14 replies to this topic

[Frozo]

Just a quick question.

With a speedo like THIS can you alter the mileage or do you have to start from 0 if you buy one new or start from ---- if you buy a used one?

Cheers Tom

[Frozo]

Bump

[gregh55]

stick the speedo cable in, then put a drill on the other end, then just wind forwards the miles

[dklawson]

stick the speedo cable in, then put a drill on the other end, then just wind forwards the miles

Please don't' take any of the following statement as derogatory. It is not meant in any way to sound mean.

The topic of altering speedometer mileage comes up a few times each year and eventually the suggestion will be made to run the odometer forward using an electric drill motor. While this will work, it is not fast, not fast enough for most people to do at home. The math follows.

The link above is for a Cooper-S type speedo. It will be calibrated for 1280 turns/mile. That means for every 1280 cable revolutions, the odometer goes up one (1) mile. A high-speed electric drill MAY spin at 2500 RPM. Therefore, hooking the drill up to the speedometer and running it as fast as possible will advance the odometer 2500/1280 = 1.95 miles per minute. Therefore, every 1000 miles on the odometer will require you to run the drill for 512 minutes (8.5 hours). Every 10,000 miles will require 85 hours (3.6 days). I personally don't have the patience to do that.

I don't remember the legalities of switching speedometers and the odometer reading. Using the search utility you may find some old threads here that discuss it. You may also want to contact a firm like Speedy Cables and ask them 1) what the legal implications are, and 2) if they can reset the odometer to match the one currently in your car (if you determine it is necessary).

[Ethel]

A full day at 100mph would only put on 2,400 miles!

They can be adjusted if you're prepared to strip the working from the case.

[tadleysimon]

i have nver take taken a center seppdo apart but the later type speedo can bepulled apart with nothing more than a screwdriver and a pair of priers,

i turned a pair or clocks back to 0 very easily, i cant imagine that the centre speedo can be much harder,

[gregh55]

stick the speedo cable in, then put a drill on the other end, then just wind forwards the miles

Please don't' take any of the following statement as derogatory. It is not meant in any way to sound mean.

The topic of altering speedometer mileage comes up a few times each year and eventually the suggestion will be made to run the odometer forward using an electric drill motor. While this will work, it is not fast, not fast enough for most people to do at home. The math follows.

The link above is for a Cooper-S type speedo. It will be calibrated for 1280 turns/mile. That means for every 1280 cable revolutions, the odometer goes up one (1) mile. A high-speed electric drill MAY spin at 2500 RPM. Therefore, hooking the drill up to the speedometer and running it as fast as possible will advance the odometer 2500/1280 = 1.95 miles per minute. Therefore, every 1000 miles on the odometer will require you to run the drill for 512 minutes (8.5 hours). Every 10,000 miles will require 85 hours (3.6 days). I personally don't have the patience to do that.

I don't remember the legalities of switching speedometers and the odometer reading. Using the search utility you may find some old threads here that discuss it. You may also want to contact a firm like Speedy Cables and ask them 1) what the legal implications are, and 2) if they can reset the odometer to match the one currently in your car (if you determine it is necessary).

no worries, i was told to do it that way

[dklawson]

Gregh55, thanks for not taking offense.

i have nver take taken a center seppdo apart but the later type speedo can bepulled apart with nothing more than a screwdriver and a pair of priers,

i turned a pair or clocks back to 0 very easily, i cant imagine that the centre speedo can be much harder,

The center speedos come apart in much the same way and you can easily change the odometer wheels to read what you want. (The chrome bezel is crimped on in a couple of spots that must be "straightened" for removal to access the inside of the gauge). However, while this can be done at home, I would have serious reservations about opening up a brand new gauge as shown in the link above. I'm sure DIY odometer adjustment on a new gauge would void its warranty.

[Twincam]

Frozo, can you not just alter the one on your mini already?

[syholl]

As above, it is quite easy to alter the mileage on the center clocks, but you have to take it apart.

If you are changing speedometers, it is not illegal to alter the mileage, as long as you are not trying to disguise the cars true mileage. You can just keep the old speedometer, and an old MOT certificate to prove the correct mileage if you ever come to sell it.

[Frozo]

Thanks for the replys. I'm going to be picking Freck up tommorow so i will see what everything is like

[Trail of Dead]

Frozo, the 998 in Freck was rebuilt by the guy I bought him from. It hadn't been on the road after that.....so technically speaking he has 0 miles on a rebuild. The chassis however has somewhere in the ballpark of 32,000mi. I can't see there being any legal issues if you put a brand new speedo in Freck and it read "0 Miles". You will have the original ones.....

Edited by Trail of Dead, 13 February 2010 - 12:25 PM.

[Frozo]

Frozo, the 998 in Freck was rebuilt by the guy I bought him from. It hadn't been on the road after that.....so technically speaking he has 0 miles on a rebuild. The chassis however has somewhere in the ballpark of 32,000mi. I can't see there being any legal issues if you put a brand new speedo in Freck and it read "0 Miles". You will have the original ones.....

Kk, cheers I'll leave it in then.

Thanks for that

[Ethel]

The speedo means nothing really. It would only be an offence to deliberately claim a car has done less mileage than it has and use the mileometer to support that claim.

Mileage is pretty much meaningless on a car as old as your average Mini.

[Tomar2]

Changing my speedo from a 2clock to a 3. This tread was extremely helpful. cheers guys