Discolored Speedo Digital Display 1998 1220C
#1
11-12-2019, 08:55 PM
#2
11-12-2019, 09:10 PM
I would have to guess you mean odometer display or miles traveled.
But for a few years with the last being 1998 Harley speedometers that had an LCD odometer(miles traveled) readout had an issue withe the LCD screen leaking.
The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) would leak its black liquid and display for the odometer would become difficult to read.
Almost looks like an ink leak in the odometer display.
Those units had a silver odometer backing with thick black LCD numbers.
Different from the newer ones with yellowish backing and thinner LCD numbers
I believe those units were made by Faria and are a different supplier than 1999 and newer units.
The speedometer retains or counts mileage traveled but it will become more difficult to read over time as it leaks more.
The mileage will not transfer to another unit either.
The mileage is only retained in the speedometer and not the ECM
The solution on touring model units is to find a donor LCD screen from a used unit or to update wire harness to the plug and play style speedometer.
Alternatively there are companies that you can mail speedometer to and they can change-out LCD screen.
#3
11-12-2019, 09:24 PM
#4
11-13-2019, 10:05 AM
I do not know what a 1220C is ?
I would have to guess you mean odometer display or miles traveled.
But for a few years with the last being 1998 Harley speedometers that had an LCD odometer(miles traveled) readout had an issue withe the LCD screen leaking.
The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) would leak its black liquid and display for the odometer would become difficult to read.
Almost looks like an ink leak in the odometer display.
Those units had a silver odometer backing with thick black LCD numbers.
Different from the newer ones with yellowish backing and thinner LCD numbers
I believe those units were made by Faria and are a different supplier than 1999 and newer units.
The speedometer retains or counts mileage traveled but it will become more difficult to read over time as it leaks more.
The mileage will not transfer to another unit either.
The mileage is only retained in the speedometer and not the ECM
The solution on touring model units is to find a donor LCD screen from a used unit or to update wire harness to the plug and play style speedometer.
Alternatively there are companies that you can mail speedometer to and they can change-out LCD screen.
I would have to guess you mean odometer display or miles traveled.
But for a few years with the last being 1998 Harley speedometers that had an LCD odometer(miles traveled) readout had an issue withe the LCD screen leaking.
The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) would leak its black liquid and display for the odometer would become difficult to read.
Almost looks like an ink leak in the odometer display.
Those units had a silver odometer backing with thick black LCD numbers.
Different from the newer ones with yellowish backing and thinner LCD numbers
I believe those units were made by Faria and are a different supplier than 1999 and newer units.
The speedometer retains or counts mileage traveled but it will become more difficult to read over time as it leaks more.
The mileage will not transfer to another unit either.
The mileage is only retained in the speedometer and not the ECM
The solution on touring model units is to find a donor LCD screen from a used unit or to update wire harness to the plug and play style speedometer.
Alternatively there are companies that you can mail speedometer to and they can change-out LCD screen.
Thanks for the info. The mileage currently displays as a burn orange discolored rectangle and distorts the black numbers. So the simple answer is "Defective Design and no repair available?" I can probably replace the display if I can find the part. I didn't realize that 1998 Sporty's had an ECM... so you're saying that a newer speedo can be used with proper wiring connections? (The last time I knew anything about Sportsters was 1967... this is my son's bike... I'm too old to ride a shaker more than 3 blocks).
#5
11-13-2019, 01:58 PM
Looks like you might have a 1200 custom (a sportster frame).
The speedometers of that era show a leaking LCD as a common report.
A google search for images should show a few.
The original factory speedometer came with an odometer with a silver/grey backing like an LCD calculator.
The actual numbers leaked their fluid.
I had a 1997 883 sportster at one time.
The mirrors were a blur at highway speeds.
I mentioned the ECM (you do not have one) in order to potentially answer the question most people have in regards to mileage transfer.
Mileage transfer is not possible with that unit... since mileage is in the speedometer only.
You put a new one in and it starts at zero, you put a used one in and it starts at whatever was in old speedometer.
Your later description of "burn orange discolored rectangle and distorts the black numbers" does NOT read like the usual and common problem of an LCD leak unless the leak is really really old and the ink looking stuff basically ran out..
Yours is reading like the unit received some significant amount of sun/weather damage.
You would need to take a look inside speedometer, purchase a replacement or send it to a shop for repair.
The common LCD leak looks exactly as described..leaking ink from numbers on the silver LCD display... NO orange before or after damage.
The speedometers of that ERA are NOT a simple plug at back of speedometer unit, need to go a little deeper.
The softtail and touring bikes have a sub-harness available from drag specialties to update to newer style but i have no idea of a sub-harness for 1998 sportster style frame.
A few forum members have reported success using a company for touring model speedometer repairs.
Other members have conducted a DIY with a donor LCD from another unit from same model.
It requires great patience since removal of needle can alter speed reading on dial.
This is one company that i wrote down as general information.
The link will also show a picture of common LCD leak.
The benefit of a repair is that you retain correct odometer mileage.
http://www.eyezongauges.com/Harley_D...air_s/1841.htm
The speedometers of that era show a leaking LCD as a common report.
A google search for images should show a few.
The original factory speedometer came with an odometer with a silver/grey backing like an LCD calculator.
