Odometer and Trip meter no longer working

[Jim Rosenthal]

We had the instrument cluster out of my 1992 500E, as noted in the thread on it not running right, and we noted that the gears were stripped and replaced them. Today I trialed the car and although it ran fine, the odo and trip meters still aren't working. So, a few questions:

I have the impression that the way they work is that there is a small motor that turns the gears; there is no direct mechanical drive to the cluster. My guess is that there is a variable speed motor governed by the speed of the car, which in turn turns the odo/trip gear train. Any information on this would be helpful. I suspect perhaps the motor is burnt out, or not turning for some other reason. (when we reassembled the cluster, we verified that all the little gears were working fine)

Also, are all 124 instrument clusters similar- that is, could I find a good used cluster, from a 300E or 400E,set it to the same mileage, and install it? Or are not all 124 instrument clusters alike?

Thanks as always, for any help! Jim R

 

[doolar]

The V8 W124's have their own clusters, not compatible at all with other W124's. I think a 400 cluster will work fine in a 500, but I bet some of the more knowledgeable members will clarify that.

 

[gerryvz]

The E500E (and all V-8 W124s) has an electronic speedometer in the cluster; the E320 and other "pedestrian" 6-cylinder US models use a mechanical speedometer (speedo cable that screws into the rear of the cluster).

So, you would have to get a 500E/E500 speedo/odo (the 400E is different, but operates similarly) and then reset it to your proper mileage. There may be members here on the forum who can help you with acquiring one; you would best send it to a qualified MB odo shop to be gone through and have the mileage correct to yours.

The E500E instrument cluster HOUSING is the same as other 124s from say 1988-1989 onward, but many of the instruments (speedo/odo, tacho, fuel gauge, etc.) are specific to the E500E. Others, such as the clock and oil pressure gauge, are shared with other models.

I believe there are a number of threads on this forum, from the past 15 years of accumulated information, that detail the E500E speedo/odo, how it works, and solutions for repair/replacement/compatibility.

If you start typing words into the search box in the upper right of the screen, it will give you real-time results (suggested threads) based on the characters you are typing in, just like Google does. It's a very powerful search function.



If you type the words in and click the "Advanced Search" button, it will provide you with pages and pages of relevant search results rather than the top threads that meet the characters that you are typing in.

The 1986-onward W126/C126 (i.e. 560SEL/560SEC) is the first MB that I know of that used an electronic speedo setup.

I sent my last 400E instrument cluster complete to a forum member in South Africa several years ago, who had strong need for it.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Will do, and thanks.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

I think we're going to end up sending the cluster in for repair. In the past, I've used Palo Alto Speedometer. Does anyone have any recommendations for a speedometer shop that has done well for them in the past? Thanks, in advance.

 

[gerryvz]

Palo Alto Speedometer or Overseas Speedometer in Austin, TX are both good. I e used PA Speedo long ago.

I believe there is a similar place here on the East Coast, but I can’t remember the name of it.

Overseas Speedometer | Speedometer & Odometer Repairs

www.speedometer.com

Nichols Speedometer & Insteument in Greensboro, NC is another option. They are a good VDO shop

NSI Fleet:...Automotive, Marine, and Navigation Instrumentation

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

I decided to use Atlanta Speedometer. Their web site was the easiest to navigate, and it seems all the prices are about the same. I'll post an update on their work when I get the unit back and reinstall it in the car.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Road test today: odo and trip work fine. Rapid service from Atlanta Speedometer.

Also remarkably unpleasant service; when I have instrument issues in the future, I'll go back to Palo Alto or another outfit.