the speedometer

[2manyrides]

Hello everyone, Long time owner, rare poster here.
Just blew up another speedometer on my 77xs650d. This is the fourth or fifth over the 45 years of riding. I've always just thrown in a used one. They fail in different ways. Never the same. Yes my cable and drive are lubed and working well. I used to part out xsd's and save the pieces so I usually have a spare. I replaced my speedometer with my last one, which happened to be an ebay item. Untested by me...
This one works the odometer and trip meter but the needle is like running in glue. Improper readings and slow to be effected by the turning of the cable. Running at bout 70, it reads 40. Coming to a stop, it only drops down over time. (long time)
My last speedo ground to a hault, locked up and sheared off the cable at the drive unit.
Prior to that I've had dial faces warp beyond needle passage. Screws jump out and dials spin.
Had the cable attachment metal part seperate from the plastic housing underneath... ect
Mind you, this is a high milage frame, I am on my 4th motor since the early 80's. I've turned over spedometers with my 650...
All that history and now a couple questions.
1) Any one here with a properly working speedo for sale?
2) I don't go 140mph anymore so will one of those 80mph ones work? Which years are a compatable ratio?
3) I enjoy the self canceling signals, My speedo that blew up had become hit and miss. The replacement I just put in does not seem to actuate. Do I need to be looking at a component further down the electrical line from the sending unit on the speedo itself?

 

[5twins]

As far as I know, the drive unit on all 650s was the same so there shouldn't be an issue with ratio. But, the needle on one of those later 85MPH units probably won't match, they changed to an orange one. There are some threads here on dismantling and repairing the instruments. You can't fix everything obviously, but some things are possible, like swapping needles and gauge faces, or putting those little gauge plate screws back in.

Congrats on having and running an XS650 for so many years, I'm impressed.

 

[650Skull]

Here's the link 5Twins mentioned on gauge repairs
http://www.xs650.com/threads/70-83-...damper-replacement-replace-face-decals.52013/

Gauges from 72-83/4 album............Have to be logged in to see them.......Info included
http://www.xs650.com/media/albums/xs650-gauges.3159/

 

[2manyrides]

As far as I know, the drive unit on all 650s was the same so there shouldn't be an issue with ratio. But, the needle on one of those later 85MPH units probably won't match, they changed to an orange one. There are some threads here on dismantling and repairing the instruments. You can't fix everything obviously, but some things are possible, like swapping needles and gauge faces, or putting those little gauge plate screws back in.

Congrats on having and running an XS650 for so many years, I'm impressed.

Hey, thanks for that! 5twins, you should remember me from the pro boards 650 garage. It's been a while though and I remember your handle.

You're saying that the 85mph speedos wont work because the needle travels at a different rate? I don't care what color the needle is!

 

[5twins]

I'm afraid I don't recognize yours. Was it different over there?

 

[jetmechmarty]

I’ve had no issues swapping between Yamaha 160 mph, 140 mph, and 85 mph speedometers. They all plug n play. Indicate fine.

 

[2manyrides]

Oh yes, 2manyrides on proboards. I logged 66 posts there. Joined in 06. My avatar is gone I see. I am sure all my pictures do no longer show!

Back to the speedo, will the 80mph 79 special speedo read properly on my 77 std?
I gutted the blown one today and it was the metal connector the cable slips into that was froze up. But that speedo is now toast.
the replacement I put on yesterday seems to have gummy glue hampering the spinning of the magnet bell. Though it spins, it's stuborn and slow to actuate either up or down. After today's disassembly, and having a look inside. It may be possible to remove the signal canceling sender unit and spray something in that area to free it up.

Signal canceling...
I like them to shut off after a couple tenths of a mile. All bikes should have that! My old one was a bit hit and miss. The used one I just put in does not seem to work. (though I've not given it many chances to work)
Is there any advice there?

I'd just as soon drop in any xs650 speedo that works proper than do any repairs.

When your speddometer freezes up, something has to give!

From looking at the old frozen up one, it looks like removing the signals sensor I could spray some lube in here and maybe get this used one I have to work properly.

 

[2manyrides]

I’ve had no issues swapping between Yamaha 160 mph, 140 mph, and 85 mph speedometers. They all plug n play. Indicate fine.

Thank you for that! What I want to hear... I have had my 650 to 95, but that was years ago. Reading a max of 85 will be fine.
But you forgot to mention the ones that top out at 120... Just kidding...
Thank you for your imput jetmechmarty.

If any one is interested in hearing a grinding speedometer, check this video of the day it happened. Jump to 11 min 18 sec in on my video for clean and clear sound of the cable housing on the speedometer freezing up. It had been acting a bit erratic prior, but it was not long after this that it froze up and my cable's inner sheered off.

I may try to get my current used one opperating properly, but I'm going to take a chance on another used one too just to hedge my bets.
Hey, thank you all for chimming in. I appretiate it!
2many

 

[2manyrides]

Oh, but one more thing...
I see trip meter handles/knobs are available. What's it take to pull one off? Straight off the shaft with a prying action?

 

[nj1639]

Trip meter handles.
They thread on anti clockwise from my experience. Some won't spin off easily.

 

[5twins]

On the several Yamahas I've had with the self canceling signal thing, it never worked right on any of them, lol. It was very intermittent, sometimes working, sometimes not.

 

[jetmechmarty]

On the several Yamahas I've had with the self canceling signal thing, it never worked right on any of them, lol. It was very intermittent, sometimes working, sometimes not.

I have one of those on my Eleven Special. It functions sometimes. All LED and custom electronic flasher. I assume it’s the sensor in the speedometer causing the issue.

 

[5twins]

I don't know what it is. I try to let it work, do it's thing, but many times I'm forced to just push the cancel button.

 

[2manyrides]

I guess I've been blessed in the past with working self canceling signals according to others' experiance with them. But yes, 5twins I too have had to manually shut them down.

This one is seemingly covered with a baked on dry grease or something. I wonder if that's the issue? Easy enough to pop it out and reinstall if you've got the speedometer out of the bucket.

 

[arcticXS]

On another forum, I read about the following trick for slow/ sticky mechanical speedometers and tachometers:
Remove one of the bulb holders, and put a small piece of paper or rag soaked in white spirit in the bulb holder hole, keeping the upside of the instrument up all the time. Then leave it in the hopefully hot sun, in front of a IR heater or similar for a day or two. The idea is that the white spirit will evaporate, loosen up any sticky oil/grease, and lubricate moving parts slightly. This without any risk of staining the face, which is likely to happen when using aerosols.

 

[2manyrides]

Great way to try to free the gum...!
I'm gonna try that on a warm sunny day.

White spirit
Chemical compound
Description
White spirit or mineral spirits, also known as mineral turpentine, turpentine substitute, and petroleum spirits, is a petroleum-derived clear liquid used as a common organic solvent in painting. There are also terms for specific kinds of mineral spirits, including Stoddard solvent and solvent naphtha.
Boiling point: 266°F (130°C)
Density: 790 kg/m³
Classification: Volatile organic compound, Alkane
Shelf life: 2 years