Little ticking .....

I have a ticking noise coming from the speedometer. I have isolated to the speedometer cluster. I removed the entire cluster and disassembled for servicing as described in the post by BigFitz. When I remove the mechanical part of the speedometer from the white housing and manually turn the worm gear with a hand drill there is no noise or clicking. Upon reassemble, it would seem that the flywheel on the worm gear is “ticking” against the little flat light fixture in the back of the white housing (though I am assuming this as I can't see inside it once reassembled.) I tried filing down the flanges on the light bracket, but that did nothing. The speedometer works fine, other than the ticking that turns into a hum at higher speeds. Anybody run into this before? Is there any fix for it without buying another speedometer?

 

That's not a "light fixture" if you're referring to the little glass tube behind the speedo.

That's a reed switch, and it is how the turn signal auto cancelling unit knows the bike is in motion (it "reacts" to the spinning, magnetic drum) and how fast/far it's going/gone.

I'm willing to bet the sound is coming from your cable and not the instrument itself.

 

No, it isn't the cable. I can turn the mechanical part with a small screwdriver in the cable port and it ticks. Once I remove the mechanical part from the white case and turn it with the screwdriver, it doesn't tick. Put it back in the white case and tight the two screws, and the ticking returns...all the time the cable is not connected to the speedometer.

 

You are probably hearing the reed switch. They can be noisy without causing any trouble (and some people are more sensitive to the sound of them than others are). If you want/need to confirm that is the source of your ticking, the reed switch can be pried out of the housing with a small screwdriver. The wiring is long enough to allow the speedometer to spin without the reed switch being close enough to actuate.

 

Hmm...interesting. It makes sense. The ticking happens only when the unit is put together. What is actually making the ticking noise, the Reed switch or the magnetic flywheel?

 

The reed switch is making the noise. As the contacts close they tick. The contacts only close when the bendable contact spring gets pulled on by the magnet. You can watch the action of the reed switch once you have (carefully) popped it out of the instrument housing. Hand-hold it near the speedometer's drive wheel and slowly turn it to close the switch.

 

cool..thanks for solving the mystery...I really appreciate it.

 

So what's the fix to eliminate the ticking noise ? bend the reed switch out to the way from the flywheel inside the speedometer housing ? it's very pronounced and very irritating on my bike.

My 82 XJ650J doesn't have the self-cancelling turn signals, so why do I need that reed switch anyway ?

 

I haven't eliminated the ticking noise. It is still there, and is somewhat like tinnitus in a human. I was more relived to know that something wasn't coming apart from a deteriorating condition. I was thinking of the possibility of experimenting with some foam tape to see if that would quiet the switch, as well as possibly insulating the inside of the housing with it.

 

I don't think you're hearing the reedswitch, honestly. They're pretty tiny and rather buried; and don't make a very audible noise to begin with.

More likely the trip or "master" odometer or one of the larger moving parts.

 

I did what K-moe suggested about removing the reed switch and the ticking stopped. I replaced the reed switch back into it's holder and the ticking returned. Call me crazy, but me thinks it is the reed switch as it doesn't tick without the reed switch and ticks with it.........

 

Fits is correct that the reed switch doesn't make much noise, but it makes that noise at a very particular frequency. If you can't hear some high pitched sounds you might not notice it.
On my bike, I can hear it around town, but not on the highway. My 18 year-old son can hear it at all speeds, but my wife can't hear it at all.

 

When I got the bike the speedo was broken. As I restored the bike both from a safety aspect as well as cosmetically, I started to gather replacement parts for broken/rusted items. At the end of the project I installed the speedometer /tach cluster I bought used from EBay. The very fist time I rolled the bike out, (not running) to work on it after installing the speedo, I could hear the ticking. That started with me going through and lubing the cable, removing and disassembling and servicing the cluster 3 times. Yes..I hear it, and at higher speeds it turns to a hum. My girlfriend hears it, my friends hear it. But alas...it is like...ain't hurtin nothing...get use to it...get over it...so...it be's what it be's....btw...good morning to ya'all!!

 

That is one LOUD reedswitch then. I believe you; I've just never been able to notice any sound from them without really trying, and that with it all opened up.

 

trade ya...

 

I disassembled the speedometer and removed the reed switch out of the way. Reassembled the speedometer and while there is a slight ticking sound remaining, it is MUCH less than before. This I can live with. so I'll leave it alone for now.

Thanks to the other posters on this thread, this one had me stumped.