Sitting in the driveway doing 80 MPH!!

[gumpy]

My bus is sitting in my driveway doing 80 MPH!!

On our trip this summer, my speedo quit just as we were leaving Laramie to head home. I didn't want to take the time to try to diagnose it, and thought it was probably just a broken wire due to the sensor cable being too tight for the sharp right turn I had to make to get out of the gas station. I simply reset my GPS and used it for speedo and odometer on the trip home.

Sure enough, yesterday I found the broken wire, and repaired it. Since all my records are based on the odometer reading, I decided I wanted to put the 1000+ miles back on the speedometer, so using a cheapo $5 electric drill, a 1" spade bit, a worm gear clamp and some pieces of plywood and bailing wire, I made a simple fixture to add miles to my speedo without having to run the bus. I just have to leave the master switch on and run this rig for about 13 hours, but it's working great.

I'll post photos later.




craig

[cody]

We want to know the MPG too, expiring minds want to know lol.

[Len Silva]

While I have never tried it, I think you could use a low voltage transformer and a diode to generate a 60 PPS square wave to drive the speedo.

Len

[gumpy]

While I have never tried it, I think you could use a low voltage transformer and a diode to generate a 60 PPS square wave to drive the speedo.

Len

Maybe.  But I wasn't sure exactly what the signal is that's generated by the magnetic pickup, so I looked around to find something I could use to machanically excite the magnetic pickup. I found a flat spade bit in a drill works great! Every time the edge passes the pickup, it generates the sense signal.

As for fuel mileage, its approaching infinity miles per gallon! 

[belfert]

I would get a hub odometer if you really want to keep close track of your mileage.  JD gave me one that I need to install some day.

I haven't been keeping real good track of my mileage as the antenna for my GPS speedometer needs to be mounted somewhere where it won't fall off and quit working.  It also isn't perfect as it won't track mileage inside tunnels.

[Busted Knuckle]

I must say that I'm definetly impressed! I mean who'd thunk'd it, I've seen all kinds of unscrupuless characters do stuff like that to roll back the miles! But I ain't never seen nobody go to that kinda trouble to add miles, and then brag about it too! LOL!   BK 

Sounds like a good way to do it though!

[jjrbus]

I left Timmonsville and my speedo quit, no problem I have GPS!! I went to Old Town FL for a few days. When I left there my GPS quit!!  What is it about bus's   Jim

[Ray D]

We did the same as kids, but in reverse to take miles off the car, so Dad didn't know how many miles we did drive.

Ray D

[gumpy]

I would get a hub odometer if you really want to keep close track of your mileage.  JD gave me one that I need to install some day.

Don't need one.  I have a perfectly good mechanical speedometer with odometer. And, it works inside tunnels, too.   

[HB of CJ]

Would doing 80 MPH in the driveway sitting still be the same, but not exactly like, indicating 0 mph on the Interstate while doing 80 MPH?  The whole world wonders and inquiring minds inquire. 

[Dreamscape]

Hi Craig,

I think you came up with a great idea of winding your speedo! Are you finished yet? 

It's always a pleasure reading your posts, I admire a fella who figures things out then posts what he did.

Paul

[Nusa]

The real question is whether a $5 drill will last for 13 hours of continuous operation. Inquiring minds want to know!

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Craig,

Ha Ha ... Getting Nowhere real Fast!  Cool

Watch out for Smokies!

Nick-

[gumpy]

I finished. I got my speedo back to exactly (to the 10th) where it should be!  The drill may have given up the ghost. The switch kept crapping out and drill would stop in the last 100 miles or so. I finally had to crank it wide open to finish the last 40 miles. The bearings were really chattering, I think. The one thing I realized in the end, is I could probably have done this in 1/3 the time. I had limited the drill so the speedometer only read 80 mph because that's where it was limited to, but when I cranked up the drill, the needle pegged at 80, but the miles were ticking by at a rate of 1 mile per 20 seconds, or about 180 mph!!

And HB, doing 80 in the driveway is not quite like doing 0 on the interstate. In the driveway, I could get up and get a beer without my family screaming! 

[buswarrior]

"I could get up and get a beer without my family screaming!"

mmmmmmm beer mmmmmmmmm

happy coaching!
buswarrior