Speedometer WAAAAAYY off (stock tires) reads 85mph actual 64mph

[mg93108]

I've read a number of the forum topics related to this subject but haven't read of an answer other than: use GPS; tire size; and OEM reads slightly high.

1) I'm running stock 185r14c tires....it's not a tire size issue

2) I am aware that these speedometers read "a bit" high but NOT 20mph over actual speed.

3) I've owned 14 of these vans and this has never been an issue worth starting a new forum topic over

4) I want to keep a stock OEM speedo and not use some GPS based product.

5) Stock speedometer and stock engine, trans, everything is stock

Why is this off by so much? and how do I fix it? Has anyone actually experienced this? Was there more than one speedo on these?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!! You guys are the best!!

[danfromsyr]

is the speedometer stock to the vehicle?
the Syncro speedometers are twice as fast as 2wd.

on the speedometer theres a small group of numbers below the odo digits.
a 2wd is 840 or sum such
a syncro is 1600 or sum such
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[?Waldo?]

There are places that calibrate speedometers or you can do it yourself. There are two adjustments. One is changing the needle position (which makes the same change across all speeds) and the other is clamping more or less of the spring (which makes a progressive change across the range).

[mg93108]

[danfromsyr]

that number equates to rotations per mile for the OD of your tires.
that the speedometer is supposed to be calibrated to.

now sometimes when the cableor the internal magnet goes old and wonky the speedo will run higher than actuall.
mine has just started to do this for some unknown reason probably age related
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[mg93108]

[sjbartnik]

Before you get it fixed get some pics of how you have the "fastest" Vanagon out there
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[mg93108]

[mikemtnbike]

I thought maybe this was as simple as your van was originally Canadian delivery and you were actually reading KPH, but you say that it was pegged...and that would be 104kph the internet tells me.
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[Butcher]

What's the odometer reading? If it's reading properly [moves 1 mile when you go 1 mile] then you may get by with moving the needle. If the odometer is just as far off as the speedo, you got some issues that probably can be fixed at the local speedo repair shop.

[Wildthings]

[levi]

Hopefully the odo is equally skewed so that you've been getting 38 mpg.
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gonna see life my way

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[mg93108]

[Abscate]

Are you correcting for Imperial hours?
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.ssS!

[?Waldo?]

I've personally adjusted 3 Vanagon speedometers that were wildly inaccurate and although I didn't take the time to get them perfect, I got them to what I consider quite reasonable (within 5 mph for the entire range).

[dgbeatty]

Your speedometer is suffering from either a: the cable was over lubricated and oil has migrated into the speedometer section or b: the magnets have migrated. There was a recall many many years ago.
In either case send the speedometer to a professional shop and have it cleaned and recalibrated.
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Schau in das Buch

[mg93108]

[?Waldo?]

If the speed is off by the same amount across the entire range then simply moving the needle position will fix it. If the difference is progressively more or progressively less, then adjusting the spring is necessary. If you pull the need (use needle nose pliers on the very base of the needle) and then pull the faceplate, you will see the spring. The end of it is clamped in place with a little pin. Clamping further into the spring will cause the reading to be progressively less than before (given the same needle position) and vice versa. As part of testing, I used a square drive bit that fit the speedometer. I then used the high and low speeds on my drill to drive it and compared that to another vanagon speedometer that read reasonably correctly. It can still take some dialing in from driving the vehicle and comparing speeds using GPS.

[mg93108]