speedometer is off

[Leesfer]

my speedometer is reading about 4mph more than I'm going... Any ideas why?

[mdrburchette]

Good grief, Lee. Just 4 mph? Put more air in your tires.
Seriously though, the older cars were never spot on. Mine's 6 mph off.

[pope]

Drive 4 mph slower and things will even out.

Is this a new oddity? Did you change tires, new rims?
I would think that if the cable was binding or the gear was wearing, it would register slower. Is it always off 4 mph or gradually gets there as you speed up.

[So Cal Mark]

that is within the error range of oem's

[mbouse]

your speedo was designed by the patrol officers in my county. they always exaggerate how fast I was REALLY going.


and, in a fully stock '80, that is no problem until you exceed 81 mph actual speed.


and now you know why i bought a 140 mph speedo, so i could catch them at their fabrications of the truth.

[Leesfer]

oo so it is normal... Its constantly off when at 0 it reads 4

But if that's how oem is then its all good, just making sure my
car isnt possessed

[mbouse]

we are not going to guarantee that the Fiat gremlins have not possessed your Spider.... just because you have a normally functioning speedometer is no indication that you will never require an exorcism.


but, if you do find them in your vehicle, please package them up and send them to Hamilton, Illinois

[rlux4]

Mike, you must be either: A. totally fearless, or B. Very sure of your ability to outrun a certain person from Hamilton Il. if that person were to come after you.

[mdrburchette]

If you're not sure of what a gremlin looks like here's one I caught working on my wiring:

[Leesfer]

what a cheerful looking guy

[racydave]

sure hope thats your shifter...

[Danno]

I dunno, but I think someone DID send me their F'n gremlins. I haven't touched my car for about a week because it's pissing me off right now. Something is awry with the wiring. I have a test hazard light on the way, but I'm not sure it will help with the overall signalling problems I'm having, because I bypassed it and I'm still having problems.

BTW, my speedo (ever since the original cable was replaced) will read 4mph while sitting still, so you can send that gremlin if you want, but he'll need to find a new job in my car.

[racydave]

I eliminated my switch last year

[rlux4]

Danno, my car had the emer. flasher switch bypassed when I got it. Remember the headache I had a couple of weeks ago putting the new one in? I don't know how Dave bypassed his, but on mine ('82) the dark blue was jumpered to the light blue with grey banded wire. That way everything worked except 4 way flashers. I'm not sure your wire colors are the same but Pope has my color function posted on that thread.

[James2000Spider]

Denise, your speedometer looks just like mine (reading 4 MPH while standing still).

As for that thing "having fun" on your center console, I can't say. I have not had the opportunity to catch one on film yet, but they are rampant throughout my 79.