Spedo / Tach Troubleshooting: sluggish needles

[buickyouth]

I'm not quite sure where to start troubleshooting here.

Both my speedometer and tachometer are sluggish.
It's not that they don't work at all, they just work real slow.

I replaced the tach cable and there seemed to be no difference.

Anyone else have this problem with an XS bike?


Thanks,
Ian
1978 Yamaha XS750SE

[GLoweVA]

The 750 has both meters driven by cables.
I'd suggest oiling/lubing the cables as per the manual.
You may be able to spray some lubricant up into the meters to loosen things up in there, but go easy with it. too much and it might goop up and clog things worse.

My speedo got a little slugish in the winter when it was cold, but that was all.
(our tachs are electronic, sorry no help there)

[stevestrom]

My tach would stick right around 2800 RPM, it just wouldn't go any higher. I carefully bent up the metal around the face of the tach and removed that ring and the glass face. Moving the needle by hand proved that there was something sticking in the internals. I could push it past 2800 but it would not do it on its own. I gave a little squirt of wd-40 down the needle shaft and moved it back and forth a bunch of times until it felt smooth. Works great now.

[buickyouth]

Are the speedo and tach sealed units or are they able to be opened without damaging them?

[GLoweVA]

Are the speedo and tach sealed units or are they able to be opened without damaging them?

They sort of are.
Here's 2 threads that talk about taking the faceplate off. It can be done but be careful and like the old addage, measure twice, cut once. Make sure you have a plan before you act.

http://www.xs11.com/xs11-info/tech-t...especials.html

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36733

[buickyouth]

Neither of my gauges are really useful to me at this point.
I hastily pulled out the speedo from it's chrome housing and ripped the rubber seal. Admittedly, not my smartest move to date.

I just wanted to figure out if I need new gauges or what.


stevestrom are these the techniques you used to free up your needle?

GLoweVA Where did you spray up into? Where the cables attach to the gauge?

[GLoweVA]

The rubber seal from the unit to the housing can be swapped with a rubber 'door' seal from home depot/lowe's. TC's thread on the tach needle swap talks about that.

I haven't had to spray mine. (yet)
But the speedo is the one you can spray up into where the drive cable goes into.
I'm not sure if you can get anything up into the tach without taking the faceplate off though.

If your's are "Neither of my gauges are really useful to me at this point" then maybe try to get a used set off ebay, or someone on here. I've seen used sets on ebay from $35-70.
I'm going to assume that you have a special. They have chrome housings.
If it's just the speedo you can use one from a 650/750 or even an 850.
Unfortunately, the tachs for the 1100 specials are the only ones that are electronic.
Here's a thread about swapping them around.
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36699