New owner questions

Dallas56 · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010, 07:25 PM

I am a new SPF owner, roller 2895. 351 small block, stroked to 427 by Keith Craft, 580 hp, 590 torque. Love the car, big time.

I am working through new car issues, have been helped by many of you, thank you.

Two questions. First, my turn signal indicator doesn't work properly. For left hand turn, the indicator stays on through a full left turn without cancellation. For a right turn, it cancels with the slighest steering wheel movement, even before turn. Not a big deal, but I would like to fix it. Madmaxx, I think, advised to remove the steering wheel by popping the center steering wheel plate (using string, so as not to scratch), then unscrew the bolt, and remove the wheel, exposing the turn signal mechanism, which apparently can then be adjusted. I popped the center plate (with string) and unscrewed the bolt, but the wheel was still tight. What else do I need to do to remove the steering wheel and access the turn signal mechanism? And when I get there, with no steering wheel, how do I know which direction and how far to adjust?

Second, my speedometer worked prefectly for ten days, now has begun to spaz, wandering up and down when my speed is constant. Is this just a problem I need to learn to live with, will it resolve with time, or can I fix it now? If so, how?

Again, absolutely love the car, nothing like it.

patrickt · #2 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas56

I popped the center plate (with string) and unscrewed the bolt, but the wheel was still tight. What else do I need to do to remove the steering wheel and access the turn signal mechanism?

While pulling the wheel towards you, try repeatedly tapping the column with your lead hammer that you have for the spinners. Tap, don't whack with all your might. If that fails, you'll need to buy a steering wheel puller.

RodKnock · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

If that fails, you'll need to buy a steering wheel puller.

Or rent one.

Rog246 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

While pulling the wheel towards you, try repeatedly tapping the column with your lead hammer that you have for the spinners. Tap, don't whack with all your might. If that fails, you'll need to buy a steering wheel puller.

Hey Dallas, try this, should be no need to use the hammer..........well not yet anyway LOL

Slide your seat fwd as far as you can so that you can put BOTH knees under the rim and apply backward pressure with the knees. IE; towards you, just like your pulling it off. Then clench your fists and repeatedly hit the rim with the bottom of the fist rapidly around the circumference-(whoa forgot to mention better put the nut back on the steering shaft a FULL turn-otherwise you could wear the rim

)

You might have to do this a couple of times but it SHOULD come off-unless Messers' Murphy & O'Toole & their laws come into play.
( forget not the O'Tooles' LAW states quite plainly that Murphy is an otimost!)
Rog246

Rog246 · #5 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010, 09:16 PM

Well its back to spell scholl !?? SCHOOL for me eh ! Otimost should read Optimist

CWizard · #6 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010, 09:20 PM

Go to craigscobras.com and then to the section on turn signal adjustment. Detailed how-to, with photos. Steering hub should pull straight off once the 15/16 nut is removed. Be careful tapping it with a 5 lb lead hammer!

As for the speedo, there are at least three things that can cause your problem. Be sure the cable is not binding (possibly due to a tight bend in the routing path) and is well lubed. Second, the small nylon gear in the tranny (where the cable is attached) could have teeth stripped. If so, it should be a standard Ford part. Third, the reversing gear that is screwed into the back of the speedometer could be failing (the other end of the speedo cable is attached to this gear). And of course, the speedometer itself could be failing. These comments assume that you have the std Smith's speedo and a Tremec transmission.

New car? I would think your dealer would be happy to take care of these problems for you. Mine was.

jwoodard · #7 (**permalink**) 04-07-2010, 11:06 PM

I cured a bouncing speedo by shortening the cable a bit. On the transmission end, remove the cable from the tranny and then remove the gear, held on with a clip. With the end of a micrometer, measure the depth of the hole in the gear that the cable goes into and compare that measurement to the length of the cable end that goes into the gear. The cable is probably a bit longer than the hole is deep. If so, remove slightly more than the difference and reinstall. Check the other end as well where the cable goes into the reversing mechanism on the speedometer itself and do the same thing.

Suggest you join SCOF as there is a large Technical Section on the Forum available to members that addresses many little fixes such as you these.

Dallas56 · #8 (**permalink**) 04-08-2010, 07:58 AM

Thank you all for help. Registering on SCOF has been on my To Do list, but craigscobra.com is a resource that I was entirely unaware of. As advertised, it has a step by step guide, with pictures, for this precise issue. Excellent.

Got the Bug · #9 (**permalink**) 04-08-2010, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas56

Thank you all for help. Registering on SCOF has been on my To Do list, but craigscobra.com is a resource that I was entirely unaware of. As advertised, it has a step by step guide, with pictures, for this precise issue. Excellent.

Dallas56,

What is the url for the Cobra resource that you used? I tried craigscobra.com, but it wasn't a valid url.

Thanks.

Update: I found it. It's http://www.craigscobras.com/

patrickt · #10 (**permalink**) 04-08-2010, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

Dallas56,

What is the url for the Cobra resource that you used? I tried craigscobra.com, but it wasn't a valid url.

Thanks.

http://craigscobras.com/

It's a nice little site with tips that are not solely limited to SPF cars.

Dallas56 · #11 (**permalink**) 04-08-2010, 04:56 PM

CWizard, I made the adjustment to turn signal cancellation per the step by step instructions (with pics) on www.craigscobras.com, and my turn signals now work and cancel perfectly. The site has about a dozen Helpful Hints links. Although I'm sure that is a small fraction of things that can go wrong with this car, if your problem corresponds with one of these Helpful Hints, the site is gold. Thank you.

CWizard · #12 (**permalink**) 04-08-2010, 06:30 PM

You're welcome. But we really need to thank Craig. Join SCOF and you can do it directly, since he's a regular. And as Jim W. stated above, there is a vast amount of SPF technical info available on SCOF.