sv21 auto camry speedo problems

[SirLSD]

the speedo only works up to about 70km/h and then stops.

i'd guess that it is the speedo sender unit on the gearbox that has died? yes?

is it mechanical or electrical?

does anyone have a pic of where it is located?

anyone have a computer version of a sv21 workshop manual?

thanks

[Saiya]

Your spedo needle could be bent.

I had a SV21 before I got my Corolla and I noticed that all of the dial needles are bent from the heat.

Because the plastic face of the instruments is angled back when it reaches towards the 100km mark the needle touches the plastic and cant go any further.

I used a bent paperclip and a stick and put the paper clip though the tripmeter hole and used it to push the needle back. Its best to do this in summer when the interior gets more hotter and it will slightly bend the spedo needle back.

PM me if you want a picture bit hard to explain in words.

[whiterolla]

Yeah it is very common for the needles to bend.

toyota have a needle kit to replace them.

If you want the part number pm me

Glenn

[gumby]

SV 21's Have a cable speedo

we had our speedo fail (wouldn't go a click over 70) although the needles were bent they hadn't stopped it from working.

In order to replace / remove the things, the good news is that it is so simple and camry parts are thick on the ground, all you need is a philips head screwdriver, some common sence, and a lot of care and you can remove the instement cluster. We got one out of a later SV21 (with straight needles and all!) from a wreckers for about $50, the thing works fine, pity about the looks though the earlier ones definently looked better

[offchops]

In order to replace / remove the things, the good news is that it is so simple and camry parts are thick on the ground, all you need is a philips head screwdriver, some common sence, and a lot of care and you can remove the instement cluster. We got one out of a later SV21 (with straight needles and all!) from a wreckers for about $50, the thing works fine, pity about the looks though the earlier ones definently looked better

Sorry to re-animate this thread, but I've just got myself a 1988 Camry with the same problems.

How easy is it to replace the needles? Has anyone seen any step by step instructions around for doing this?

Apparently you can still get a needle replacement kit from Toyota.

[offchops]

In case anyone else is looking for instructions on this, it was pretty easy.

You have to remove the casing around the steering wheel, and drop it to it's lowest level. Then there are about five screws under the shade lip of the console, three in front of the speed etc, one under the rear demister button, one under the hazards button. The you can pretty easily pull that whole surround out. Once you've done that, there are only five screws holding the "glass" perspex in front of the instruments. Undo these and you can easily pull the needles off, use a hairdryer to slowly (otherwise they will snap) bend them back (or replace them). The only problem then is putting them back on accurately!

[family_guy]

This is how I did mine today, hope it helps...

http://www.toymods.net/forums/showthread.p...3661#post903661

Cheers

[offchops]

This is how I did mine today, hope it helps...

http://www.toymods.net/forums/showthread.p...3661#post903661

Cheers

Bugger. If only I'd seen that two days ago! The "calibration" trick of reading tacho readings before and after was a good one. I just basically winged it, after I realised how easily the pin spins around messing you up - I went around the block then turned ignition off, to try to get a zero position. Placed the needle on speedo, did another block, "feeling" where gear changes were and what 40, 60 felt and sounded like. Re adjusted, did the block again, etc til I was pretty happy with it. Just went on a long run today, checking my speedo against traffic at diff speed limits, and I seem to be pretty spot on. Now I'm just on the lookout for one of those portable speed check signs they park on suburban streets to tell you you're going too fast. Then I'll have a great time going round and round at diff speeds!

Thanks for your post though, good step by step.