Km/Mile Odo Conversion?

[Austin-Rover]

My car has a bit of a strange set up on the speedo at the moment. The speed is given in MPH like normal - but the odometer records distances in KM/h. Consequently, the car has 70,000kms on it (43,000miles) Is it simply a case of changeing the instruments for one that records the odo in miles - or is it not that simple?

Any help would be appreciated...

[E_T_V]

I think a new set of clocks would solve the problem if the dial reads mph on the larger of the two scales. (i.e., kph in small writing, Mph in big writing).

If the speedo and odometer reads in kph then you might need to get a new sender from a scrap gearbox as the gear ratio may be different.

[Austin-Rover]

I have got a spare speedo from a Montego which i could try. The mileage it displays is 96,000 - is there a way i can change the numbers back to 43,000? i have tried changeing it but can only wind it on - not back - and i dont like the idea of having to wind it round 1 million times!!!!!!

[Mat_C]

The sender in the gearbox shouldn't need to change - I've never noticed any difference. I've found that the dash unit varies from maestro to maestro depending on tyre size originally fitted. There is a different colour attachement for the speedo cable accordingly. It's physically different as well.

There's a number on the size of the dash unit, which IIRC says something like "rev 6250" - nothing to do with engine revs, thats the type of speedo fitted.

[GK AutoWorks]

There is a way of changing the mileage, for obvious reasons i cannot disclose them on a public forum but it is very simple. If you need to, PM me.

[tony]

what you want is a digi dash that will sort it

[D87SMW]

Could the problem lie in the fact that it has 14 inch wheels? If it is a unit made for 13 inch wheels, having 14 inch wheels will clock extra mileage. 14 inch wheels will turn less than 13 inch wheels due to thier extra size, therefore the car is doing one mile on big wheels, yet it thinks it is doing 2 1/2 on 13 inchers.

Thats my idea anyhow.

[tony]

what makes you think its doing km and not miles p.h.

[Austin-Rover]

Originally posted by tony
what makes you think its doing km and not miles

The odo is definatley recording in Kms. It even says it underneath. I'll try putting in a odo/speedo from an original british car to see if it works. I just then need to find out how to change the mileage. (Well, convert it from Kms to Miles)

[Guest]

Originally posted by RDGelder
The odo is definatley recording in Kms. It even says it underneath. I'll try putting in a odo/speedo from an original british car to see if it works. I just then need to find out how to change the mileage. (Well, convert it from Kms to Miles)

I'm wondering if your car is, or was, an export version to be showing KM's. (Is this also the same with Ledbury Maestros?)
Both my Toyotas are Japanese imports and both show KM's. I just got used to it. As long as the speedo doesn't just show them. That could be confusing especially when you consider speed cameras!

[tony]

well what about doing the 60 mph test ,go at 60 mph for 1 min and you should have done er, i mile,

[e692wtt]

On most motorways the emergency telephones are 1 mile apart, so timing how long it takes to travel between the phones means your car's speed can be calculated. This will show up any errors in the speedo reading, but really you need two people...

To alter the speedo reading, there's a really crude way to do it that the clockers use (or did in the good old days) but I'm not convinced that the odometer will work reliably in the long term, and the figures tend not to line up like they did before... I can show you if you like, Richard.

[Austin-Rover]

Got it changed over and it now shows Miles and not Kilometers!

It all works fine and the odo is recording the correct distance so no adjustments need to be made.

[Guest]

It's easy to change the mileage on an odometer, just take it to bits and reassemble it with the mileage you wish to show. It's only some gears and stuff after all.

Just be careful so all the digits line up afterwards.

I've done it on my Land Rover so the new speedo continued on from where the previous one left off. And I've had at least 4 different speedos in it.

[Simon]

You can also add a rev counter, although it does need an additional wire adding on your model, from the strip connecter to the (-)ve terminal on the coil. I know of another Ledbury Maestro that had its mileage recorder in Km's, on that one I got a late Montego set of clocks and "Clocked" the mileage to the correct (converted) mileage of the recipient car. Easy but a little fiddly.