Never break odometer gears again!

[Chuck.H]

I always followed the advice - never press the reset button while moving, and press the button very gently. Didn't matter, the gears broke TWICE on me, once at 85k miles, and again at 170k miles, about 5 years apart. Both times I sent my speedometer to get fixed, and both times it came back good as new, working like a charm for a few years, then snap, broken gear.

Now I've found the secret, and it's held up for the last 150k miles or so... the secret is to never press the reset button -- ever!

I know it sounds like I'm kidding, but seriously, these are way too weak to be used unless you are prepared to replace them every few years. Just search the posts and you'll see this is a significant 'pattern failure' that can't be avoided. I dont miss it at all, just do a little subtraction in my head if I need a mileage.

Hope this helps,
Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 326k miles

[rgmrgm]

speedometer and odometer worked fine 96k miles but the trip meter was stuck on zeros. While driving down the interstate at 85mph i noticed the tenth of a mile digit was bouncing slightly so i pushed the reset button now all is well. i will now leave it alone

[Dr J]

Hmmm, the original gear seems to be like urethane (very flexible) and disintegrates. Replacements are usually plastic, which I expected to be much tougher. Do you know if they replaced it with a plastic gear? If they did then a whole bunch of us also need to be careful!

[Chuck.H]

Of course I can't be sure, but I did send it to one of the reputable repair places, so I would think they would use the plastic gear... Sorry I don't log on much, and didn't think to check - is anybody making newer, stronger gears that come with a guarantee not to break?

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 326k miles

[DRACO A5OG]

Damn, I rest my trip all the time after fill up. Crap.

[kinein]

i had the same problem mine is stuck at 415k

[nesslar]

I don't know if they are plastic; thought the replacement white ones were actually nylon or something of the sort, 'tougher' and not brittle... ? Regardless, I don't bother resetting my trip odo anyway, no real need to. I'm happy enough to have done the replacement (gear bought here from the host) without any problems, so I reckon it's best to leave sleeping dogs lie. Guaranteed 'not to break'? A car part? 0_0

[cfries]

Mine is a knob that you twist, does that still apply? Its a 1975.

[nesslar]

Probably still applies; would guess that any older gear is prone to failure even if the reset knob is never messed with at all! They just get old and disintegrate. The 'newer' reset knobs have to be pushed in for reset. Mine did go bad when I pushed it in while driving (67K miles only), but I am sure it was already partly 'gone'. Upon removal it was missing a LOT of teeth. Love the actions of Lucy there, lol.....unintentional but fitting! Linus must have done what I did!

[Dr J]

That looks like the crummy urethane gear I was talking about.

[dshepp806]

My boys in the shoppe (who fixes them) once told me this is an urban myth...now, we didn't get into details on the mechanical interaction with the actual odo gear when resetting the trip odo (gear),......just that he said "Nope,..nada',..the reset didn't break your odo".....mmm?

Doyle

[DRACO A5OG]

Oh well, it is a siple enough fix, Thanks Ness for posting the pic. Now to calibrate mine is 2-3% slow

[Techne]

Originally Posted by dshepp806

My boys in the shoppe (who fixes them) once told me this is an urban myth...now, we didn't get into details on the mechanical interaction with the actual odo gear when resetting the trip odo (gear),......just that he said "Nope,..nada',..the reset didn't break your odo".....mmm?

Doyle

Well, when I first got my '73 914 I hit the reset while driving and it broke right in front of my eyes. It was spinning, when I hit the button it stopped. That was when I learned not to touch it while driving

But, I guess that is not absolute proof, might have broken if I had been standing still.....?

[nesslar]

Yep, let's face it, the original gear was made of a substance that was not 'time tested', and as proof, has proven to be garbage. Why didn't they just make the gear of the same material as the rest of them? They must have thought this item, turning more than any other, deserved to be made of a better material; oops. No big deal, and my offer still stands. I'll fix anyone's electronic 160 MPH (SCs and Carreras) odo that just needs the gear replacement; replace it, test, send it back. $80 shipped, $55 if the gear is supplied. No, I'm not kidding, I know how and have a clean record of success. I can even synchronize the speedo free of charge. What the Hell, ynot......................I have time on my hands. Beats the alternative. Trust me...

[manbridge 74]

To give a "I've got to have mine reset solution."

Possibly use a hair dryer to heat up cluster before pressing reset.