Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucla-cs.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!decvax!tektronix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!trwrb!trwrba!cepu!ucla-cs!wales 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 UUCP: ...!(ucbvax,ihnp4)!ucla-cs!wales