Hi, folks. Recently picked up a '96 3.8 convertible for our kids (teenage girls). Since the car hasn't ever been registered here (Alberta), we're going to have to get through a fairly rigourous inspection in order to register and insure it. So we're working through the usual stuff - a bad inner tie rod end, seized brake caliper pins, etc. While working on the rear brakes, though, I noticed some end (axial) play in the axles. It's not a lot - I'm guessing about half a millimeter - but I don't know what spec is.

Can anyone tell me if this is okay, and if not, where to look for the problem? Is this going to be a diff thing?

(I spend most of my time wrenching Subarus, so this is somewhat of a change...)

 

A little play back there is normal. Welcome to TMS

 

Cool, thanks. Btw, this is the first time I've ever had to deal with these screw-piston calipers. Wotta PITA.

Before I forget, another thing that I need to sort out is a speedo that seems way out of calibration i.e. I think it's reporting about 20% slower than actual speed. It's not a tire size thing - that's the first thing I checked, and what's on there matches sticker spec. Where do I start with this?

 

next guess on the speedo calibration, is the rear gear ratio was changed and the speedo was not corrected to match . . . on the later years this can be corrected electronically with the "tune" but I'm not sure about your year

 

Stands to reason, but given the car's history (at least, as much as we know) it seems an unlikely candidate for diff surgery. I'll keep it in mind, though. Fortunately, speedo calibration isn't part of this inspection, so I hope we can just get past it and deal with this problem later. Will try to learn enough about this ride in the short term to determine whether the software adjustment is possible.

 

Now that we've been driving around a bit, I'm beginning to think it's just a defective speedo. It seems to vary in its inaccuracy, and the odometer isn't working either, so we're just going to replace it and see if it smartens up.

 

I am not sure when they switched from mechanical to electronic speedometers, but it sounds like maybe the gears are stripped and need to be replaced

 

Probably - the odo is mechanical.

 

I think this is an easy fix? Like unscrew the cable from the trans remove a cover and the gears are right there? .... I think... maybe?? You can at lease unscrew it from the trans and see how easy the cable turns with your fingers.

 

Certainly worth checking before pulling apart the dash, but I'm still leaning toward it being in the display, since the speedo needle (while inaccurate) does come up properly while the odometer is completely still.