Monday October 29, 2007

Gas went up to $2.79 last Monday, then by Wednesday dropped to 2.78, then to 2.75, then 2.72 Saturday, and some stations are at 2.71 now. Hmmmm.

Actually got a couple of things accomplished this weekend. Got the oil changed on the Gladiator. Got the front door knob replaced. Got the headlight pigtails replaced on the Gladiator. Got the Speedometer working better on the Gladiator.

That speedometer has been driving me crazy. '93 Chevy G20. Speedometer worked ok and was accurate EXCEPT that when stopped idling (at a stop light, for instance) the needle would suddenly flip around and peg on the back side, so when you start rolling the needle would remain jammed up against the back of the peg. Then, at 60 mph the needle would suddenly jump back to "60". Or, you could come to a full stop and the needle MIGHT flip back to "0", or it might not, in which case you try again.

I figured it was probably a bad electrical connection since that van is full of them. Went thru all the wire connections between the dash and the tranny and cleaned them up, cleaned up the grounds, even added a new ground to the dash from the battery. No change. Since a new speedometer is rather spendy, I've been just living with it for the last couple of years.

Last week I had an epiphany. I thought "what if" I modified the speedometer so that the needle wouldn't hit the peg. So, I took apart the dash and discovered that the peg is exactly that, a little plastic peg snapped into a hole in the speedometer face. I pulled the peg out (it snaps right back in) and went for a drive and IT WORKS! When at rest the needle rests about where the peg was, but I don't care, I'm not moving at "0" MPH. When I start rolling the needle goes to the correct speed. I'm happy.

Now I need to look for a new dimmer switch For about the 4th time, this morning on the way to work when I switched from Low to High I had no headlights until I switched back to low and then back to high. Very disconcerting. Can't think of what else it might be besides a bad switch, although I don't know if there is a relay in the circuit. I should check on that first I suppose.