solve the problem. We ultimately pulled the speedometer and cleaned the head to remove the old gummy lube. We then added fresh 3-in-1, and it now works like a champ, quiet and steady. Thanks again.