1955 Speedometer needle and Power Steering failed at the same time!

[mfr1003]

First, yes I know the year in my profile is off, idk why it typed 1954. It’s a 1955. I literally just shook hands on the sale. On the way home, the speedometer fell to zero while driving, and the power steering stopped working after I came out of an Oreillys.

Can these things be related? Is it just a coincidence that they fail at the same time?

Any ideas? How can I patch this quickly so I can sell it? It was working when I took the buyer for a test drive. There’s stuff I need to fix on it they know about, but I feel terrible selling it to them with more unknown problems.

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[mfr1003]

In addition, new info, right when the odometer was about to spin to 67000, that’s when everything went to heck.

 

[Tom Alpers]

First, yes I know the year in my profile is off, idk why it typed 1954. It’s a 1955. I literally just shook hands on the sale. On the way home, the speedometer fell to zero while driving, and the power steering stopped working after I came out of an Oreillys.

Can these things be related? Is it just a coincidence that they fail at the same time?

Any ideas? How can I patch this quickly so I can sell it? It was working when I took the buyer for a test drive. There’s stuff I need to fix on it they know about, but I feel terrible selling it to them with more unknown problems.

I can think of no reason they would be related.

 

[74 Harley]

Completely unrelated. Check both ends of the speedometer cable and make sure they are attached. Check power steering fluid and belt tension first.

 

[mfr1003]

So there’s no chance of a blown fuse that would control them up there or something? It literally happened at the exact same time. All the gauges and the power steering. Isn’t that odd?

 

[cokefirst]

Ford used very few fuses on the cars of the 50's. There is no electrical connection to the power steering or speedometer as the power steering is hydro-mechanical and the speedometer is magnet-mechanical.

 

[mfr1003]

Ford used very few fuses on the cars of the 50's. There is no electrical connection to the power steering or speedometer as the power steering is hydro-mechanical and the speedometer is magnet-mechanical.

I get that but isn’t it odd they all failed at the same time?

 

[doug7740]

As everyone has already told you there is no connection between the power steering failure and the speedometer failure. You have to remember that your car is 70 years old and if it wasn’t regularly maintained or driven, all kinds of things can fail.

Since the power steering just stopped working, I would look at power steering belt to see if it broke or came off the pulley. Also check the power steering fluid level.

Since you stated that the speedometer stopped working just as the odometer was about to change to 67,000 miles, tells me that the odometer might have jammed causing the speedometer cable to break. If you find that the speedometer cable is broken don’t just replace the cable until you determine what caused the cable to break.

The speedometer has two main parts, the speedometer head and the speedometer drive cable. When the speedometer fails to indicate speed or mileage, the cable may be broken. Most cables break due to a lack of lubrication or a bend or kink in the housing. The cable also might break when the speedometer head mechanism binds. A jumpy pointer, along with a scraping noise, is often caused by a dry or kinked speedometer cable. The kinked cable rubs on the housing and winds up slowing down the pointer. The cable then unwinds, and the pointer jumps.

To lubricate the cable and check for kinks, the cable will have to be removed from the housing. It is not necessary to remove the housing from the vehicle. From under the dash, disconnect the housing by its fluted nut from the back side of the speedometer head. Prior to removing the cable from the housing, cover the carpet and upholstery, as the common lubricant is graphite which will really make a mess to whatever it touches. Using a long nose plier, pull on the cable while supporting the housing. The cable should come out fairly easily, unless there is a crimp somewhere in the housing, which could be the cause of the problem by itself.

With the cable fully withdrawn and out of the car, inspect the outer surface of the core for flat and shiny areas. These indicate wear areas and you can use their position to approximate the area of the housing that may have an excessive bend or kink. To check for kinks, lay the cable on a flat surface and twist one end with your fingers. If it turns over smoothly, the cable is not kinked. But, if part of the cable flops over as it’s twisted, the cable is kinked and should be replaced.

