'88 4Runner Speedometer
 

Hi all. Hoping to get some help in fixing my speedo.

The truck spends most of its time unused, and when I do drive it, it's just around the block.

So anyway, a couple months ago I noticed that gauges stopped working (temp, speedo, and fuel.)

Then a couple weeks later I drove it and they worked again. Rinse and repeat once or twice more.

Now the temp and fuel work, but not the speedo.

What should I check first? Thanks!

No tips on what and where I need to tighten/jiggle?

pull the gauge cluster out. Then loosen and tighten all the brass screws on the back side.

Assuming the instrument cluster is stock, that might help with the gauges. By reestablishing better electrical contact. But it wouldn't help with the speedo. Since it's cable driven.

So, before tearing the dash apart to get to the instrument cluster, you might want to check that the cable drive isn't the issue. Since it can only be a matter of 3 things that would cause a cable driven speedo to not work.

1. The speedo driven gear in the transfer case.
2. The speedo cable.
3. The speedometer itself.

One clue as to where the problem is can be found by checking for codes. If you aren't getting code 42(Vehicle Speed Sensor/SPD signal missing for 5 seconds when engine speed is above 2500 rpm), then you can be fairly certain that the cable isn't the issue. Since that suggests the VSS is still working. Which, since the VSS is an integral part of the speedo unit, also suggests that the cable is spinning as it should be. Therefore the problem is most likely a broken speedometer(stripped gears, snapped shaft, needle disconnected from the shaft, etc.).