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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Dallas Texas USA
Posts: 486
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VDO Really really really sucks. 930 Turbo Speedometer
I said it before and I'll say it again.
Carrera VDO Speedo SUCKS. The VDO speedo in Porsches Sucks. EVERY EVERY EVERY 911/930 I have owned has had the VDO speedo fail. In my 930 now more than once. First the 15 volt electrolytic cap failed. (Flunky VDO "engineer" did not know how to properly derate the specified Voltage for electrolytic caps in automotive applications). And now, 2 years later the drive gear for the Odometer fails- Like all other drive gears in all other Porsche VDO gauges. How in the hell does this company stay in business? Not through the excellence of their products. Here's a picture summary. I ordered a replacement gear from here: http://www.odometergears.com/porsche.html   
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Paul 2001 CLK55 AMG, 1987 911 Turbo Look, 1997 Viper GTS. |
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07-13-2009, 08:41 AM
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 9,569
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VERY funny!
But seriously, the speedos have been in use for 20 years, that's a pretty long MTBF for a plastic gear. The one in my '66 works fine, I think the one in my '71 has failed (speedo works ODO doesnt). There is a reason that Continental VDO (the German industrial conglomerate acquired the company from Siemens in 2007, and Siemens bought it years ago-- the original company is called "Vereinigte Deuta OTA") has switched to electronic displays for the ODO-- no more moving parts. . . then again my BMW has the "pixel problem"-- maybe you are on to something! More likely it's just the harsh environment of automobiles, coupled with the fact that electrolytics just FAIL after decades of use. How do you know some PO didn't reset while the car was rolling? I agree that's a design problem-- there shouldn't be a way the driver can destroy the speedo.
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'66 911 #304065 Irischgruen ‘96 993 Carrera 2 Polarsilber '81 R65 Ex-'71 911 PCA C-Stock Club Racer #806 (Sold 5/15/13) Ex-'88 Carrera (Sold 3/29/02) Ex-'91 Carrera 2 Cabriolet (Sold 8/20/04) Ex-'89 944 Turbo S (Sold 8/21/20) |
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07-13-2009, 09:01 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: S. Florida
Posts: 7,249
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I agree, there is definately room for improvement.
Here's my odometer gear from a year ago. I got a replacement one from Palo Alto speedometer for $20 and replaced it. Did they really have to make that one gear out of a different plastic than the rest of them that turns into wax after 20 years...  You have to remove the other shafts and gears next to it to remove and replace it. They told me do not put any silicone grease, vasaline, or any other lubricant on it. Just install it dry. So thats what i did. |
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07-13-2009, 09:05 AM
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Not only their speedometer but their tachometers too! I need to have my tach recalibrated AGAIN! I may just purchase an AutoMeter tach and call it a day! The rest of the car isn't stock so I really don't care about the tach not being stock...reliability is more important to me than appearance...
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'88 911 - Stock....sans suspension upgrades |
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07-13-2009, 09:12 AM
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