Dented odometer digit

My XJ650 Maxim's odometer is at 17K miles and the 7 has a fairly deep dent on it There's not been a dent on the number wheel before this & I didn't own the bike at 7K miles to see if it was there earlier.

I'm wondering if something might be loose inside the assembly to have caused this? Might just be a defect?

Idears?

Gary

 

If it is still working properly then you'll only have to see it every 10000 miles so who cares!

 

It may have had a mold flaw mark in the plastic, or a light bulb went "supernova" at some point and melted it. Years back I had a bulb explode inside the tach on one of my SR500s and it melted the rubber plug and the housing a bit before it blew up.

Are your instruments "canned" or in a cluster so the actual guts can be easily accessed? If you want to/can get it apart, I can send you a decent recycled odo wheel if you want to attempt repairs.

PM if need.

 

Hi Fitz,

Thanks for the offer.

I really haven't looked to see how it comes apart, I have a windshield on at the moment which prevents access to the speedo and haven't wanted to take that off till I put the bike away for the winter. Not sure what canned means but it's a 650 maxim and the speed/odo is in a separate round mount on the left and the tach is in a similar shaped one on the tight. They're two discrete units which sandwich the plastic container containing the four lights for oil, turn, neutral & high beam.

Your idea of a bulb going south might be the answer, there's no scrapes to show mechanical damage and the dent is definitely concave and the number (100's counter) beside it looks to have a slight warp. I'll be turning it over soon to 18,000 and it'll be interesting to see if anything crops up.

If the counter can be fairly well taken apart and the wheel replaced, that would be a fun winter project. I have other projects, this would be in good company.

 

Just let me know if and when. My instrument boneyard ain't going anywhere.

 

Taking a speedometer apart isn't too much fun (unless you're Fitz)! Been there done that. It can be done but I wouldn't do it unless it quits working or starts squawking! If it's making the bad noise because it has no oil then you WILL take it apart and fix it before it drives you nuts!

Loren

 

I've several dented and squiggly numbers, also a line of blisters on my instruments. I finally realized I caused the problem when I polished the edges of my windshield. The edges acted like a magnifying glass, concentrating the sunlight on the instruments while the bike was parked outside at work. My first fix was to sand a matte finish on the edges, second was to use a bike cover at work.