How To Repair Odometer On 1996 Thunderbird

' 89-97 Tbird/Cougar/Mark Viii Speedometer -Odometer Gear Replacement

Replacement odo gears can be found under the "Hoods / Torso Kits / Miscellaneous" sections of www.SuperCoupePerformance.com.

See this link: HERE TO Purchase

You tin can purchase online or call 513-697-6501 to club.

Failure of the 1989-97 Thunderbird Odometer Gear happens due to excessive oestrus and age.
Y'all can see the damage caused past the estrus.
The plastic gears got and so hot the surface shows bubbling which weakened the gears and eventually
caused the gear or gears to break and the odometer to stop working.

The odometer role of the speedometer has a small electric motor which drives a xvi tooth cam gear also called carrier
gear which then drives a 20 tooth intermediate gear which drives the odometer and trip odometer.

16 molar Carrier Gear

20 molar Intermediate Gear

Now that you lot know what the cause of the odometer failure is lets take you through replacing these gears.

BEFORE WE BEGIN, IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL THAT Y'all Proceed THIS UNIT CLEAN WHILE
WHILE WORKING ON It. WE RECOMMEND You lot Accept COMPRESSED AIR Available TO Blow
OFF THE PARTS AS Y'all Disassemble AND REASSEMBLE EVERYTHING! KEEPING EVERYTHING
SUPER CLEAN WILL Consequence IN A SUCCESSFUL JOB.

Removal of the musical instrument cluster bezel surrounding the cluster is necessary.
Removal of the musical instrument cluster from the auto is not necessary.
Y'all will demand to remove the clear plastic instrument cluster cover start.
Once this comprehend is off y'all can only pluck the speedometer assembly from the car
Earlier you start y'all demand to refer to the Ford Store Manual for removal instructions.

In add-on to the Ford Shop Manual here are a few tips.

Remove the lower panel below the steering wheel.

Remove the vent ducting behind the lower panel.

Loosen the 4 nuts property the steering cavalcade to the dash frame. Lower the steering column near 1 inch.
Remove two retaining screws at top of cluster opening and the iii below.

NOTE: It is Not necessary to remove the entire cluster as shown in the picture below.
Remove cluster end panel past disengaging the 10 retaining clips around cluster terminate panel.
Disconnect the rear window defroster switch. Remove the Cluster Bezel from the dash.
Nosotros recommend y'all leave the instrument cluster in the automobile and simply remove the 7 screws belongings the
clear plastic lens cover to the instrument cluster. Shown with black arrows.

Be conscientious not to scratch the plastic lens when removing it.
Replacement covers are nonetheless bachelor from ford for 1994-97 cars. Part number F4SZ-10887-A
Annotation: Put the plastic lens comprehend dorsum over the cluster while working on the speedometer this volition keep
any grit from getting inside the instrument cluster.

If you are removing the instrument cluster from the dash (which is NOT RECOMMENDED) then remove
the 4 screws holding the cluster to the dash. Shown with red arrows.
Tilt the cluster and remove the two electrical connectors and heave vacuum line (Supercharged only)
going into the back of the cluster.

The speedometer is held in place by iii pressure level contacts. Grab the speedo and pull it out of the cluster.
Once you have removed the speedo observe a flat clean area to piece of work.

Note: Before you remove the needle move it by hand until it stops and using a pencil mark the location of the needle.

Begin by removing the speedometer needle. You can try to employ a fork to gently pry upwards to remove the
needle. If at that place is any resistance we suggest you stop this and remove the reset associates past unclipping from the
back side of the unit of measurement and remove it. Once removed yous tin rotate the needle in either management and it should loosen
easily and come off the shaft.

After the needle is removed flip it over and remove the 3 screws holding the plastic housing to the faceplate.
Shown with black arrows.

Note: The trip odometer spring volition fall out when you separate the face plate from the housing so do not loose it.

Once the speedometer housing is removed from the speedometer faceplate yous can optionally remove the 4 screws
holding the dark-green board to the housing. This stride is not necessary to replacing the Odometer gears. Shown with red arrows.

Adjacent remove the 2 screws property the Odometer motor to the housing.
Once you remove the screws be careful of the ii wires, blue and black. Shown with black arrows.
Using a pick or small flat blade screwdriver disconnect the wires from the housing.

When you elevator the Odometer motor off you will see two gears.

Remove the 2 gears and install the new gears as shown.

Rotate the gear until information technology seats in the housing.

When installing the Odometer motor make certain the gears mesh together.

Reinstall the ii screws belongings the Odometer motor onto the housing.
Reconnect the Odometer motor electrical connector.
Install the dark-green board dorsum on the housing with the 4 screws if you removed it.
Before reconnecting the Faceplate and housing dorsum together verify the trip odometer is working.
Pull back on the lever that resets the trip odometer. It should reset without binding.
Whatsoever bug with resetting the trip odometer and you have misaligned the gears when you put information technology back together.
Become back and verify the gears are seated and fully meshed.
Install the trip odometer reset leap over the lever as shown.

And so align the trip odometer reset lever pivot and lever dorsum together.

Reconnect the 3 screws holding the housing to the faceplate.
Note: Do not over tighten the screws as you will strip the plastic threads in the faceplate. Snug but not likewise tight.

At present we reattach the speedometer needle. Printing the needle over the pivot equally shown.
And so adjust the needle and then information technology stops back at your pencil mark.

Reinstall speedometer back in the musical instrument cluster.
Then re-install the cluster bezel and tighten the steering dorsum upwards. Re-install the duct and lower plate.
Take the motorcar for a test drive and verify the odometer and trip odometer are working over again.

Boosted speedometer calibration procedure:

Earlier you reinstall the faceplate and the bezel an boosted speedometer calibration verification process can exist done.
Notation: Tighten the 4 steering basics back before you bulldoze the car.
Using a GPS like the one shown, or a friend to help you, ane can verify MPH speed between the GPS and your speedometer needle.
Drive the car over a level road for 1/2 mile at a 30mph while your friend watches the GPS display it's MPH.
If your MPH is off then stop, shut off the car and pull the speedometer out of the instrument cluster.
If the GPS displayed 35mph while you kept the car at a steady 30mph yous will conform the needle forwards 5mph.
Using a thin screw commuter inserted behind the faceplate to concur the needle from rotating adjust the speedometer
needle to any hash marker and push the needle upwards 5mph. Reinstall the speedometer dorsum into the cluster and retest.
The store manual lists a speedometer mistake factor. The odometer cannot exist recalibrated or adjusted.