Speedo cable - what the @#$%& (1 Viewer)

[hodag]

So my speedo has gradually gone from working, to sometimes working, to bouncing around, to not working at all.

Im under the truck changing oil today, so I decide to take a look at it. I pulled the end off the side of the tranny, looked at the drive end, and it looked fine. I was gonna hook it to my cordless drill to see if the speedo moved. When I grabbed the end at the tranny, it felt a little loose, so I pulled on it a little. Well, the whole inner cable came out in one long piece.

The other end of the cable is squared off, so I dont think it is broken. What should I do? Shove it back through and take it apart at the speedo itself? What should keep the cable from pulling loose from the back of the speedo? What kind of bear is it to take apart the instrument cluster?

Ok, enough for now. Thanks, Hodag

 

[Godwin]

Clean it off, relube it, put it back in. You may run into a little resistance where the outer cable bends into the back of the speedo housing.

 

[Tinker]

If the cable's in one piece, the head is gone. Take it to a reputable speedo shop.

 

[Texx]

Normally, in 40's at least, it's your speedo drive gear that craps out. Pull the keeper bolt out of the fitting where you screw the cable onto the tranny, pull the fitting out, you'll probably see the plastic gears are stripped on the drive gear.

 

[lovetoski]

My speedo was pretty wierd for quite awhile. Worked fine when cold, but when hot it read really high (eg 25mph actualy, but 60 indicated). Replaced cable, no difference.

Pulled the speedo head, removed from instrument cluster, and cleaned thoroughly with brake cleaner and electrical cleaner. (Note, I never dissassembled the speedo, just removed it enough to spray into the guts of it.)

Reinstalled it, and no more problems.

On the cable, I think that the tranny end has a flange attached to the inner cable that should keep the cable properly located in the housing. If the cable looks good, you should be able to re-insert it.