Proper cruise control operation

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Ok, my cruise works, but not like the normal cruise in normal cars. When it's in operation, it's almost like how other people drive without cruise; kind of like pedaling it. It senses speed decreasing so it gives it a little gas until it gets up to speed again. Then when it fades down it repeats the process all over again. Is this because it's old technology and that's all they had, or is this just mine doing this. Anyone here with a mint stocker use their cruise?

 

[turbo nasty]

If its surging then more than likely the Speedo cable is dry and needs lubed. The Speedo cable feeds the speed sensor that's in the back of the Speedometer. So cable binds then frees bind then frees causing the speed sensor to get a fast slow fast slow reading and its constantly adjusting for spastic speed signal.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Ahhh I see. And by "needs lived" do you mean "needs lube"?

 

[turbo nasty]

Yeah dumb autocorrect on my phone

 

[turbo nasty]

Powerlogger will show pulses...scanmaster typically doesn't. Plus you can normally see the Speedo needle bounce a lil as its doing it.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Roger. Will check it out. How do I go about lubing this thing? Do I yank the entire thing from the trans, through the engine bay, all the way though the firewall?
Will spray teflon be sufficient?

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Ok. Disconnected the speedo cable at the joint by the master cylinder and sprayed some teflon in both sides. Disconnected the cable from the trans and sprayed a little in that end too. It doesn't seem to just get in there easily. It pools up at the ends. Is there a trick to gettin this stuff down in there? When I screwed it all back together in a radius that I thought was the most kink free it could be, I couldn't get the little retainer screw to screw back into the cross member any more without putting a sharp radius in the cable. Do I necessarily need this thing to be screwed to the cross member? The needle does jump a little less now. Were these things ever fully steady like they are in new cars? I've never seen a mint example before.

 

[GWHIZZER]

Ok. Disconnected the speedo cable at the joint by the master cylinder and sprayed some teflon in both sides. Disconnected the cable from the trans and sprayed a little in that end too. It doesn't seem to just get in there easily. It pools up at the ends. Is there a trick to gettin this stuff down in there? When I screwed it all back together in a radius that I thought was the most kink free it could be, I couldn't get the little retainer screw to screw back into the cross member any more without putting a sharp radius in the cable. Do I necessarily need this thing to be screwed to the cross member? The needle does jump a little less now. Were these things ever fully steady like they are in new cars? I've never seen a mint example before.

Well, I can only speak from my own experience- my car did the same thing as yours and I replaced the cable altogether. Now it works very well- similar, as you say, to a much newer vehicle..
Gary

 

[GNRick]

I replaced mine years ago for my AVC dash. I went to NAPA and they had to order it from a book. If yours is stock (or aftermarket) and you have trouble finding the correct cable, try NAPA.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

What's an AVC dash? And by correct do you mean the factory 2 piece?

 

[1KWIKSIX]

 

[turbo nasty]

Disconnect the two halves by master cyl. The lower half to trans has a small washer in there that needs to removed ( I used a small flat head screwdriver) and the you can remove the liner/core. Wipe the old lube off with a rag and brake cleaner, acetone, etc. Not sure how the Teflon lube you mentioned will last....need a light grease like Vaseline or actual Speedo cable lube. Once core is greased put it back in. Put washer back in and reassemble and see if that fixed it. If the top half needs it then you have to pull Speedo head to get to it which is a pita!

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I see. Thank you very much for that tid bit.

 

[earlbrown]

As cheap as a new delco 1 piece is from Amazon I'd just get a new one. I've had mine in for a year and my speedO still looks funny for not bouncing and twitching.


If any extra lube makes it way to the speedo head, it can fling out and get on your display.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

How much are they?