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Speedometer wrong?



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 14th 05, 09:39 PM
Ted
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"MWarren" > wrote in message
...
> 1991 318is
> As near as I can tell, me speedometer reads 5-10 mph faster than I am
> actually going. Was wonderng if there is any hope of fixing this or if I
> just need to make the mental adjustment. Thanks.
>
>
> Matt
>
>


how do you know?

the easiest fix is to run it for less than 1 hour i.e. keep to 59 minutes
max.

dj


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  #2  
Old June 14th 05, 10:21 PM
Mr. 6 2 U
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Do you have smaller wheels on it than stock?

  #3  
Old June 14th 05, 10:24 PM
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MWarren wrote:
> 1991 318is
> As near as I can tell, me speedometer reads 5-10 mph faster than I am
> actually going. Was wonderng if there is any hope of fixing this or if I
> just need to make the mental adjustment.


Mental adjustment would be your best bet. For some reason, many
Beamers' speedos read high, including mine. This subject has
been discussed here previously.

--
Cliff

  #4  
Old June 14th 05, 10:38 PM
Malt_Hound
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MWarren wrote:
> 1991 318is
> As near as I can tell, me speedometer reads 5-10 mph faster than I am
> actually going. Was wonderng if there is any hope of fixing this or if I
> just need to make the mental adjustment. Thanks.
>
>
> Matt
>
>



As the BMW stealers are wont to say: "they all do that."

-Fred W
  #5  
Old June 14th 05, 10:49 PM
John Carrier
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Germany has a law that requires no speedometer be pessimistic in its speed
reading. Sooo, BMW chooses to insure they are in compliance by installing
optimistic speedometers. Typically 5 mph in the 65-75 mph range.

R / John

"MWarren" > wrote in message
...
> 1991 318is
> As near as I can tell, me speedometer reads 5-10 mph faster than I am
> actually going. Was wonderng if there is any hope of fixing this or if I
> just need to make the mental adjustment. Thanks.
>
>
> Matt
>
>



  #6  
Old June 14th 05, 10:57 PM
Jeff Strickland
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It should read faster than you are going. This keeps you from going too
fast.

If the signs say 45, and your speedo says 45 but you are really doing 40,
then you will never get a ticket if the speedo never goes above the number
on the sign.

You can calibrate your speedo with a stop watch and your Cruise Control. Set
the Cruise to 80, then measure the time it takes to go a mile. It should
take 45 seconds. The miles are marked on the side of the freeways. If you
watch the right shoulder, you will see signs that count down as you go south
or west. Typically a Call Box will be placed where one of these signs would
belong, but not always. When you see a Call Box, there should be a sign in
one half mile because the signs are normally placed at half-mile intervals.
Do not use the odometer to click the miles off because if the speedo is
having an error, the odometer will have an error too.

You can use the signs to check your odometer (trip meter), and with a stop
watch, you can calibrate your speedo. There are 3600 seconds in an hour, so
if you divide 3600 by the time it takes to go a mile -- 360 / 40 = 90 mph,
3600 / 45 = 80 mph, 3600 / 48 = 75 mph, 3600 / 51.43 = 70 mph, 3600 / 60 =
60 mph. Alternatively, 3600 / 80 mph = 45 seconds. You can set your Cruise,
and divide 3600 by the setting of the cruise to calculate the time it takes
for the mile markers to whiz by, and use the stop watch to see where the
markers should be.

My speedometer is very nearly perfect between 60 and 90, myj guess is that
it is accurate across the entire range -- but this is speculation. You
didn't say what size tires you are running, but if your tires are too small,
then the speedo will be too fast.



"MWarren" > wrote in message
...
> 1991 318is
> As near as I can tell, me speedometer reads 5-10 mph faster than I am
> actually going. Was wonderng if there is any hope of fixing this or if I
> just need to make the mental adjustment. Thanks.
>
>
> Matt
>
>



  #7  
Old June 14th 05, 11:42 PM
MWarren
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Default Speedometer wrong?

1991 318is
As near as I can tell, me speedometer reads 5-10 mph faster than I am
actually going. Was wonderng if there is any hope of fixing this or if I
just need to make the mental adjustment. Thanks.


Matt


  #8  
Old June 14th 05, 11:45 PM
Psycho
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On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 14:57:49 -0700, "Jeff Strickland"
> wrote:

>belong, but not always. When you see a Call Box, there should be a sign in
>one half mile because the signs are normally placed at half-mile intervals.
>Do not use the odometer to click the miles off because if the speedo is
>having an error, the odometer will have an error too.


My speedo is about 4mph high at 70 but the odometer is dead on...

  #10  
Old June 15th 05, 12:07 AM
zerouali
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"SteveG <"s.goodfellow"@blueyonder" <"dot> wrote in message
. uk...
> wrote:
>> MWarren wrote:
>>
>>>1991 318is
>>>As near as I can tell, me speedometer reads 5-10 mph faster than I am
>>>actually going. Was wonderng if there is any hope of fixing this or if I
>>>just need to make the mental adjustment.

>>
>>
>> Mental adjustment would be your best bet. For some reason, many
>> Beamers' speedos read high, including mine. This subject has
>> been discussed here previously.
>>
>> --
>> Cliff
>>

>
> If you live in Europe ALL speedometers (should) read faster than you are
> actually going ... it's a legal requirement and explains why the needle on
> many speedos start above zero. It also explains why when you say to the
> nice policeman "but my speedo only showed xx mph" and he's booking you for
> xx+5 he doesn't believe you :-)
>
> In the UK you can check the Construction and Use Regulations, but from
> memory current requirements are for the speedo to read <6% high; 0% low.
>
> Having non-standard wheels and tyres can effect the accuracy of the
> speedo, of course, depending on the rolling circumference as compared to
> the stock sizes.
>
> --
> Regards
>
> Steve G


Steve, think you had better read this bit again .....
"(should) read faster than you are actually going .....but my speedo only
showed xx mph
and he's booking you for xx+5 he doesn't believe you"

In this case you'd actually be doing xx - x, no?


 




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