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Spedometer cable question


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Yup, my spedometer isn't working. I also have this big electrical short problem. Before I replace the cable, just thought I'd ask if somehow, the electric problem could be the cause of the problem. I have odds that the answer is no but..............

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the speedometer cable is soleley mechanical, there is no electrical to it

 

its possible that if you were working under the hood you may have tugged on it and popped it off the back of the cluster. i have seen this happen when someone was changing the heater hoses, and pulled it out from behind the cluster

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  • 3 weeks later...

No replies in a while, so I'll hijack :drunk:

 

My speedo doesn't work. Stopped after messing around firewall area. Have plugged cable securely to gauge several times... nothing. Never a problem before.

Got to do some troubleshooting last night.

Disconnected cable from speedo, drove with finger on it... it moves. Good.

Plugged in, no good.

Unplug, push spinny part in with some finger pressure, hook up, kinda works. VERY sluggish / stop-and-go.

Drive another mile to work. Speedo dead when I leave.

Removed, pressed, installed, no good.

 

Should you be able to pull on the inner (rotating) part? How far should it come out? I pulled mine about 4 inches, but put back because I didn't know if it was supposed to.

Is the inner part broken somewhere?

Does it need lubed? How?

On the manual tranny, what tool to loosen connection? I looked at it, but it seemed hard to reach.

 

--ED

Do

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Ed1534: I'd say you've worn something out. The end of the speedo cable is square & fits into a square hole in the cluster. If the edges are worn, it could be slipping. My suggestion: replace it.

 

The inner part should be able to pulled all the way out, but not from the end you're working from. The other end only. Sounds like it has stretched & is about to break. As I said, replace it.

 

Brumby Boy: your cable needs lubrication. Whatever oil is in the sleeve for the cable to spin in has run down & therefore the cable is catching. Remove the cable assebly from the car, pull the cable out & relube it. Dunno what with, talk to your local mechanic. This is actually a pretty common problem up there due the high humidity & heat in summer.

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Brumby Boy: your cable needs lubrication. Whatever oil is in the sleeve for the cable to spin in has run down & therefore the cable is catching. Remove the cable assebly from the car, pull the cable out & relube it. Dunno what with, talk to your local mechanic. This is actually a pretty common problem up there due the high humidity & heat in summer.

I had to relube mine about a year ago, I used black silicone grease with moly in it - something that Mobil makes/made - says Mobil CMP on top - has worked much better, but not perfectly, may get new speedo cable anyway

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Yup, my spedometer isn't working. I also have this big electrical short problem. Before I replace the cable, just thought I'd ask if somehow, the electric problem could be the cause of the problem. I have odds that the answer is no but..............

 

ok, so my buddy with a 1983GL just had to crawl under the car to attach his spedometer cable. Different story on the 85 GL.......do I take the dash off. Never done that before. Is it easy?

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