SPEEDO problems

[BIGBRUDDA]

My daughter is now driving a 98 Neon R/T. :thumb: The speedo is apparently 10 MPH off. 10 MPH to high. :confused: The wheels& tires are standard issue and size. :nod: Has anyone encounterd this problem before? And how do I fix it?:o

[shadow88]

I'll take a stab at it. I'll bet you have the taller geared transaxle in there. 3.55:1 compared to 3.91:1 (correct me if I'm wrong, but you get the point).

With the incorrect speed sensor, that may make the speedometer off by quite a bit. 3.91 diff gearing is what came in the r/t.

[20w/ashelby]

agreed

[BIGBRUDDA]

So there's a "variety" of speedo drive gears available?:confused2: It feels like it's got "granny" gears.:)

[stereo]

If they are like the early cars the should be different colors too. hopefully they are. It makes finding different ones a whole lot easier.

[BIGBRUDDA]

Facts confirmed!!!
Mopar parts guy says: 3 drive gears listed: 1"green",1"blue", 1"natural".
No other specs available!:confused:
Looks like I'm goin ta Pull-N-Pay, gear shoppin!:clap:

[fleckster]

New gears are only about $8 at the dealer (give the parts guy at the dealership the VIN and they should be able to get the correct one. When I got a new one for Warren's CSX a few weeks ago, the dealer's computer showed the color AND the number of teeth. If it reads 10% fast then you need one with 10% more teeth! etc.) ...and my '98 R/T has the 3.94 ratio, the correct gear, and the correct speed on the speedo! ;)

[shadow88]

This may be helpfull but only if you don't have the original (3.94:1) transaxle. I have the tall geared manual trans. For example, at 70 mph, my tach is reading 2550 rpms (give or take) It's a 95 sohc. I have a buddy with a dohc and the correct short geared transaxle and he runs about 3100 rpms at the same 70 mph.

I'd be curious to see if you have the factory trans and not a junkyard unit.

[BIGBRUDDA]

"New gears are only about $8 at the dealer (give the parts guy at the dealership the VIN and they should be able to get the correct one. "

I called 3 dealers before I got a "dufus" that would look it up! :confused: The first 2 acted like I wanted their first born child.:mad:
Tanks Fleck !:thumb: I'll do some diggin ,see if I can get part #s. It's got to be a 3.94. 1st gear only stre:bolt: tches to 20 mph!:eek:

[fleckster]

If you can't get it Timmy, Let me know. I'll get you one through the Dealer up here and use my discount.

[JDAWG]

"New gears are only about $8 at the dealer (give the parts guy at the dealership the VIN and they should be able to get the correct one. "

I called 3 dealers before I got a "dufus" that would look it up! :confused: The first 2 acted like I wanted their first born child.:mad:
Tanks Fleck !:thumb: I'll do some diggin ,see if I can get part #s. It's got to be a 3.94. 1st gear only stre:bolt: tches to 20 mph!:eek:

thanks for degrading me and the job that I have been doing the past 8 years of my life ahole

[fleckster]

Chill out! I know he wasn't referring to all parts department people. Just the one "dufus" at a local dealership. I know who to talk to and who not to talk to at my dealership. There is one particular guy who hates his job and lets you know that you are being a major inconveinience to him by making him look something up. There are "dufus" people at probably every business. We sure do seem to have a bumper crop where I work! Don't take it personal when it isn't.

[JDAWG]

it just seems the standard that people think when they go to a dealership they are going to get ripped off and the people there dont know anything, yet the same people are happy for paying $10 less for a chinese part from autozone that is probably wrong and they will take back 8 times to get the actual right part

[fleckster]

Not me. I probably go to the dealership for parts more than the average TM guys though. I won't use any electrical parts or sensors unless they are Mopar. I also only use Mopar filters in my vehicles. I stock up and keep a supply on hand in the cabinet in my garage. then again, I do get a 25% employee discount. But before they even had that program, they were giving me 25% off like I was a Jobber since I was buying so much for my "fleet!" Hell, since they don't get calls for the old 2.2/2.5L cars much, my dealership's parts department has even called me to try and help someone out! I'm friends with most of the guys in there and most of the mechanics too.

