Whinning/howl speedo/speedo cable?

[pevers]

Hi!
My 1985 FJ1100 (100,000km) has started whinning(!). It appears to be coming from the speedo. I've seen some posts about this but I'm not clear if changing the speedo cable will stop this or if the problem is actually with the speedo itself. In which case a new cable won't help. There's no whinning when I take out the cable so I'm fairly certain it's that or something it's attached to!
Any suggestions?
Thanks

[Pat Conlon]

It's the speedo death howl. Unhook it asap, you might be able to send it in for a rebuild.
See the Files.

[fj1289]

It's the speedo death howl. Unhook it asap, you might be able to send it in for a rebuild.
See the Files.

X2!

When the canary dies it usually takes out the speedo cable too...damhik...

I've also seen a speedo gear box (at the wheel) that was stripped too - wonder if the canary took it out too?!

[andyoutandabout]

grease is the word

[Pat Conlon]

grease is the word

Yea, that's the ticket...drill, tap and thread on a zerk fitting on the back....and pump it full of lithium...


Oh you silly goose, no amount of grease will stop the death howl. The internal gears need to be replaced.

[pevers]

Thanks guys. Unhooked and all is quiet! No noise from the front wheel take off so it must be all in the speedo. Oh, well I've only got here for another five months! I'll use the sat nav until then.

[aviationfred]

My speedo on the87' only howls when it is cold outside. After about 5 minutes of riding it stops howling.

Fred

[pevers]

Hi Fred - certainly wasn't cold in Australia this last week!!

[FJmonkey]

My speedo on the87' only howls when it is cold outside. After about 5 minutes of riding it stops howling.

Fred

It will degrade and eventually not care about the cold. Consider sending it to San Diego for a rebuild. Or if you have any spares on the shelf then you can wait.

[red]

Hi!
My 1985 FJ1100 (100,000km) has started whinning(!). It appears to be coming from the speedo. I've seen some posts about this but I'm not clear if changing the speedo cable will stop this or if the problem is actually with the speedo itself. In which case a new cable won't help. There's no whinning when I take out the cable so I'm fairly certain it's that or something it's attached to!
Any suggestions?
Thanks

Pevers,

Sometimes you can find a good instrument cluster on FleaBay, or in the Classifieds here.  The 1984 and 1985 FJ1100 speedometers are the same part number.

When my FJ1100 speedometer started howling, at least in my case, it could be fixed.  I took off the speedometer cable at the instrument and at the front wheel, and set it aside. I removed the air scoops, and bolts 8 & 14 on this Parts Page:
http://www.2wheelpros.com/oem-parts/1985-yamaha-fj1100n-fairing-1-assembly.html

You need to unbolt the headlight adjuster bracket, and  enough of the hardware to pull the headlight/instrument cowling forward slightly.  Flip the cowling inverted, tailend-over-headlight.  I had to cut some cable ties, but did not unplug much, if any, of the wiring  Support the cowling comfortably there somehow (I used straps to a stepladder), and re-install the speedometer cable to the instrument.  Remove the center speedometer drive line from the housing, and shoot about a tablespoon (10cc) of LIQUID lubricant down the empty speedometer cable housing.  I used ProLong (magic stuff in a spray can, from the automobile parts store) but probably any fine liquid petroleum lube would do the job.  Do NOT try using grease, silicones, or WD-40 (which is not a lubricant).  Wait half an hour, then slide the speedometer drive line back into the speedometer drive cable housing.  

Let everything sit for an hour, with the cowling inverted.  Then, remove the entire speedometer drive cable (which may be a bit messy now) from the instrument.  Flip the cowling upright, install the speedometer drive cable, re-assemble everything,  and you should be good to go.  Do not overdo the lubrication there, or it may spill into the face of the speedometer, and that mess would be fairly tricky, to clean up.

This repair did the job for me, and two years later, I still have an accurate speedometer and no howling.

Cheers,
Red

[fj1289]

 I used ProLong (magic stuff in a spray can, from the automobile parts store) but probably any fine liquid petroleum lube would do the job.  

Doesn't sound like something from an "AUTOMOTIVE" store to me! 

[red]

I used ProLong (magic stuff in a spray can, from the automobile parts store) but probably any fine liquid petroleum lube would do the job.  

Doesn't sound like something from an "AUTOMOTIVE" store to me!         

FJ1289,
You, sir, are going to grow up to be a Dirty Old Man.             

Cheers,
Red

[aviationfred]

My speedo on the87' only howls when it is cold outside. After about 5 minutes of riding it stops howling.

Fred

It will degrade and eventually not care about the cold. Consider sending it to San Diego for a rebuild. Or if you have any spares on the shelf then you can wait.

I do have a complete spare set of instruments,

Fred

[FJmonkey]

My speedo on the87' only howls when it is cold outside. After about 5 minutes of riding it stops howling.

Fred

It will degrade and eventually not care about the cold. Consider sending it to San Diego for a rebuild. Or if you have any spares on the shelf then you can wait.

I do have a complete spare set of instruments,

Fred

You do mean FJ instruments  right....  The topic seems altered a bit, I just want to be sure.... It might get awkward going forward....

[aviationfred]

When I bought the 87'. It came with a box of spare parts. A CBR600 shock, clutch pack, pressure plate and basket, Complete instrument cluster, complete wire harness, one OEM mirror and a few other items.

Fred