Anyone know what could be causing the speedometer to be jumping around, anywhere from actual speed to 100mph. There is a rather annoying noise coming from behind the speedometer when driving over 25 mph?

2.6 87 Montero

Sounds like speedo cable going out or may have come lose from back of speedo.

i had that exact problem... theres a little black clip on the end of the cable that secures it. mine broke off (not quite all the way, but wouldnt secure it anylonger) somehow, speedo started jumping alot or not working at all. pulled the instument cluster found the problem, pulled the cable used a couple of ruber bands around the end of cable & clip... havnt had a problem since and that was well over a year ago.

Sorry to resurect this post, but this just happened to me tonight as I was coming to work. I had no idea how fast I was going!

Now to tear apart the dash!

Search button does wonders.. cheers!

I had a dry cable giving this error in my last Montero. The cable would turn, bind, twist and release quickly. Look into lubrication. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Yes I will look into lubrication... just once I figure out how to take it apart!!

Mine has done this also for quite a while (5+ years) but only when it's cold outside and the truck's been sitting in the cold. When it's above, say, 50 degrees outside it never happens. Based on this, I've always figured it was due to lubrication.

It's on my long-term to-do list but not that important to me since my speedometer is off anyway because of non-stock gearing and tires. Presently, it reads reads fast (i.e., shows 70 MPH when I'm actually doing less) so I tend to just go with the flow of traffic or guess-timate based on RPM and what gear I'm in.

Anyone care to explain the best way of lubricating this cable?

Whip the back cover off the cluster - on a genI there are two clip inside, so just make sure your hands are dry (for friction) and put a hand on each side of the back cover, and pull up - it'll slide right off. Look directly behind the speedo, and you should see the aforementioned white clippy thing. Press the clip and pull the cable right out of the back of the cluster. (I once did this at a red-light when the cable was doing it noisy thing and driving me crazy).

I tipped the end of the cable up so that maximum lube would run down the cable as far as possible, and snaked the straw thingy on a tin of silicone spray down the cable jacket, and let fly. I left it in the up position for a while so the lube could run down. Mine was quiet after that, whereas before it was jumpy and VERY noisy.

Oh, while you have the cluter back cover off, an extra half second allows you to disconnect the annoying door-ajar-ke-in-the-lock-buzzer. Always a good thing to remove. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If you "lube" the cable, you will soon have lube on your toes as the action of the spinning cable will draw the fluid up to the back of the speedometer where it will drip out onto your foot... and everything inbetween the speedometer and your foot. I've found the best method is to remove the cable completely from the sleeve and soak it in kerosene for a couple hours. Take it out, wipe it down clean with a rag, and reinstall.

My experience with a bouncy speedo needle has led me more to believe it is the breakdown of lubricant inside the speedometer itself, where the central shaft meets the magnet. Usually not the speedo cable. But it's much easier to remove the cable and check that first than to go out hunting a new gauge. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />