DeTomaso Mailing List: March 1997, Message #115
     



From: Dick Williams <dcwilliams@premier.net>

Subject: Re: Shrieking Speedo

Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 09:41:11 -0600



Mine's fried as well but I did not experience the shrieking.  I heard a

faint grinding at about 100mph so I immediately scanned gauges and

that's when I saw the speedo arm drop.  What is the deal with this

gauge?!?!?



Andy Poling wrote:

>

> My Pantera's speedometer is failing in a particularly obnoxious manner.

>

> I was traveling at (ahem) slightly above the speed limit on a back road when

> out of nowhere comes this shrieking siren.  When it started, it sounded like

> a State Trooper cruiser had just landed in the seat next to me.  I almost

> had brown trousers.  A second later I started thinking that some

> high pressure hose had split.

>

> After a few moments' panic, I finally realized it was the speedometer.  It

> was *shrieking* - loud enough that when it started I nearly jumped out of my

> skin.

>

> Now it comes and goes, and it has developed a ticking sound in between.

> When the shrieking fades, it turns more into a sound of plastic gears

> grinding, and then finally subsides almost completely. And when it's

> happening the speedo needle looks like a scene from the X-Files.

>

> Is this the typical failure mode for the speedo?

>

> This is already a replacement speedo (installed by a former owner), so I

> find myself wondering how long the next one might last.  Are there any

> alternative speedo's I can install instead?

>

> -Andy

>

> 72 Pantera: power             91 Miata: quickness              96 A4Q: traction

>                             84 RZ350: all the above