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Speedometer Interface and Calibration

This is a public forum to discuss Eagle related technical issues. If you are having a problem with your Eagle, this is the place to find help.
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chrisber
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:15 am
FMCA #: F138799
Bus Model: 1984 Eagle Model 10 (As Good As It Gets) #020585
-- Currently powered by DDC 6V92TA, Allison MT740
-- DDC 12.7 L Series 60 (Pre-EGR) and adapted Allison HD 4560
still sitting on special dolly ready to be installed.
Location: El Paso, TX

Speedometer Interface and Calibration

Post by chrisber »

I really like the design and execution of the Eagle 10/15 dash. I am also convinced that Eagle Manufacturing was way ahead of its time when they incorporated luminescent panels and effectual dashboard illumination via luminescent strips. You will find them in the cockpits of modern aircraft today. Moreover, the use of “MicroSwitch” controls and indicators reminds me of the Apollo years. Just about every console, whether on the ground or in orbit, featured MicroSwitch devices. Those were the days when everything from nuts and bolts to hydrogen fuel cells -- to electromechanical devices was proudly made in the good old United States -- by government edict, I might add.

This puts me at a disadvantage, because I cannot force myself to accept available aftermarket designs and implementations – including the custom jobs I have seen in various conversions.

Before I get off on an emotional tangent, here is my problem:

When I first bought my Eagle 10 (open shell), I found the driver’s area and structural hack job in an indescribable condition. This included a rather unsuccessful attempt by someone to somehow concoct a modified dash. To make a long story short, after hours of head banging I have been able to resolve the electrical and interface faux pas that defies human logic. The overall dash, however, still looks like hell!

I am now rebuilding the dash. Besides color-matched upholstering over the original housing, I will use black anodized aluminum panels with engraved lettering akin to the ones used in Eagle 10/15 coaches. I may even go as far as acquiring aircraft luminescent panels and strips for nighttime illumination.

Anyway, I am now the proud owner of an original Eagle speedometer amongst many other Eagle gauges. It’s the 5 1/2” (140 mm) diameter unit also made by VDO (not the VDO TachoGraph). The identification numbers stamped on the cylindrical housing are 330. 211/10/6 12V W1.0 T 2.88. On the back of subject speedometer are four terminals, two (+, -) for DC power and two (G, Z) for input from a speed transducer (sending unit).

The sending unit at the Allison HT 740 appears original (although I am not sure). It has four (4) terminals, however, that are not labeled. So, I have no idea how it is supposed to be wired or what the actual output waveform looks like. Neither do I know anything about the design of the sending unit...

Is the output a sine wave from a small generator? Is it a magnetic pick-up generating n-number of pulses per output shaft revolution at the transmission? Or is it a Hall-effect device? Then there is the question of perhaps how many pulses per transmission output shaft revolution is required by subject speedometer to provide accurate speed indications.

I may be able to get there from here, once I understand the speedometer input requirements. So, may I ask y’all to enlighten me on how to re-establish the correct speedometer interface? I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks, Christian
Last edited by chrisber on Sun May 24, 2009 6:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Christian Berlit
El Paso, TX

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
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luvrbus
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 2981
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:50 pm
FMCA #: F262917
Bus Model: 05

Re: Speedometer Interface and Calibration

Post by luvrbus »

I thought Eagle used Dixson speedometers I never saw a VDO speedometer in the Eagles before so I can not help you all my manuals show a Dixson.The guy in Phoenix at Precison Speed I bet could help you. good luck

Clifford
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chrisber
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:15 am
FMCA #: F138799
Bus Model: 1984 Eagle Model 10 (As Good As It Gets) #020585
-- Currently powered by DDC 6V92TA, Allison MT740
-- DDC 12.7 L Series 60 (Pre-EGR) and adapted Allison HD 4560
still sitting on special dolly ready to be installed.
Location: El Paso, TX

Re: Speedometer Interface and Calibration

Post by chrisber »

Clifford -

FYI, here is a picture of my Eagle VDO Speedo...