[JDAWG]

haha, I get some of my old dealerships I used to work at calling me. The older catalogs are really hard to sift through. Most guys now if you dont have a vin then they are just dumbfounded, sometimes you do need it though, production split dates, built at this plant or the other, etc. Just pisses me off when somebody will generalize a dealership as dumbasses and they are just clerks who cant look anything up without putting a part in their hand

[boneyardracing]

If you want to cheat just take the cover off the cluster and start the car, pull the needle off and put it back on pointing exactly at "0"

[BIGBRUDDA]

Actually JDAWG: I have the utmost respect for good parts guys.:hail: Or anyone who takes their vocation seriously, and performs that job admirably!:thumb:
This guy was an "I DUNNO" goof.:confused: I had to prod him to get just that info. The other 2 were a complete waste,unco-operative and short on skills.:mad:
They will be dealt with shortly:eyebrows:

[RoadWarrior222]

I don't bother phoning most often, I'll just go down there and make their lobby look all untidy until they give me enough info to make me go away. :D Actually, I usually end up leaning over the counter and helping them through the computer system, and pointing at stuff on the parts diagrams and such. Even if you call a part what the FSM calls it they don't seem to "get it" quite often.

Had a PITA time of it on the phone the other day looking for driveshaft nuts, everyone assumed I wanted lug nuts. :rolleyes: And then when they understood what I wanted asked "front or rear" for gawdsake it's FWD it only has driveshafts at one end....


If you want to cheat just take the cover off the cluster and start the car, pull the needle off and put it back on pointing exactly at "0"

That sort of thing only works if it's a constant 10mph off. If it's the wrong drive gear and it's 10mph off at 60 it will be 5mph off at 30, 15mph off at 90 etc...

[JDAWG]

Actually JDAWG: I have the utmost respect for good parts guys.:hail: Or anyone who takes their vocation seriously, and performs that job admirably!:thumb:
This guy was an "I DUNNO" goof.:confused: I had to prod him to get just that info. The other 2 were a complete waste,unco-operative and short on skills.:mad:
They will be dealt with shortly:eyebrows:

Maybe I am just too smart for this job lol. I just cant stand the general assumptions. Beleive me though it goes both ways. Some guy comes in and says I need a starter for a 360 engine. I say what year. I get the normal "they are all the same" Then I sit 5 different ones on the counter and say your total is $700. Their jaw drops haha. Yes I have done this before.

[BIGBRUDDA]

Perhaps you should consider working at the wholesale ,or supplier level. Thus eliminating stressfull interactions with the public.:banghead:
Of course you'll still have to deal with "halfass mechanics" and "wannabe engineers". Not to mention "toadys" and "gophers". Jes grin-n-bear it dude.:amen:

"Clowns to the left of me - Jokers to my right"
"Here I am - stuck in the middle with you"............Steelers Wheel:clap:

[R/T]

Hey Tim;

Ask for Jeff Harris at Northgate Cry / Dodge.

He's an Original owner of an 84 Turbo Z.

He's my parts connection, great guy, know his sheet.

Say you'r my Bruddah.... :thumb:

[BIGBRUDDA]

Say you'r my Bruddah.... :thumb:[/QUOTE]

your BIGBRUDDA:D

I'm gonna see what I find at pull-n-pay tahmarra. I'd like to have a "choice"of gears.

[BIGBRUDDA]

Ok last word : :amen: I found a "natural colored" speedo gear. It's marked "31T". The gear in use was BLUE and marked "30T".
Did the swap, now the speedo in "right on".:D
1 tooth worth 10 mph across the whole range.:nod:

[Turbodave]

Ok last word : :amen: I found a "natural colored" speedo gear. It's marked "31T". The gear in use was BLUE and marked "30T".
Did the swap, now the speedo in "right on".:D
1 tooth worth 10 mph across the whole range.:nod:

:thumb:

One thing to note after reading this thread, the speedo gear on the neons like our other fwd cars is driven off the axle shaft, so the final drive ratio of the trans does not impact which gear your going to need. That is decided only by the tire/wheel diameter.

[shadow88]

Incorrect sir. The speedometer drive gear is on the outside of the ring gear in all manual transmissions. Auto's are like our old cars.

[Turbodave]

Incorrect sir. The speedometer drive gear is on the outside of the ring gear in all manual transmissions. Auto's are like our old cars.

:o Guess I haven't really paid much attention to my neon's trans the couple times I've had it out....

Thanks for that correction.

[contraption22]

For reference:

04593107 Blue Speedo Pinion for MTX
04641215 Natural Speedo Pinion for MTX

The Electronic Parts Catalog does not list tooth count or which final drive they are linked to, but whatever gear you have now, you need the other one:)