Flakey Speedometer

[Osiris1977]

Hey all! I've been away for a while, but now I'm back and I hope someone out there can help me. A few days ago my speedometer started acting very weird. When I backed out of my driveway, and started down the road my speedometer needle went from 0 to, well, all the way around to 0 and I was doing no more than 25 mph. I got to where I was going, did what I needed to to, got in the car and she acted like normal. I went home, and then a few hours later left, and it again went all the way around the gauge to the stop pin at 0. It's been doing this since like this past Wednesday. Tonight, however, I went to the grocery and she was doing it. When I left the grocery store the speedometer worked until I stopped at a light. When I accelerated it went back to being all messed up again. Is this problem the gauge itself, the speedometer cable, or the pinion gear in the transmission? I have a 5-speed FS5W71C transmission and analog gauges.

[evildky]

85 300zx? I assume we're talking about analog gauges, shoud be a regular cable from the trans to the cluster, I'd make sure the cable is in and snug at both ends, if you find no problems there you might pull the speedo gear and make sure it's in tact, and if it's yields no solution, you might try a different cluster? just seems like an odd way to fail

[AZ-ZBum]

The speedometer pinion gear is leaking at the transmission. Simple fix. Replace the seals. Drain the speedometer cable. Clean out the instrument cluster.

[Osiris1977]

You guys are the greatest! I had a feeling it is the pinion gear. I'll take a look at it as soon as I can, and let you know my findings. Thanks.