03 Speedo Problems

[ChevroletSS1965]

I just picked my 2003 pitbull up and I absolutly love the bike (I'll post pics soon), but there is one problem the speedo doesn't work. The bike has the black autometer big dog speedo. When riding the needle stays at zero 95% of the time, but after days of not working the needle will jump for a couple seconds then back to zero while riding. I searched through all the old threads to see what the problem could be. I keep the bike on a battery tender at all times when not in use and it has a big boar battery. When I turn the key on the needle sweeps to 60 then back to zero and the display flashes 49438 for a second. After reading on the forums I found out that number is the speed sensor pulse number. I pulled the speedo housing and unpluged the speedo to check for corrosion or cut wires and everything is fine. I pulled the speed sensor and wiped it off and still nothing. I figured I would try to recalibrate the speedo, but when I follow the instruction by holding down the button and turning the key on, the needle sweeps to 120 and stays there with a 0 on the display. If I push the button again the needle goes from 120 to 60 and stays there with 0 still on the display. If I start to ride with the needle at either 120 or 60 the dispay still reads 0 while riding. If I continue to ride the 2 miles and stop then push the button again the needle falls to zero then sweeps to 60 and back to zero with 49438 on the display for a second just like if I was starting the bike normally. I never see "-_-_-" or "0------0" showing that I'm in calibration mode, just the needle froze at 120 or 60 depending on if I push button once or twice. I have the old style ecm so I can’t re-flash it. Not sure what else to check or if the speedo is just bad. I hate to buy a new speedo and then it not work either because there is something else wrong. Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to be detailed. Any help from you experts :up: would be appreciated. Thanks

-Taylor

 

[waykool]

Congradulations on your new Dog. Some one will chime in soon with some information on you speedo problem.

 

[c.c.rider]

Welcome new dog member

 

[BigDogBro1]

Welcome, It could be a bad or weak sensor at the trans. That's easy enough to replace and cheap enough to try.

 

[jimizee028]

all the speedometers go bad,i am waiting for mine to come in now,first it did what you said then the odometer went can i give you all the mechanical misfortunes and tell you exactly what part inside the casing goes bad....no,,,,but i will tell you believe me when i say you aint the first and wont be the last....

 

[Night Train]

2003 Pitbull should have a pulse count of 101,000. To calibrate do what you are doing. When you push the button for the second time and the needle moves to 60 ride the bike for two miles and stop, then push the button again. At that point the needle should move back to zero, and show the pulse count before the speedometer resets. As you are riding you will see the pulse count in the odometer, do not be alarmed if you see it go to 202000, when you push the button at the end of the 2 miles it will show half the value that you accumulated.

If this does not work for you get with me, you could send me your speedometer and I can calibrate it for you, just pay shipping to and from 67110. Won't take me but 5 minutes to do.

 

[lee]

so when doing this presumably you need to know before hand what your two points are on your stretch of road that are exactly 2 miles apart?

 

[ChevroletSS1965]

2003 Pitbull should have a pulse count of 101,000. To calibrate do what you are doing. When you push the button for the second time and the needle moves to 60 ride the bike for two miles and stop, then push the button again. At that point the needle should move back to zero, and show the pulse count before the speedometer resets. As you are riding you will see the pulse count in the odometer, do not be alarmed if you see it go to 202000, when you push the button at the end of the 2 miles it will show half the value that you accumulated.

If this does not work for you get with me, you could send me your speedometer and I can calibrate it for you, just pay shipping to and from 67110. Won't take me but 5 minutes to do.

I followed your instuctions on calibrating the speedo from another thread. But when I push the button for the second time and ride the 2 miles the pulse count does not go up in the odometer, it just stays at zero. This leads me to believe that the speed sensor is broke. But if the speed sensor was broke, then why would the needle jump every so often and work for like 3 seconds and then back to zero. That only happens once in a while.:bang:

 

[ChevroletSS1965]

Welcome, It could be a bad or weak sensor at the trans. That's easy enough to replace and cheap enough to try.

How do I find out the part number so that I order the correct speed sensor with a long enough wire so that it is just plug and play? Where do I order the sensor from? I saw one on ebay, but the wire is only 8 inches and that seems much to short to be the correct one.

 

[stlmikie]

The sensor will make it act funny. Mine just flat out quit on me at one point and that is what it was. Real easy fix if that is what it is.

 

[Apache6x]

Spedo Swap

Has any of you guys swapped out the Big Dog Speedometer for any other brand. I have an 03 with a screwed speedo. I would like to swap it out for a little better model.

 

[ChevroletSS1965]

I might be in the process of doing the same thing. I would like to know the answer to that question as well.

 

[CCRainman]

Has any of you guys swapped out the Big Dog Speedometer for any other brand. I have an 03 with a screwed speedo. I would like to swap it out for a little better model.

The speedos are made by Autometer, they are very reliable. The sensors are the main cause of the problems. They go bad.

Chevy, you can get them right on ebay for $35.

 

[ChevroletSS1965]

The speedos are made by Autometer, they are very reliable. The sensors are the main cause of the problems. They go bad.

Chevy, you can get them right on ebay for $35.

How do I know if I'm getting the correct one? Is there a certain part number? I can't see how long the wire on the sensor is for mine by looking, but isn't the 8" wire to short to plug in, I would like to avoid having to cut and splice anything.

 

[CCRainman]

How do I know if I'm getting the correct one? Is there a certain part number? I can't see how long the wire on the sensor is for mine by looking, but isn't the 8" wire to short to plug in, I would like to avoid having to cut and splice anything.

Yes it's shorter but cutting and splicing is no biggy. I just did it not too long ago. I don't know the part number but if you contact Nelson he should get you the right one which is longer. You might pay more thou.

 

[ChevroletSS1965]

How can I check the speed sensor to be sure that is the problem? The only other thing I can think of that could be wrong, is that a wire came loose inside the speedo.

 

[CCRainman]

I'm not sure but someone said to pass a screw driver back and forth on the sensor which I don't think would work. I can bet it'll be your sensor. Most poeple with your problem has changed out the sensor and everything is working again. Cheap fix.

 

[ChevroletSS1965]

Ok I'll replace the sensor and see if everything is fixed. Thanks for your help Rainman.

 

[ChopperJeff]

When my speedometer began to act up, then finally stopped working, I figured it had to be either the speed sensor or a loose wire inside the speedo. Taking a chance, I cut the into the back cover of the speedo to access the wires that go into the circuit board. After soldering the wires back on, it worked fine! This was on a 2005 Chopper, so perhaps yours is different.

 

[ChevroletSS1965]

When my speedometer began to act up, then finally stopped working, I figured it had to be either the speed sensor or a loose wire inside the speedo. Taking a chance, I cut the into the back cover of the speedo to access the wires that go into the circuit board. After soldering the wires back on, it worked fine! This was on a 2005 Chopper, so perhaps yours is different.

I read some of your previous post where you mentioned that happening. I definately think that could be a possibility. I would like to find out for sure if the speed sensor is broke before I cut into the back of the speedo. But it seems as if there is no way to test the speed sensor to see if it is working. So I guess the easiest thing to do would be to replace the speed sensor since it is pretty cheap and if that doesn't work. Then it must be the speedo. Where did you cut the speedo and how did you fix the whole afterwards?