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From: wales@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Rattling odometer in 1984 Honda Accord
Message-ID: <6488@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 2-Aug-85 22:10:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.6488
Posted: Fri Aug  2 22:10:29 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 12-Aug-85 01:02:32 EDT
References: <6311@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Reply-To: wales@ucla-cs.UUCP (Rich Wales)
Distribution: net
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 49

I seem to have finally fixed my problem with the rattling odometer in my
1984 Honda Accord.  Thanks to everyone who replied to my article.

Despite what several people suggested, the problem was NOT due to a
defective speedometer cable.  The cable and its sheath are in perfect
condition.  Just to be doubly sure, I relubricated the cable with molyb-
denum disulfide.

As it turns out, it is not necessary (nor indeed is it desirable!) to
remove the entire dashboard of a Honda Accord in order to get to the
instrument cluster.  The shop manual for the car was maddeningly vague
in this area -- but I found out what to do by chatting with the service
managers of several Honda dealerships.

In case anyone is interested, the trick is to pull out the plastic
border around the clear instrument panel cover.  It is a very tight fit,
but it does come off if you pull hard from the bottom.  You also have to
lower the steering column to make room for everything to come out.

I lubricated the speedometer, and inspected it for anything that might
be sticking or broken.  The only thing I found that might account for a
rattling noise was the long, thin metal gear which transfers the speed-
ometer cable rotation to the odometer.  It was mounted by its ends in
two holes in metal plates on either side of the meter, and was free to
slide back and forth -- making a potentially good-sized racket.  I fixed
this by sticking a small square of double-sided foam rubber tape on one
side of the meter, over the hole.

Before I put everything back together, I removed the plungers that reset
the service interval indicators.  (There are two sets of plungers -- one
set in the instrument cluster, and one set in the plastic border which
had to be removed to get to the instruments.)  Since I am pretty sure
that one or more of these plungers were responsible for the noise in the
first place -- and since I keep careful service records and have no need
of "idiot lights" to remind me when to do maintenance on my car -- it
seemed quite logical to simply take this stuff out and not be bothered
with it.  I didn't try to disable the service interval indicators them-
selves -- this would have required breaking a gear in the odometer --
but I am perfectly willing to find a long, thin tool of some kind to
reset the indicators when necessary (the original design allowed you to
reset them by sticking the ignition key into one of three holes).

After about 4.5 hours of work, the "bottom line" is that the annoying
rattle is gone.
-- 
Rich Wales // UCLA Computer Science Department // +1 213-825-5683
	3531 Boelter Hall // Los Angeles, California 90024 // USA
	ARPA:   wales@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU  -or-  wales@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA
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