The actual numbers leaked their fluid.
I had a 1997 883 sportster at one time.
The mirrors were a blur at highway speeds.
I mentioned the ECM (you do not have one) in order to potentially answer the question most people have in regards to mileage transfer.
Mileage transfer is not possible with that unit... since mileage is in the speedometer only.
You put a new one in and it starts at zero, you put a used one in and it starts at whatever was in old speedometer.
Your later description of "burn orange discolored rectangle and distorts the black numbers" does NOT read like the usual and common problem of an LCD leak unless the leak is really really old and the ink looking stuff basically ran out..
Yours is reading like the unit received some significant amount of sun/weather damage.
You would need to take a look inside speedometer, purchase a replacement or send it to a shop for repair.
The common LCD leak looks exactly as described..leaking ink from numbers on the silver LCD display... NO orange before or after damage.
The speedometers of that ERA are NOT a simple plug at back of speedometer unit, need to go a little deeper.
The softtail and touring bikes have a sub-harness available from drag specialties to update to newer style but i have no idea of a sub-harness for 1998 sportster style frame.
A few forum members have reported success using a company for touring model speedometer repairs.
Other members have conducted a DIY with a donor LCD from another unit from same model.
It requires great patience since removal of needle can alter speed reading on dial.
This is one company that i wrote down as general information.
The link will also show a picture of common LCD leak.
The benefit of a repair is that you retain correct odometer mileage.
http://www.eyezongauges.com/Harley_D...air_s/1841.htm
Last edited by im; 11-13-2019 at 02:00 PM.
#6
07-22-2020, 05:30 PM
Looks like you might have a 1200 custom (a sportster frame).
The speedometers of that era show a leaking LCD as a common report.
A google search for images should show a few.
The original factory speedometer came with an odometer with a silver/grey backing like an LCD calculator.
The actual numbers leaked their fluid.
I had a 1997 883 sportster at one time.
The mirrors were a blur at highway speeds.
I mentioned the ECM (you do not have one) in order to potentially answer the question most people have in regards to mileage transfer.
Mileage transfer is not possible with that unit... since mileage is in the speedometer only.
You put a new one in and it starts at zero, you put a used one in and it starts at whatever was in old speedometer.
Your later description of "burn orange discolored rectangle and distorts the black numbers" does NOT read like the usual and common problem of an LCD leak unless the leak is really really old and the ink looking stuff basically ran out..
Yours is reading like the unit received some significant amount of sun/weather damage.
You would need to take a look inside speedometer, purchase a replacement or send it to a shop for repair.
The common LCD leak looks exactly as described..leaking ink from numbers on the silver LCD display... NO orange before or after damage.
The speedometers of that ERA are NOT a simple plug at back of speedometer unit, need to go a little deeper.
The softtail and touring bikes have a sub-harness available from drag specialties to update to newer style but i have no idea of a sub-harness for 1998 sportster style frame.
A few forum members have reported success using a company for touring model speedometer repairs.
Other members have conducted a DIY with a donor LCD from another unit from same model.
It requires great patience since removal of needle can alter speed reading on dial.
This is one company that i wrote down as general information.
The link will also show a picture of common LCD leak.
The benefit of a repair is that you retain correct odometer mileage.
http://www.eyezongauges.com/Harley_D...air_s/1841.htm
The speedometers of that era show a leaking LCD as a common report.
A google search for images should show a few.
The original factory speedometer came with an odometer with a silver/grey backing like an LCD calculator.
The actual numbers leaked their fluid.
I had a 1997 883 sportster at one time.
The mirrors were a blur at highway speeds.
I mentioned the ECM (you do not have one) in order to potentially answer the question most people have in regards to mileage transfer.
Mileage transfer is not possible with that unit... since mileage is in the speedometer only.
You put a new one in and it starts at zero, you put a used one in and it starts at whatever was in old speedometer.
Your later description of "burn orange discolored rectangle and distorts the black numbers" does NOT read like the usual and common problem of an LCD leak unless the leak is really really old and the ink looking stuff basically ran out..
Yours is reading like the unit received some significant amount of sun/weather damage.
You would need to take a look inside speedometer, purchase a replacement or send it to a shop for repair.
The common LCD leak looks exactly as described..leaking ink from numbers on the silver LCD display... NO orange before or after damage.
The speedometers of that ERA are NOT a simple plug at back of speedometer unit, need to go a little deeper.
The softtail and touring bikes have a sub-harness available from drag specialties to update to newer style but i have no idea of a sub-harness for 1998 sportster style frame.
A few forum members have reported success using a company for touring model speedometer repairs.
Other members have conducted a DIY with a donor LCD from another unit from same model.
It requires great patience since removal of needle can alter speed reading on dial.
This is one company that i wrote down as general information.
The link will also show a picture of common LCD leak.
The benefit of a repair is that you retain correct odometer mileage.
http://www.eyezongauges.com/Harley_D...air_s/1841.htm
I may have found a replacement LCD from Ronnie's.
I'm not afraid of taking the speedo apart as I did that to my '96 Nightrain if they are similar.
The bike is 2300 miles from me... it's my son's... and the last sporty I was riding was a '67 so I can't evaluate if a JP Cycles gauge would be interchangeable and/or desirable.
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