speedometer/odometer woes

[cduke]

After putting up with an on-again-off-again speedometer for two months in my 85.5 944 I asked my mechanic if it could be fixed and he said that it'd be cheeper and easier to replace the entire instrument cluster and he happened to have one for my year. (this year is different than the rest of the late dash 944's because it has the mpg guage - he tells me)
So i got it home and it was installed within a week (only took about 20 minutes including painting the light elements including aluminum chrome-like stuff) and the blasted odometer doesn't work!!!
Anyone know if i can get just the odometer fixed? How about the speedometer on the old cluster? I'm not sure i want to wait for an affordable 85.5 instrument cluster to come along.
Charlie

[Cebu]

Cduke..Does your speedometer work..If both the odometer and speedometer is inoperative, the most likely cause is the transmitter located atop the transaxle. If it is just the odometer, do a search on this board for replacement or repair info for the assembly.

[Firestarter_944]

I had the same problem. I noticed that when I would have a passenger it was much more likely to go out... so I deduced that it could be the wiring between the instrument and the sensor. The other week I jacked it up to take a look at the wiring to the sensor. The wiring looked fine, but I disconnected and reconnected the plug several times to see if it was an unnoticeable amount of corrosion on the plug. The instruments have worked fine since. Hope it will work for you.

Firestarter

[cduke]

Thanks for the replies. I am led to believe that everything outside of the instrument cluster works because on the original cluster when the speedometer was working the odometer worked. On the newly installed cluster the speedometer works all of the time but the odometer doesn't turn over. I'll go look for posts regarding repair.
Thanks
CD

[Firestarter_944]

If the sensor is not sending signal, then neither will work, which is precisely why I didn't tear into the dash.

Firestarter

[cduke]

clarification:
Then:

old guage cluster
worked about 1/3 of the time on and off...worked more recently but still goes out about 1 in 4 miles. Whenever the speedo kicks in the odometer and everything else works.

Now:

guage cluster
the speedo works all the time but the odometer hasn't worked.

My mechanic said he'd send it in to be rebuilt.
Also, I noticed little differences in the two . kinda funny.

[DennisR_944]

The plastic gears are notorious for breaking, usually because of resetting it while the car is moving. I've seen several posts and articles on replacing them. I can't find them now but do a search. You'll find something. Good luck.

[pearldrum]

all of mine work except the gas guage

[palaxdad]

cebu, I have an early '85 944 and the speedo and odometer just stopped working. The cable is attached to the drivers front wheel, not the transaxle. Do you know where the tranmitter is?