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Number: 4623
From: "negusm"
Date: Tue Mar 2, 2004  1:42 pm
Subject: Re: [ASC McLaren ] NOW - - I NEED HELP !!!

Body:
Re: [ASC McLaren ] NOW - - I NEED HELP !!!

I would put your car up on jack stands if possible when storing it.
It should keep the tires from getting flat spots.

The only other alternative is to buy some "beater" tires and leave
the ones you have off the car.

I would protect your steering wheel with some plastic wrap (as
mentioned) or thin bubble/foam wrap. Even an old towel wrapped and
taped over it will help alot.

-Mike



--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "Sandy Block" <cigarsandy@c...>
wrote:
> Well, sad to tell you guys that I am about as "mechanical"
> and/or "skilled" as your grandmother! I can change a taillamps
bulb
> and that's about it! I do NO work on my own cars and pay dearly
to
> have what needs top be done >>> DONE ! Therefore, I am at the
hands
> of my dealer, who charges $86.25 @ hr. labor rate, just like the
> washing machine/dryer repairman does. I think I'll wait until
late
> July, and see if the weather (HOT) changes anything, and drive it
a
> bit. If no improvement, I'll have the thing lubed & done in
August,
> requesting to have the steering column sleeve removed, maybe
should
> also remove the leather wrapped steering wheel too, just to be
> safe ??? The car also had severe "flat" spots on the 4 tires and
> felt like they were square tires. However, in the 16 mile trip,
that
> went away. They are the original, no longer available B.F.
Goodrich
> Comp T/A P225x50/15" rubber.
>
> S A N D Y
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "negusm" <negusm@y...> wrote:
> > I have to agree with all of what Marq says.
> >
> > The speedo cable does have a plastic clip on it that you have to
> > pinch to disconnect it. I cannot remember if you had to pinch
on
> > both sides though.
> >
> > I do not remember the cable "separating" like Marq says, but I
> > wasn't looking to separate it, just get the gauge cluster out.
> >
> > If the cable does separate, I would do what Marq says and clean
it
> > up and relube it. That whole job shouldn't take too long.
> >
> > -Mike
> >
> >

--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "SNP Marq" <infosyssec@i...>
> > wrote:
> > > Hi Sandy....
> > >
> > > My first thoughts on your tale of the mysterious 'whirrrr'
sound
> > are this : That model of car would have a mechanical
speedometer -
>
> > meaning that there is a flexible cable running from the
> transmission
> > up to the back of the speedometer. Basically the speedo cable
> > looks like a bicycle cable with a plastic coated wire outer
casing
> > and a 'multi-wire' center core. The problem with the multi-
wire
> > center core is that it has the potential to 'rust'.
> > >
> > > So if you can imagine this multi-wire core spiining around
within
> > the plastic coated and metal reinforced jacket, there is the
> > potential for a bit of noise when a car has been sitting for
quite
> > some time.
> > >
> > > Normally the inner tube of the cable is saturated in lithium
> > grease and the constant spinning of the inner wire keeps the
> > lubricant well distributed - hence little or no noise.
> > >
> > > If the cable is making the noise, it would travel the length
of
> > the speedometer cable and you would hear it at the the
speedometer
> > and down at the ratio gear at the transmission.
> > >
> > > Being a 'cheap SOB' I would do one thing to test the theory
> out.
> > Normally you can gain access under the dash to be able to get a
> hand
> > up an on to the back to the dashboard. I know for certain this
is
> > possible with the Firebirds, and I seem to recall having done
this
> > with my Mustang as well. Normally the part of the speedo cable
> > that clips into the speedometer is held in position by a clip
that
> > pinches it from both sides. If you depress the clip
you 'should'
> be
> > able to disconnect the speedo cable from the speedometer.
> > >
> > > Ok... having accomplished that.... you should 'normally' be
able
> > to pull the inner core wire out of the cable that it is encased
> > in. Once out you can inspect it to see if it has the brown
> > evidence of rust. If everything looks shiny and black ( from
the
> > lithium grease) than it may be that this was not where the
problem
> > was. You can than recoat the inner cable with fresh grease and
> > stuff it back into the speedocable. The trick here is to make
> sure
> > that when you insert it that it goes all the way back down to
the
> > ratio fear and fits back into it snuggly. The ratio gear end
of
> > the cable has been formed to have a 'square' shape and by gently
> > twisting the cable as you reach the gear ratio you can ensure
that
> > you have insert the square end snuggly into the square
receptable
> at
> > the rear ratio. You than simply snap the speedometer end of
the
> > speedo cable back into the back of the speedometer.
> > >
> > > NOW... if the cable turns out to have been rusty... than you
can
> > steel wool the length of the cable to clearn all the rust shards
> off
> > the inner cable, re-grease it up, shoot some lithium grease down
> the
> > cable to grease it up, and than go through the re-insertion
steps I
> > mentioned above.
> > >
> > > One thing about speedometers themselves, is that they are know
to
> > go flakey at some point with normal wear and tear. In the case
of
> a
> > vehicle that does not have much mileage on it, one would have to
> > assume that 'atrophy' may simply set in at some point - and
affect
> > the speedometer mechanicanism in a way somewhat similar to
normal
> > wear and tear.
> > >
> > > With regards to the possibility of just ignoring the sound and
it
> > may disappear... I believe that is the course of action that
most
> > people would take. If it was a lack of lubricant on the inner
> > speedo cable... than putting some milelage and use through the
> cable
> > would hopefully re-distribute the grease that is probably
sitting
> in
> > the cable - bringing about silence.
> > >
> > > Similarly, if the speedometer itself has gone slightly wonka
from
> > lack of use, than possibly putting some miles on it would also
have
> > a similar positive effective on ending the 'whirring' sound.
> > >
> > > If the 'speedometer's time has simply come to act 'wonka' than
> > there is not much that can be done about that. Usually the
> initial
> > signs of the speedometer going 'wonka' is that the needle of the
> > speedometer jumps a bit eratically when driving along at a
steady
> > speed. Normally you don't get to the noisy 'speedometer' stage
> > until the car has done a bit of erratic behavior in its
reporting
> of
> > your rate of speed.
> > >
> > > Nuff said.. .hope this helps give you some additional thoughts.
> > >
> > > Marq