Speedometer: Canadian vs USA

[firzen]

Before anyone gets into an argument about who is better or why the other side sucks, I want to know if somebody has encountered this situation.

The speedo/odometer for our cars has two versions- one that reads miles (US) and one that reads metric (CA). I want to know if the two are interchangeable, such that each speedo/odometer already has the electronics to accurately process information from the speedo-cable.

Obviously I could do this by testing it but I prefer not to drive when there's a foot of snow outside.

Thanks.

[RETed]

Should be...
I believe it's the "260kph" one you're talking about?
Same thing as 160mph...


-Ted

[Prodigy]

I'm going to go ahead and be the first to spout off a smart ass comment


it should be Canada vs USA, a speedometer question

or Canadian vs American gauge clusters
etc..

in all the useless technicalities...


On Wards!!!... I think (notice the think) it would be just the gauge cluster you have to change, based on my thoughts that think it would be stupid to need to change out any system other then the cluster, if they speed sensors are different, then switching over would be a huge pain in the ass, I can see some of the engineers, or the programmers realizing it would be a major common sense absence to need to change anything but the cluster. I do believe that cluster gets a signal from the WSS (Wheel speed sensors) and then adjusts the speedometer accordingly... that is my opinion, and not fact...


J.

[RETed]

Sorry, for the FC, the speedometer is mechanically connected to the transmission.
No electronics whatsoever...

Besides, the only FC model with "wheel sensors" are ABS brakes equipped ones.
So you're saying the only FC models with a proper speedo are only ones with the ABS option?
Of course you're not.


-Ted

[firzen]

Thanks, Ted. I figured they would be the same but I wanted to make sure.

[Prodigy]

Sorry, for the FC, the speedometer is mechanically connected to the transmission.
No electronics whatsoever...

Besides, the only FC model with "wheel sensors" are ABS brakes equipped ones.
So you're saying the only FC models with a proper speedo are only ones with the ABS option?
Of course you're not.


Good to know about the mechanical drive for the speedo...

I was not trying to imply that only speedo's based off of WSS are good. I was trying to imply I hope the Mazda engineers were smart enough that they kept the "speed" of the speedo cable the same, and to change from KPH to MPH all you need to do it switch the cluster (whether it be driven by WSS or cable) instead of having to say switch gearing in the tranny, or the cable perhaps... (i'm just rambling now)

if you know what I mean....


J.

[RETed]

It doesn't matter in this case...
160mph = 260kph
The sweep range is identical in both case, so no need to adjust anything.

If you do change the range - like some 180kph J-spec units - it's just a matter of swapping out the plastic (usually) ratio gear sitting "underneath" the speedo cable end in the transmission.
This is the typical way you change the speedo output on most cars.


-Ted