Before reinstalling the cable back into the housing wipe it down with a clean absorbent cloth and re-lubricate it with a graphite bearing lubricant. Then feed and twist the cable back into the housing. The last 3/8” to 1/4” will require twisting and pushing to engage the square drive at the far end of the cable.

If you determine that the speedometer is defective or the cause of the cable breaking, let me know and I’ll go through the steps on how to remove and repair your speedometer.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[mfr1003]

It’s actually the entire dash that stopped working. The temp gauge, fuel gauge, RPM, speed, all of it. I mean the clock never worked right to begin with but that’s whatever. Does that change anything?

 

[mfr1003]

As everyone has already told you there is no connection between the power steering failure and the speedometer failure. You have to remember that your car is 70 years old and if it wasn’t regularly maintained or driven, all kinds of things can fail.

Since the power steering just stopped working, I would look at power steering belt to see if it broke or came off the pulley. Also check the power steering fluid level.

Since you stated that the speedometer stopped working just as the odometer was about to change to 67,000 miles, tells me that the odometer might have jammed causing the speedometer cable to break. If you find that the speedometer cable is broken don’t just replace the cable until you determine what caused the cable to break.

The speedometer has two main parts, the speedometer head and the speedometer drive cable. When the speedometer fails to indicate speed or mileage, the cable may be broken. Most cables break due to a lack of lubrication or a bend or kink in the housing. The cable also might break when the speedometer head mechanism binds. A jumpy pointer, along with a scraping noise, is often caused by a dry or kinked speedometer cable. The kinked cable rubs on the housing and winds up slowing down the pointer. The cable then unwinds, and the pointer jumps.

To lubricate the cable and check for kinks, the cable will have to be removed from the housing. It is not necessary to remove the housing from the vehicle. From under the dash, disconnect the housing by its fluted nut from the back side of the speedometer head. Prior to removing the cable from the housing, cover the carpet and upholstery, as the common lubricant is graphite which will really make a mess to whatever it touches. Using a long nose plier, pull on the cable while supporting the housing. The cable should come out fairly easily, unless there is a crimp somewhere in the housing, which could be the cause of the problem by itself.

With the cable fully withdrawn and out of the car, inspect the outer surface of the core for flat and shiny areas. These indicate wear areas and you can use their position to approximate the area of the housing that may have an excessive bend or kink. To check for kinks, lay the cable on a flat surface and twist one end with your fingers. If it turns over smoothly, the cable is not kinked. But, if part of the cable flops over as it’s twisted, the cable is kinked and should be replaced.

Before reinstalling the cable back into the housing wipe it down with a clean absorbent cloth and re-lubricate it with a graphite bearing lubricant. Then feed and twist the cable back into the housing. The last 3/8” to 1/4” will require twisting and pushing to engage the square drive at the far end of the cable.

If you determine that the speedometer is defective or the cause of the cable breaking, let me know and I’ll go through the steps on how to remove and repair your speedometer.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

also, just to be clear, you are saying all of this can be done without removing the dash from the vehicle? Just work under and behind the dash and lay down some cardboard or whatever to catch the lubricant if it spills?

 

[doug7740]

It’s actually the entire dash that stopped working. The temp gauge, fuel gauge, RPM, speed, all of it. I mean the clock never worked right to begin with but that’s whatever. Does that change anything?

You have two separate problems and the speedometer not working has nothing to do with the instrument cluster circuit. When you say that the entire dash stopped working do you mean all lighting, heater, radio, generator and oil pressure lights, or just the fuel and temperature gauges?


Looking at the instrument cluster circuit, voltage from the battery comes from the yellow wire that attaches to the starter relay. From there the yellow wire connects to the B terminal of the headlight switch and then connects to the Batt or B terminal of the ignition switch. Voltage to the generator and oil pressure lights comes from the Black/Green wire that is connected to the ignition or C terminal of the ignition switch. If there is no voltage at the ignition or C terminal of the ignition switch when the key is in the run position the engine would not start, this is because the Red/Green wire going to the Batt terminal of the ignition coil is also connected to this terminal.

