You mean my raisin is dried up? If I put a plum in there, will I go
slower or faster?
Atwell Haines wrote:
>
> At 08:48 AM 9/10/98 -0400, Kirby T. Kenyon wrote:
> >I've got a weird one on my '80 Spit.
> >
> >I drive the NYS Thruway to work. When I drive my Spit, early in the
> >drive the Speedometer reads the correct speed (70MPH @ 3400 RPM with OD,
> >verified by time over mile marker method) but approximately 30 miles
> >later, it reads low (63MPH @ 3400 RPM).
> >
> >I verified that I was still going about the same speed at the end of the
> >trip that I was in the beginning so I know there is no slip in the drive
> >train.
> >
> >Could this be a symptom of a slightly binding speedo cable? It does
> >bounce some at lower speeds but smooths out about 30MPH.
> >
> >Has anyone else encountered this?
>
> Kirby,
>
> To answer this one it is neccessary to understand the principals of
> speedometer operation.
>
> Inside the Instrument is a small yet nimble mammal (similar to a Marmot,
> but not really, and on a much smaller scale.) The one in my car is named
> Eric.
>
> As the car goes faster or slower, a raisin is held closer or farther from
> Eric's nose, causing him to run correspondingly fast or slow. This moves
> the needle you see from the cockpit.
>
> After several miles, Eric is tired from all that running (and on a toll
> road no less!) so it is understandable that he runs a bit slower when the
> car is going the same speed.
>
> This is not always a real problem. Do not be concerned, unless Eric
> starts leaping and jumping, in which case he is on his "Last Legs". In
> that case you may have to rely on the Tach to gauge your speed.
>
> Sometimes the raisin falls out of the speedometer. In this case, the
> indicated speed will be zero.
>
> Please try to be more understanding of the forces at work inside the
> machines we use every day. I hope this helps you.
>
> Your Public Servant,
>
> Atwell Haines
> '79 Spitfire FM96062 UO
> (53 HP)
>
> Succasunna, NJ USA
>
> The One Immutable Rule of Automotive Satisfaction:
> "It is more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow"
> - Cory Farley in Autoweek, 8/17/98
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