Image

Christian
Last edited by chrisber on Fri May 22, 2009 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
luvrbus
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 2981
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:50 pm
FMCA #: F262917
Bus Model: 05

Re: Speedometer Interface and Calibration

Post by luvrbus »

I can not get the image to work I would like to see it I have 3 model 05's, 1 model 07 and 1 model 15 here and they have the Dixson 4 in dia same as the tach wonder what model it came from.
Keep your eyes open for a guy from El Paso driving a model 20 with no skin on the outside he should be passing through El Paso Sat headed for Austin that will be Doyle (texas border dude) good luck

Clifford
Hal
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 73
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:25 pm
FMCA #: f128731
Bus Model: 1974 05 Eagle

Re: Speedometer Interface and Calibration

Post by Hal »

Hi Chris,
You might give VDO a call on the speedometer-I was thinking they were the hall effect type but my memory is kind of like my hair-not too much left anymore.
I remember that speedo from the ones' I bought from VDO years ago and ended up selling to Jefferson Truck along with a few hundred other Eagle logo gauges.(thought I was going to make a few bucks on them but....)
Good luck finding someone there that knows and will give you the information.
Hal
User avatar
chrisber
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:15 am
FMCA #: F138799
Bus Model: 1984 Eagle Model 10 (As Good As It Gets) #020585
-- Currently powered by DDC 6V92TA, Allison MT740
-- DDC 12.7 L Series 60 (Pre-EGR) and adapted Allison HD 4560
still sitting on special dolly ready to be installed.
Location: El Paso, TX

Re: Speedometer Interface and Calibration

Post by chrisber »

I have been unable to speak to a knowledgeable person at VDO. It’s either a computer drone reading from a script or some PR weasel full of the proverbial BS. So, I will be very grateful for any pointer on subject speedometer or information on the specific input this unit requires.

You see, VDO has fallen -- as so many other companies in recent times -- into the hands of corporate raiders and new leadership with an insane belief that they can manage an organization they don’t know anything about and without understanding their current and past product lines.

Some background:

VDO is now owned and operated by the Hanover, Germany-based Continental AG. Siemens-VDO Automotive AG has therefore been acquired by this old German tire maker on December 5, 2007.

Before that merger, the engineering and automotive companies within the Mannesmann Group were combined to form ATECS Mannesmann AG in March 2000. The following month, management agreed to accept an improved offer for ATECS from Bosch/Siemens rather than proceed with a planned IPO. Each partner retained a 50% stake in the joint venture, to be called ATECS Siemens Automotive AG, then Siemens VDO Automotive AG.

Built in 1952, the plant at the Ft. Collier Industrial Park in Frederick County, Va. was originally VDO-Yazaki, a German-Japanese joint venture that employed 750 persons. The VDO portion was owned by Mannesmann, which also owned Argo Instruments that employed 80 more in a facility around the corner from VDO-Yazaki. The maker of truck electronic control instruments was consolidated into the VDO plant in the mid-1990s. Sadly enough by the end of 2002 the plant closed and all US based employees lost their jobs.

Christian
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ericbsc
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 743
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:31 pm
FMCA #: 12345678
Bus Model: 1973 Eagle 05
Location: Boiling Springs, SC

Re: Speedometer Interface and Calibration

Post by ericbsc »

Call VDO tech support @ 1-800-265-1818. Ask for Jim. He is pretty good with the old stuff.
Eric Brown
Spartanburg, SC
1973 05
Series 60 allison 4000MHP
User avatar
chrisber
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:15 am
FMCA #: F138799
Bus Model: 1984 Eagle Model 10 (As Good As It Gets) #020585
-- Currently powered by DDC 6V92TA, Allison MT740
-- DDC 12.7 L Series 60 (Pre-EGR) and adapted Allison HD 4560
still sitting on special dolly ready to be installed.
Location: El Paso, TX

Re: Speedometer Interface and Calibration

Post by chrisber »

Thank you very much for the lead, Eric. I certainly appreciate it :D

Jim at the now ‘Continental’ Tech Support is very courteous and indeed clued-up in relation to the intricacies of the classic VDO line of products. What a refreshing surprise!!!

He seems to have recognized the 5 1/2” (140 mm) diameter VDO Speedo (330. 211/10/6 12V W1.0 T 2.88.) Moreover, he is familiar with the sending unit (Kienzle Apparate) located at the tail section of the Allison HT 740.

The Speedo apparently requires a 16 pulse/rev input from the Hall-effect sending unit. The labeling at the Speedo’s electrical terminals, two (+, -) and two (G, Z) has the following denotation “+” is the +12VDC input and “-“is common ground from the vehicle battery. “G” is the signal input for speed (pulses/second) and "Z" is the odometer input (pulse count).

At the sending unit, there are three electrical terminals (1) GS, (2) C, (3) ZO. Again, “GS” is the signal output, “ZO” is the odometer output and “C” is the common or negative 12VDC connection.

Chris
Christian Berlit
El Paso, TX

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
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