Speedometer not working or does not go over 90

[frenchfries]

Hi all

The speedometer on my 92 Turbo works if (from time to time) I hit the dashboard. However, when it does it does not go over 90MPH (I had to try as I picked up the car only today

This is the first of many questions. My last 480 (sold in 2001) worked perfectly

Thanks in advance for your help and future patience

[jamescarruthers]

The speedo is an electronic pick up so the fact that it works sometimes means you are hopefully lucky and it is a bad conenction. New sensors aren't available although i'm sure you'll get a second hand one should you need it

Brinkie, a member on here, repairs instrument clusters, so you could take yours out and send it in for inspection. He'll be along soon to offer some advice I'm sure.

I'd try to make sure the connectors are on at the back first and STOP hitting the dashboard as they are delicate!

Sorry to be preachy about bashing the dashboard! I also would be careful about driving it hard when your cambelt is way overdue!

[frenchfries]

Hi James
It was not bashing, more like heavy proding but yes of course better not desolder something made in 1992

I will have a look at the belt again tomorrow. Even though it has only done 3000 miles in the last 7 years the belt is old and possibly damaged?

The 160 miles drive back went very well though. Aircon is not cold (added to the list) and engine/oil temp was steady all the way

[jamescarruthers]

Replied on this thread:
http://www.volvo-480-europe.org/forum/v ... 15#p210615

[Alan 480]

Hi James
It was not bashing, more like heavy proding but yes of course better not desolder something made in 1992

dicky electronics are not unusual, but if you don't want to take the dashboard out, you can lie upside down in foot-well and 'just' get your fingers onto the multi-plug and press in whilst holding the dash with the other hand, obviously not whilst driving . . . .. .


if you want to get a better fix
Brinkie? does part ex on speedo/leccy repairs for a fee . . . . .

[jifflemon]

Or for complete piece of mind, take the dashboard out and send it to Brinkie in the Netherlands and have him cast his wizard like knowledge over it.

Mine has just returned; I knew the dashboard had been swapped out twice previously (receipts in the history) but Robert found out that mine was a pre-1991 model which does not count the miles correctly once connected to a post-1991 gear box. Not only that, the range function was configured for a 45 litre tank (min has a 60 litre) and various bulbs had blown. All of which have now been rectified.

Cannot recommend highly enough!

[ohdearme]

Have to agree with Jifflemon. I opted for the Brinkie magic as well, in fact he has my unit at the moment. Well worth asking him to use his mysterious dark powers on it!
Trevor

[frenchfries]

I will have to try the "upside down" option first just for the fun of it

On a serious note, I did see the Brinkie option and it will be considered. In fact, the volmeter and rev counter black background need fixing, the only analogy would be a water based tattoo that would show the creases of the skin after a day or 2 and the background light shows through. I hope it makes sense

I did not know they did 45 litre tanks for the 480.

[brinkie]

Yeah, they swapped from 46 (not 45 ) to 60 litre tanks in 1991, with the introduction of the Phase 2 facelift model. Not exactly model year 1991, they started with the Phase 2 model from identification number 567600 onwards. So if you put an okder info centre computer in, it will calculate the range and fuel economy wrong. Or it might even be set for a different ECU (there are settings for B18E, B18F, B18FT and B18EP/FP/B20F) which will, when configured wrong, show no data at all. But the fuel gauge and temperatures will always show correctly, though pre-1991 computers show temperature in Fahrenheit instead of Celsius if the switch in the info centre switch is set to miles.

You could try and fix the board by yourself if you have good soldering skills and proper electronics soldering tools (i.e. 20-30W soldering iron and 60/40 solder with rosin core flux). I can fix it for you, most of the cost is postage, though there is pretty much guarantee it will work afterwards. But if you need a volt meter and a rev counter without the light shining through, I've just got a load of spares from Trevor and I'm happy to pass it on to a good home!

(Trevor, I've cleared the backlog so yours is now in front of the line )

[frenchfries]

Yeah, they swapped from 46 (not 45 ) to 60 litre tanks in 1991, with the introduction of the Phase 2 facelift model. Not exactly model year 1991, they started with the Phase 2 model from identification number 567600 onwards. So if you put an okder info centre computer in, it will calculate the range and fuel economy wrong. Or it might even be set for a different ECU (there are settings for B18E, B18F, B18FT and B18EP/FP/B20F) which will, when configured wrong, show no data at all. But the fuel gauge and temperatures will always show correctly, though pre-1991 computers show temperature in Fahrenheit instead of Celsius if the switch in the info centre switch is set to miles.

You could try and fix the board by yourself if you have good soldering skills and proper electronics soldering tools (i.e. 20-30W soldering iron and 60/40 solder with rosin core flux). I can fix it for you, most of the cost is postage, though there is pretty much guarantee it will work afterwards. But if you need a volt meter and a rev counter without the light shining through, I've just got a load of spares from Trevor and I'm happy to pass it on to a good home!

(Trevor, I've cleared the backlog so yours is now in front of the line )

I am not even sure what size tank I have in fact but I will find out at some stage.

The concept of fixing the board myself is pretty foreign to me, as soon as I have a mo I will assess what is happening in there and send you the odometer if required. I would welcome the rev counter and the voltmeter though, how do we proceed?