Hey I have searched on here and on Preludepower.com and I cant find any answers so i thought I would post and ask. Does anyone know if theres a way to recalibrate the speedo yourself? I just bought it and its off by almost 10mph I really dont want to have to go through buying another one since this is my second one so if anyone could help me out with some ideas on how to fix it that would be great.
Not 100% sure on this as I am new to the Honda aftermarket but the PROM should be able to be re-flashed by your local dealer. Please correct me if I am wrong or there is an easier way.
mine is like that, and always has been no matter what tire size i've had..
I hate it, but i've gotten used to it.. until my new one comes in that is...
So yea... My speedo started acting up today. It gets anywhere for 10-20 mph off at any given time. I thought I was just over tired but it is happening. Pissing me off too because I was going like 65 on the highway and people were blowing past me, come to find out it is off. I was also going like 15 down my street (dead end)and it said 30. Not cool!
That sounds like it might be your vss, but mine didnt just randomly start happening like that. It was working perfectly fine an hour before I finished swapping the gauges and tested them out.
I just searched the forums (OMG A NEWB USED SEARCH) and got some good ideas but nothing that seems solid. These damn Hondas are tricky. Sensors on the tranny with PS fluid in them, PS speed sensors. All new to me. Never had to do much REAL work on a Honda.
The procedures below are from my experience....try at your own risk...
I have successfully adjusted my tachometer using this method and believe it to be the same for the speedometer, but I have not tried.
There are two potentiometers (variable resistors) within the gauges that you can use to calibrate the speedometer needle. They will look like two plastic screws but will not tighten as you turn. They probably only turn 180 degress from lock to lock. For the speedometer, I think they are located on the top of the gauges close to where the electrical connections are. For the tachometer, they are located on the side of the gauges by the tach. The gauges will need to be out of the console, but not taken apart.
One of the potentiometers changes the needles range, so if it was turned all the way down (counter clockwise I think) even if the car was going 100mph, it might only read 30mph. If it was turned all the way up, it might read 100mph while only going 30mph. These are probably exagerated numbers, but that is the best way to describe its function.
The other one changes where within that range the needle needs to be at that speed.
There are probably two DIY ways to calibrate the speedometer needle. I think the best way would be to find a function generator and lookup the frequency spec in a Helms manual in Hz/mph. Use the function generator to simulate the VSS signal. The other solution would be to find a shop that has a dyno that will read your speed.
Once you have something to compare to (either the function generator or you are at a dyno) calibrate the needle at different speeds until you are finished. You will want to focus on the range first because it will always affect where your position is. The position adjustment shouldn't affect your range though.
My EL cluster has always had these problems. The tach was easy to fix by connecting an external tachometer and making adjustments. My speedometer reads high at higher speeds, which would suggest that the range is slightly off, but I have not taken the time to try and correct it.
....sorry, I know this would be much more helpful with pictures....
I was wondering if those little plastic screw things were what did it but i wasnt sure. I have a broken gauge I might go play around with like this. Where could I find one of those function generators?
edit: My god those things are expensive, and so is time on a Dyno.
Last edited by 93H22ALude; 06-05-2008 at 05:32 PM.
You may not need a true dyno... most shops that can do state inspections (for states that require emissions testing atleast) will have what you need: A drum roller with some sort of read out indication of how fast you are going.
I have been meaning to ask a shop near where I live how much they would charge to let me use theirs....it shouldn't be nearly as expensive as time on a real dyno.
Its too bad Honda didnt do what ford is doing in their newer vehicles 10 years ago lol. On my g/f's mustang you can put the cluster in test mode and it will tell you digitally what your speedo/tach/gas/temp/oil everything should be at so its really easy to fix needles on those cars.
Could you tell me at least by the numbers near the screw things which one is for the range? I think thats all thats wrong with my current cluster and if I can just get it closer I'd be happy enough I just dont like that its almost 10mph off
I have not changed the calibration on the speedometer so I don't know which one is which. I believe that for the tachometer, the lower one adjusted range and the upper one adjusted position. I would guess then that if you are looking at the gauge face, the left one would adjust range and the right one would adjust position....that is just a guess though.
I guess Ill try playing with it this weekend and let you guys know how it goes. Hopefully I can get it to work then I might be able to do a little mini-write up on it but Im no mechanic lol. I am gonna run to the junk yard that I heard has a few 4g ludes as well so if I can pick up an extra cluster Ill be messing around with them a lot more.
If you wanted to buy an external tach im sure you could install it yourself. I havent yet had a chance to play around with the screws to see how well they work but I would guess if you moved the screws around and your needle position didnt change at all you need a new cluster.
I move them and both seem to control how it will go up... not the initial rev... when i move the upper one... i need to accel more to see a change... and with the lower i need to accel a less than the upper one to se a change...
i have changed it from the speedo... the speed needle to the tach.. and the tach to the speed... because it dont make any change in my first gear (or maybe up to 20mph but not sure)...
and now it have 1000rpm less...
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