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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Speedo or Cable?

Last year the milometer and trip counter stopped working on my 1500 midget, the speedo was also a fair way out after changing the diff so I took it for recalibrating in the Autumn. When completed I re fitted the speedo took it a couple of miles and all good.

On its first trip out recently within a few miles the speedo started sticking at around 10 mph and jumped into life when up to around 40 mph and continued sticking during the 40 mile trip, but the milometer worked OK.

Today I removed the speedo and thought the speedo cable had not been fully clicked in, refitted it and all good for a full half mile and now no movement on any parts of the speedo, including trip and milometer.

I've never experienced any similar issues but no doubt others will have had issues with the cable and speedo, before I go back to the re-calibraters I wanted to check if anyone had similar issues and found it to be a faulty cable, bad earth etc.


Tim Lynam

Tim, have you got a variable speed drill?

Improvise a 'bit' that you can insert into the speedo, or use a speedo cable itself. That will tell you.

Even a thin screw driver, or the speedo cable spun quickly in your fingers, should make the needle flick up, and if you are patient, you will see the tenths/mile digit begin to move.

The mileometer is direct gearing, but the speedo is magnetically coupled.

Neither rely on electrical connections, including earth. That's only the rev counter.

anamnesis

Hi Tim
Had mine repaired about a year ago. About 3 weeks ago it started doing exactly as your was doing I got in touch with the company who repaired it one day before the 1 year guarantee ran out.
I got the speedo back Wednesday FOC. I rang yesterday to ask what the problem was.
He told me that the springs between the counters were failing. They stripped it down, replaced all the springs & re-built it. Turned around in about 5 days.
The company is:-
Speedograph Richfield Ltd
Darlton Drive
Arnold
Nottingham
NG5 7JR

0115 926 4235
info@speedographrichfield.com

They provide a brilliant service & repair all types of classic gauges
Nigel Axtell

Just another point regarding your post. If you've had the cable out from the gearbox end. You probably have, but make sure the cable actually goes into the gear spindle. I made the mistake, it went to the side of it & therefore nothing registered. It's a bit fiddly when the car's on the ground on stands as it's difficult to see
Nigel Axtell

Thanks for the replies, Nigel good to hear it may not be a daft idea that the speedo may be faulty after a strip down and “repair” and the company that carried out the initial work was also Speedographic at Arnold, it’s not a major issue for me to take mine back as only a short drive but didn’t want to look daft by moaning due to a knackered speedo cable, but will be worth trying to check first with a drill if I can find a suitable drill attachment.
Tim Lynam

This thread was discussed between 03/03/2022 and 04/03/2022

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.