Odometer Rolled Over?

[bigchip06]

Is there any way to know for sure if the odometer has rolled over (and how many times?) Maybe an internal spring or gear? Not just by wear and tear on the truck. My ‘77 K20 spent most of its life on a farm so I don’t think it’d have too many miles, but the clock only says 9k. Now we all know that can’t be right. I’m guessing the odo rolled over once and it actually has 109k but I’m OCD about those details and would sleep a lot better at night if I knew for sure.

 

[Matt69olds]

Unless you have some maintenance records with dates and odometer numbers from over the years, there is really no way to tell for sure.

 

[bigchip06]

Unless you have some maintenance records with dates and odometer numbers from over the years, there is really no way to tell for sure.

Bummer, that’s what I expected though. The only piece of info my truck came with is a visor calendar from ‘86, I’ll have to double check if there’s any mileage written on it. Seems like CarFax and all the other vin checking websites only work for 1981+ vins so that’s out of the question too.

 

[WP29P4A]

I know on Mopar vehicles when the odometer turns over the numbers don't line up perfectly in a row, they look slightly stepped. Not sure if General motors odometers do this. On some years there is a pad that contacts the numbers in the far left wheel, it wipes some of the finish off the numbers so you can tell if it turned over.

 

[Grit dog]

I know on Mopar vehicles when the odometer turns over the numbers don't line up perfectly in a row, they look slightly stepped. Not sure if General motors odometers do this. On some years there is a pad that contacts the numbers in the far left wheel, it wipes some of the finish off the numbers so you can tell if it turned over.

Interesting. Especially the sand paper thing. Like a manual counter of 100k.

 

[Grit dog]

Dad always used the brake pedal as an indicator.
“Low mile ceampuff”. Dad be like “********, you see how much that brake pedal is wore down, that thing has 130k on it”

 

[bigchip06]

I know on Mopar vehicles when the odometer turns over the numbers don't line up perfectly in a row, they look slightly stepped. Not sure if General motors odometers do this. On some years there is a pad that contacts the numbers in the far left wheel, it wipes some of the finish off the numbers so you can tell if it turned over.

Thanks for the insight, I thought I heard something like that with other vehicles

 

[Turbo4whl]

Safe to assume the odometer rolled over a couple times.

In this area, average daily driven, might have 15,000 miles a year. 1977, 45 years old.. was it parked 10 years? Was it a farm truck?

45 X 15,000 = 675,000. Probably doesn't have that many miles, but 1/2 of that?

 

[bigchip06]

Safe to assume the odometer rolled over a couple times.

In this area, average daily driven, might have 15,000 miles a year. 1977, 45 years old.. was it parked 10 years? Was it a farm truck?

45 X 15,000 = 675,000. Probably doesn't have that many miles, but 1/2 of that?

Honestly I’d be really surprised if it has over 200k. The guy I bought it from said he got it in an estate sale from a farm that had a handful of other squares. Older gent used them as field trucks or for parts before he passed. By the visor calendar from ‘86 I’m guessing that was the last year it was really driven on the road but of course this is all speculation, seems like there’s really no way to know for sure

 

[WP29P4A]

Interesting. Especially the sand paper thing. Like a manual counter of 100k.

They also had at one time a chemicle that was on a pad that would contact the far left digit and leave behind a non visible film that would glow under a black light to let them know if the odometer had been turned over.

 

[WP29P4A]

Thanks for the insight, I thought I heard something like that with other vehicles

Here is a perfect example, truck is for sale on CL.( for only 14,000) LOL. Look at the alignment of the 8 and the 5. The 5 lines up with the 144 but the 8 is a different height than all the rest.

 

[peats]

If the cab mount and rad support bushings are cracked and clapped out it's over 100k. If the are nice and smooth and look good it is probably low mileage. gauge cluster could have been changed at some time as well.

 

[peats]

Also check for original ball joints (riveted not bolted)

 

[78C10BigTen]

Here is a perfect example, truck is for sale on CL.( for only 14,000) LOL. Look at the alignment of the 8 and the 5. The 5 lines up with the 144 but the 8 is a different height than all the rest.

Thats odd... My 78 is straight across and im almost 100% sure its been over at least once!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[WP29P4A]

It most certainly is not straight across in the pic you posted. LOL. All of your numbers are low in the viewing window and the 4 is lower than the rest. They don't all consistently miss align like the last example with just the left digit being low compared to the rest. Yours is another great example, the numbers don't line up the way they did before it turned over, they are all lower than normal, with the 4 and the 1 being lower than the rest. They just don't look quite RIGHT after turning over and they all look a little different in how they mis-align.

Your pic is straight on and you can still see the bottom of the numbers on the row above 2134.

So what I'm saying is, when the ODO turns over the alignment of the numbers changes slightly and inconsistently, but still noticeably different than before it rolls over. I am not saying that every ODO does this.