# Dasher Speedometer Problem Need Advice...



## David4516 (Sep 3, 2005)

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?2170306-Just-got-myself-a-1978-VW-Dasher...

Above link was my fist post on this forum several years ago. I have a question today regarding the same car. It's only got 135,000 miles on it now, so in the last several years I've only put 11,000 miles on the car. Shows you how much I drive it. 

My normal "daily driver" is a 2003 Golf. Recently had some issues with the Golf and it is out of action for a little while. In the mean time the Dasher has taken it's place as my "daily driver". 

So anyway I go to drive the old B1 for the first time in months. It takes a few tries but it eventually starts. I put it in nuetral and release the brake, but nothing happens. My driveway is on a hill so the car should be rolling at this point. Turns out that the brakes had rusted or forzen or something. I had to pop the clutch pretty violently to break them free. So I'm off and driving, yay. 

I do notice a few problems right away however. First, the alternator appears to have failed. I was able to replace it yesterday so no worries there. The second problem I have yet to figure out, and this is where I'm hoping you guys can help me: the speedometer. 

The Speedometer is no longer working, and actually the odometer appears to have failed as well. My EGR light is on too, but this has been on for a while now. I would have considered it an un-related issues until I happened upon this: 

http://www.ratwell.com/technical/EGRBox.html

Sure enough the Dasher has this "EGR box" half way down the speedometer cable. I took the box appart, expecting to find broken gears and what-not inside (they're plastica after all). However it looked to be in decent condition upon inspection. So now I'm thinking that I just need to hit the white "reset" on it to clear my EGR light. But that still won't fix my speedometer. So now I'm thinking that it's a speedometer cable. My question is, how do I figure out which half of the cable needs to be replaced? The part from the transmission to the EGR box? Or the part from the box to the dashboard? 

While I had the box removed, I tried spinning the cable with my fingers. I was able to spin the cable to the transmission, I was NOT able to spin the cable to the dashboard. So does this mean that the transmission cable it broken (since it freely spins), or is it supposed to be like that? Or, on the other hand, is the cable to the dashboard frozen/rusted or something? Or is it supposed to be difficult to turn? 

Final question: which direction should the cable spin in? Clockwise? I was thinking that I'd hook up a cordless drill the to cable that leads to the dash, and see if the needle moves on the speedo. But my concern is that if I spin it in the wrong direction, that I might somehow damage the gauge?

Any info/advice/help you guys could share with me would be great. Thanks in advance!


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## eurowner (Jan 26, 2002)

sounds like you have a broken cable. best is to remove the box and get a full length cable. The wires to the box left unhooked will not trigger the led in the dash.


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

> I was able to spin the cable to the transmission,


 That cable is broken. You should not be able to spin it by hand (unless it's removed from the trans.)


> I was NOT able to spin the cable to the dashboard


 And, that cable has seized (which would break the lower cable.) 

It doesn't matter which direction you turn the cable - it won't damage anything. Spin it 'forward', the speedo indicated speed, and the odometer advances. Spin it 'backward', no speed indicated, and the odometer reverses. No damage will occur

http://www.rockauto.com/
$4 for a 5-speed manual; $9 for a 4-speed (both are 'single-piece' cables, eliminating the counter box.)
(Upper speedo cables are NLA for damned-near every VW ever that used one.)


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## David4516 (Sep 3, 2005)

cuppie I think you are correct. I was able to remove the lower cable (the one to the transmission) and it has indeed borken. I got one of those "univeral" kits to change out the wire cable inside. However the upper cable is still frozen/seized. Am wondering if the drill trick will be able to break it free? Or a liberal dose of WD40? Or should I just replace it...

In any event, this issue is now on the back burner. Was driving the car yesterday and it had a sudden loss in power. Also I would die if you let it idle, as in die right away. I think it may be only running on 3 cylinders. So I bought new spark plugs, and also new cap and rotor for the distributor. Hoping that solves the problem. 

I also am wondering if it could be the fuel filter? I was going to buy a new one but couldn't find one in stock anywhere in my area. So I had to have one special ordered, they said it would take anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks before it got here. So I really hope that this isn't the problem...


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