Finally got my Duster back on the road today for the first time in over a month. Was grounded due to rusted out floorpans. Everything is fine now except for the speedometer which rattles constantly and makes a dinging noise, kind of like a small bell. The needle stays in one spot as long as you are climbing a hill or gaining speed, but bounces all over the place when you level off. Did this before so I lubricated it with graphite and it quietened down. It seems to have no effect this time. Any ideas? Speedo cable is brand new also, less than a month old.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

I thought they all did that...

Seriously, sounds like time for a speedometer head. Be sure the cable is hooked up good first, full thread engagement at the trans and snapped in place good at the back of the head.

Once, coming back from the track, the speedo broke in my Duster... I looked down, and suddenly I was going 110 mph! When I came to the next stoplight, I was still going 45... the return spring broke! Good thing I didn't get pulled over... "Sir, do you know how fast you were going?" "Gee, occifer, my speedometer said 120..." "Well I only clocked you at 69 mph!"

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

You might want to pull the cable out and look for any bright spots. The cable sheath might be kinked, twisted, bent, or otherwise binding the cable.
Different behavior on hills vs level might be related to a shift in engine/trans position under torque - pointing to some kind of bind, perhaps?

When it did this before I drove it for a while and it got a little better. Could the fact that it sat unused for almost 3-months(out of the car, in a plastic bag, entire cluster) be the reason for this. Do they still make new speedometer heads for these things.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

It sounds like the bushing that the needle cup spins in is worn out. The speedo works by the cable spinning a magnet inside of a metal cup on the needle shaft. When the bronze bushing gets worn out the cup can contact the magnet which causes the dinging sound and makes the needle jump. I know that the older models like my 65 have oil port where you can lube the bushing and that may improve it. If not then it's probably time to find another speedo unit.

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"Former Owner" of '65 Barracuda, 225, Auto, MP 2bbl intake, MP cam, Dutra Duals. Presently Moparless.