Speedometer problem

[Nitro]

Hi guys,

About one month ago my speedometer needle started to fluctuate really bad.

Well yesterday my speedometer, odometer, and trip-meter died.

Any ideas where I should put my hands first?

My guts tell me that is a loose connection that finally got disconnected but I am really bad at figuring out electronic problems.

Ideas will be appreciated.

[repoe3]

look at the part fiche at max bmw's site or the shop manual, if you have it and you should be able to identify where the connections are made and check it out. also check the sending unit on the rear drive...the little black thing bolted to it. pull it out and clean it just for good measure.

repoe3

[Moybin]

Nitro

My first guess would be the blue plastic plug at the end of the speedo cluster cable has come loose. It is located in the right side fuse compartment, and will require removal of the side tupperware to access.

I had mine seated poorly, looked good but was not, and had strange things happen with the speedo. Are some of your instrument lights also not functioning properly?

[JonyRR]

What moybin said. Amost always a bad connection.
BTW, moyb, howz the tranny and shifting?

[Moybin]

Tranny shifts very nicely. Actually wish I had a couple of other S bikes close by to compare with.

I have fewer false neutral shifts than before, but occasionally still get there. Figure it is operator error.

Figured out how to make my Blinker Buds (bought used - I'm so cheap) into running lights as well as turn signals.

Now working on a back rest for my wife when 2-up.

[foobeemer]

I got my parts from Radio Shack to do my buds up like yours Moybin--man, I still can't believe how easy you made that project--I was really kicking my brain trying to do what you did...you know how the more you look at or think about something the more confused you get? I'm gonna wire them up when I get home this afternoon. Thanks again for posting that stuff!

[JonyRR]

Merv;
I built one for the one-and-only time CINC-house (commander-in-chief-house, get it ) rode with me on the S. I had the devil's own time trying to make it rigid enough and totally removable and invisible when it wasn't on. I ended up using some .25"X.75" 6061 bar stock, screwing it together with 1/4"X20 stanless hpillips screws and the hard part, bolting it to the frame with the rrag rail in place when the cowl was off. I drilled and tapped the subframe back up under where the grabrail is and using 14"X20 studs abpout 5" long. it worked, was rigid, not TOO fugly and gave her enough of a secure feeling to lean back a bit into it, but she still declared the only way we're going two-up is with a barcalounger (wing-thing and I'm just not ready for that yet.) bottom line, motorcycles scare her and no amount of wingie-thingie is gonna change that..thet's one big reason there's that '72 911 in the garage. marital bliss is way more important then 2-up riding...

[Moybin]

foobeemer and JonyRR

I firmly believe in altruism. Give freely of your knowledge and when you need the favor back, it will be provided. Takes a lot of faith in one's fellow man, which I'm (personally) finding in short supply these days, but I still see the cup half full, even after all the disasters and stupidity around us.

I will post photos and dimensions for the back rest once I get it figured out and built. Probably sometime around Xmas or later.

And I plan to put LEDs in the back rest, just to light up the night the more.

Lastly, I'm watching that LED-Roundel conversion thing closely with a few ideas of my own. I'm thinking translucent plexyglas engraved with the BMW propeller logo and backed up with flat LEDs in Blue and White, in respective quarters of the roundel. The mental juices are flowing...

[RBMann]

Originally posted by Moybin


Now working on a back rest for my wife when 2-up.

Here is one idea.-

Make-a-backrest

[Moybin]

Originally posted by RBMann
Here is one idea.-

Make-a-backrest

Thanks, much. Definitely along the lines I have been thinking about.

[ExarKunONe]

I've been trying to figure out a way to make the seat cowl flip up into a backrest. That would be really cool, flip it up when you need it, put it down for the cool cowl look when you dont. I dont know where to begin mounting such a contraption though.

[BreadMan]

Just how far off are the S speedo's typically?

[Moybin]

BreadMan:

Recollection of all the threads I've read, and my own experience with my S says anywhere from 5% to 10%. They almost always read faster than you are actually going. Quite often the odometer is spot on, go figure.

[Nitro]

Ok guys,

I've checked the all the connections, the plug, I've cleaned the sensor and the thing is still as dead as it gets.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[BMW Atlanta]

I am assuming you have already checked the fuses?

[Nitro]

Yeah I did that.

It did not die right away. It went from being jumpy, to being very jumpy, to not working 75% of the time, to being dead...

[Wayne]

Is the clock dead too?

[Nitro]

Everything else is fine including the clock.

[jduke]

When was the last time you removed and cleaned the sending unit? Like someone above said, it's the black thing on top of the rear drive. Gently take it out, clean it off, and put it back in. I'd try that before tackling the fairing to get at the fuses.

[Nitro]

Done that! It was the first thing I did.