Voltage to the fuel and temperature gauges comes from the Black/Green wire that is connected to the ACC or A terminal of the ignition switch. The turn signal flasher, the blower switch, the radio, the power seat switch, the power windows and the over drive relay (if equipped) are also connected to the ACC or A terminal of the ignition switch. If there is no voltage at the ACC or A terminal of the ignition switch when the key is in the run position, I would suspect a defective ignation switch.

Before you condemn the ignition switch, check the connection at the starter solenoid, the headlight and ignition switches first.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[mfr1003]

The ignition works, and I thought this whole time the wire to the generator was black and yellow. Oh well. Anyway, my shop said the power steering was just a bad cable end that was put on with the wrong fitment during restoration. The guy who originally restored it was a scumbag, so I’m not surprised, probably just used whatever he had. So the power steering is now good. They said they don’t do instrument clusters, so I fear the speedometer and odometer won’t get fixed. I could get it back and get underneath the dash, but I don’t think the actual “meters” broke, it has to be something simple, maybe bad cables, like someone suggested above. Any final thoughts?

 

[mfr1003]

Doug:
“Since you stated that the speedometer stopped working just as the odometer was about to change to 67,000 miles, tells me that the odometer might have jammed causing the speedometer cable to break. If you find that the speedometer cable is broken don’t just replace the cable until you determine what caused the cable to break.”

I don’t have the car right now but I will take a look when I get it back. I think your insight on the speedometer cable breaking due to the odometer flip is probably right. Will check back in after I get the car.

 

[Pink T-Bird]

hmmmnnn I smell Troll!

 

[SHA BOP]

As everyone has already told you there is no connection between the power steering failure and the speedometer failure. You have to remember that your car is 70 years old and if it wasn’t regularly maintained or driven, all kinds of things can fail.

Since the power steering just stopped working, I would look at power steering belt to see if it broke or came off the pulley. Also check the power steering fluid level.

Since you stated that the speedometer stopped working just as the odometer was about to change to 67,000 miles, tells me that the odometer might have jammed causing the speedometer cable to break. If you find that the speedometer cable is broken don’t just replace the cable until you determine what caused the cable to break.

The speedometer has two main parts, the speedometer head and the speedometer drive cable. When the speedometer fails to indicate speed or mileage, the cable may be broken. Most cables break due to a lack of lubrication or a bend or kink in the housing. The cable also might break when the speedometer head mechanism binds. A jumpy pointer, along with a scraping noise, is often caused by a dry or kinked speedometer cable. The kinked cable rubs on the housing and winds up slowing down the pointer. The cable then unwinds, and the pointer jumps.

To lubricate the cable and check for kinks, the cable will have to be removed from the housing. It is not necessary to remove the housing from the vehicle. From under the dash, disconnect the housing by its fluted nut from the back side of the speedometer head. Prior to removing the cable from the housing, cover the carpet and upholstery, as the common lubricant is graphite which will really make a mess to whatever it touches. Using a long nose plier, pull on the cable while supporting the housing. The cable should come out fairly easily, unless there is a crimp somewhere in the housing, which could be the cause of the problem by itself.

With the cable fully withdrawn and out of the car, inspect the outer surface of the core for flat and shiny areas. These indicate wear areas and you can use their position to approximate the area of the housing that may have an excessive bend or kink. To check for kinks, lay the cable on a flat surface and twist one end with your fingers. If it turns over smoothly, the cable is not kinked. But, if part of the cable flops over as it’s twisted, the cable is kinked and should be replaced.

Before reinstalling the cable back into the housing wipe it down with a clean absorbent cloth and re-lubricate it with a graphite bearing lubricant. Then feed and twist the cable back into the housing. The last 3/8” to 1/4” will require twisting and pushing to engage the square drive at the far end of the cable.

If you determine that the speedometer is defective or the cause of the cable breaking, let me know and I’ll go through the steps on how to remove and repair your speedometer.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

Nice explanation and great patience. I replaced my Speedometer cable recently. It was easy and gave me a chance to lube the cable / new one