Speedo just like stopped working.

[Timebender]

Up to this morning my Speedometer was working pretty okay - it’s always been a little off showing true speed, but the odometer has always been accurate.
This morning I couldn’t avoid some flotsam and jetsam on the road as there had been an accident just moments before - so we were all moving fairly slow - like 5mph or even less, and there was really no way around it.
Being my car is sitting on lowered Euro spec springs, I just had to pray I’d clear the little bits here and there.
Needless to say, something plastic got stuck for a few seconds and then went away, but I’m kinda thinking it may have caught the speedo cable? The speedometer worked fine all the way to work- about 48 Miles, but there was nothing on the way home.

Thoughts, and where should I check? Also, is the connector from outside to in the cabin near the clutch pedal?

Thanks,
Greg

[dodint]

Angle drive.

Top speedo cable runs from the speedo to the yellow box by the pedals, the lambda counter. Second cable runs from there down through to the front wheel hub to the angle drive. It's a common failure item, search around for videos and advice on them.

[cis6409]

Sounds like the angle drive to...
If your changing the angle drive best practice would be to get a new lower speedo cable at the same time while your there

Shane

[dn010]

It would be something that either damaged the lower cable, loosened the lower cabled to the point it came off the angle drive or the angle drive & dust cap cable itself.

You can turn the wheels full right and be able to see the lower cable coming off the drive in order to see if that has been damaged or disconnected. If it is the angle drive you'll take the wheel off, check the cable going from the dust cap to the drive and then remove the drive. I've had a few times where a damaged cable would last going all the way to where I was going, but then fail after going in reverse to exit a parking spot to get home.

[Timebender]

Thanks everyone. And I did hear a funny little sound from there backing up yesterday...

[Timebender]

Well, the cable to it was kinda loose so i tightened it up, but since we’re doing a tech day soon, I’ll order a new angle drive and cable. Wouldn’t be such a big deal if my fuel gauge worked right. Got a new sender a while ago from Hervey and still get bad or no readings.

[powerline84]

If you send in your angle drive to pj Grady he can rebuild it . It will probably work better then the repro. Lots of complaints of the repro units not lasting long on here.

[ssdelorean]

If you send in your angle drive to pj Grady he can rebuild it . It will probably work better then the repro. Lots of complaints of the repro units not lasting long on here.

I don't have one, but I would recommend Grady's rebuilt ones as well! If this excellent Martin G. unit ever fails that is where I'm going.

[David T]

Don't just order parts for the sake of replacing things. Do a little bit if investigation. Maybe you only need a new dust cover. Maybe you need everything. How many times do you want to order parts? Start by removing the left, front tire and examining the dust cover hole. It must be square and the metal cable must go deep enough so that it engages into the dust cover. Hook a drill to the metal cable and see if the speedometer moves. If it doesn't remove the cable from the adapter and hook the drill to the cable and see if the speedometer moves now. Keep going until you find the source of the problem. Then you can order the parts you really need. As long as you are doing the job you might as well lubricate the angle drive and the cables. The angle drive is supposed to be lubricated EVERY oil change (or once a year). Make sure you have the support bracket for the lower cable. Many cars do not or they are broken.

[dmcnc]

If you send in your angle drive to pj Grady he can rebuild it . It will probably work better then the repro. Lots of complaints of the repro units not lasting long on here.

^ditto. I went through 4 other repros before Grady's unit, which is the only one that has lasted more than a year of daily driving. That said, I'd confirm the failure point on your speedometer line before you go any route.

[Timebender]

All good info and advice. I’ll see if I can get the front of the car up this weekend sometime. Being I’ve never had a good functioning fuel gauge - the original sender was falling apart (which I was surprised to find after having DMC Ca do a complete check of the car after I bought it, and they never mentioned replacing it). Bought a new one from Hervey, and most the time I get a wrong reading, or “empty” on a full tank. So been using the Odometer to gauge how far I can go before a fill. Pretty much given up on the gauge working. David T had mentioned it might be something with the ground to the pump, but the pump on mine is outside the tank, in-line.

[rddmc]

Don't just order parts for the sake of replacing things. Do a little bit if investigation. Maybe you only need a new dust cover. Maybe you need everything. How many times do you want to order parts? Start by removing the left, front tire and examining the dust cover hole. It must be square and the metal cable must go deep enough so that it engages into the dust cover. Hook a drill to the metal cable and see if the speedometer moves. If it doesn't remove the cable from the adapter and hook the drill to the cable and see if the speedometer moves now. Keep going until you find the source of the problem. Then you can order the parts you really need. As long as you are doing the job you might as well lubricate the angle drive and the cables. The angle drive is supposed to be lubricated EVERY oil change (or once a year). Make sure you have the support bracket for the lower cable. Many cars do not or they are broken.

What David said.

Rod

[DMC5180]

+ 1. On what David said.

If you stick a drill on the spindle stub cable remember to run the drill CCW or Reverse too mimic forward wheel rotation.


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[powerline84]

Rob was able to rebuild my spare origional smiths. He works magic with those angle drives. Got a a short lower cable coming to . If you end up needing to go down that road . I sent him my angle drive last week and it's already rebuilt .

[Timebender]

Rob was able to rebuild my spare origional smiths. He works magic with those angle drives. Got a a short lower cable coming to . If you end up needing to go down that road . I sent him my angle drive last week and it's already rebuilt .

Good to know!

[powerline84]

55477

Rebuilt Origional Smiths angle drive , lubed, and a pre lubed lower Speedo cable. Turned around in less then a week by Rob Grady. Super happy with the experience.

[Timebender]

Well, it turned out the spring thing that connects the angle drive to the dust cap sheared off at the dust cap. So, something was causing it to hang up - either in the angle drive or the lower speedo cable.

We replaced it during our recent tech day with a new drive from DMC (which no longer has the lube port..?), and lower cable.

All is well now, but my speedo is still off, I'm thinking due to the tires the previous owner installed which are just a bit larger than stock.


Now on to figuring out why my fuel sender or gauge had never worked right.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Well, it turned out the spring thing that connects the angle drive to the dust cap sheared off at the dust cap. So, something was causing it to hang up - either in the angle drive or the lower speedo cable.

We replaced it during our recent tech day with a new drive from DMC (which no longer has the lube port..?), and lower cable.

All is well now, but my speedo is still off, I'm thinking due to the tires the previous owner installed which are just a bit larger than stock.


Now on to figuring out why my fuel sender or gauge had never worked right.

Larger rear tires will throw off the reading but so will the reproduction angle drives currently in use as they all spin at one to one AFAIK. The DeLorean original unit drive gear is 18 teeth and the driven is 16 teeth which is a 13% differential. You'll have to bring both factors into balance if you want an accurate reading. Start be measuring your tire's diameter versus stock and then factor in the angle drive innaccuracy and you'll have your answer. I'll let you do the math. The fix may be more complicated still if you want to match ratios and tire sizes as there are few options.
Rob

[DMC5180]

Larger rear tires have nothing to do with speedometer readings on the Delorean. A larger front tire would reduce your indicated gauge speed and vice versa.


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[PJ Grady Inc.]

Larger rear tires have nothing to do with speedometer readings on the Delorean. A larger front tire would reduce your indicated gauge speed and vice versa.


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Yes it was an obvious typo but I trust no one here has removed their rear wheels to look for an angle drive in response to my post. If they have then may I suggest it's time to rotate the tires!
Rob