Speedometer stopped working... Need diagnosis (1 Viewer)

[cvan1971man]

Speedometer has stopped working. Here is what I have done

1. Had the speedo rebuilt about 12 months ago.

2. Pulled the speedo cable from the tcase while still connected to the speedo. Ran the drill on reverse and the speedo did not move.

3. Pulled the speedo cable on both ends and ran the drill - the cable spend on the speedo side.

4. Pulled the driven gear. Could not see any gear damage

Ideas and where should I look next?

 

[pbgbottle]

What year is the crusier. Are you sure it was attached to the cluster correctly ?

 

[cvan1971man]

What year is the crusier. Are you sure it was attached to the cluster correctly ?

it is a frankenstein - '78 engine, tranny and t-case, everything else is a '73. The speedo was working for 1 year. then I hopped in it to drive somewhere (it is my son's). Then it wasn't working. The speedo cable was snapped into the back of the cluster.

 

[45Dougal]

Broken cable?

 

[77mustard40]

Broken cable?

Echo, same this has happened to mine

 

[cvan1971man]

Update -
1. Checked speedometer cable from the transfer case backwards. Put the speedometer cable in a drill and ran backwards. The speedometer worked fine.
2. Took the speedometer cable off the back of the cluster and drove it, I could see the cable spin.
2. Installed new driven gear. I could see very little difference between the gear taken out and the gear installed both looked to be in great shape.
3. How big of a tab needs to be on the end of the speedometer cable that goes into the driven gear? See attached pic of end of speedo cable. It looks like the tab fits into the groove on the driven gear without issue and no slip.
4. The speedo cable is tightened completely into the transfer case

Could the speedo cable be bad even though it spins the cluster from the transfer case end with a drill?

It seems like everything is in working order.

 

[cvan1971man]

Anyone regarding the last post?
Update -
1. Checked speedometer cable from the transfer case backwards. Put the speedometer cable in a drill and ran backwards. The speedometer worked fine.
2. Took the speedometer cable off the back of the cluster and drove it, I could see the cable spin.
2. Installed new driven gear. I could see very little difference between the gear taken out and the gear installed both looked to be in great shape.
3. How big of a tab needs to be on the end of the speedometer cable that goes into the driven gear? See attached pic of end of speedo cable. It looks like the tab fits into the groove on the driven gear without issue and no slip.
4. The speedo cable is tightened completely into the transfer case

Could the speedo cable be bad even though it spins the cluster from the transfer case end with a drill?

It seems like everything is in working order.

 

[firemanj92]

Anyone regarding the last post?
Update -
1. Checked speedometer cable from the transfer case backwards. Put the speedometer cable in a drill and ran backwards. The speedometer worked fine.
2. Took the speedometer cable off the back of the cluster and drove it, I could see the cable spin.
2. Installed new driven gear. I could see very little difference between the gear taken out and the gear installed both looked to be in great shape.
3. How big of a tab needs to be on the end of the speedometer cable that goes into the driven gear? See attached pic of end of speedo cable. It looks like the tab fits into the groove on the driven gear without issue and no slip.
4. The speedo cable is tightened completely into the transfer case

Could the speedo cable be bad even though it spins the cluster from the transfer case end with a drill?

It seems like everything is in working order.

Almost sounds like the cable is not inserted enough into the speedo-is it clicked in?

 

[cvan1971man]

Almost sounds like the cable is not inserted enough into the speedo-is it clicked in?

I've checked that multiple times

 

[John McVicker]

You probably did this but just to be sure: your post 7, numbers 1 & 2: you said you put the cable in a drill & saw it turn. Does that mean you put one end of the cable in a drill and then you saw (actually saw) the other end turn?

 

[cvan1971man]

You probably did this but just to be sure: your post 7, numbers 1 & 2: you said you put the cable in a drill & saw it turn. Does that mean you put one end of the cable in a drill and then you saw (actually saw) the other end turn?

I put the transfer case end into a drill and ran it backwards and the speedometer ran

I reinstalled the speedometer cable into the transfer case and puledl the end that is going into the cluster and drove around, I could see the end of the speedometer cable at the cluster spun

 

[John McVicker]

Not trying to be a Dick…but please proof read your comments prior to posting.

If I understand what you’re saying in 11, about the only thing I can see to prevent your speedometer from working is…when you finalize your cable hook up…it’s not actually inserted properly (all the way) at one end or the other. Either at the speedo or the t-case.

 

[cvan1971man]

Not trying to be a Dick…but please proof read your comments prior to posting.

If I understand what you’re saying in 11, about the only thing I can see to prevent your speedometer from working is…when you finalize your cable hook up…it’s not actually inserted properly (all the way) at one end or the other. Either at the speedo or the t-case.

 

[cvan1971man]

No sweat. Trying to respond to you between stoplights

 

[John McVicker]

Again, just to be sure: with the cable installed at the speedo end…and the t-case end hooked up to a drill, are actually seeing the speedometer work when you turn the drill on? Not just the cable moving…but the speedometer actually working and/or the odometer actually moving?

 

[cvan1971man]

No sweat. Trying to respond to you between stoplights

Again, just to be sure: with the cable installed at the speedo end…and the t-case end hooked up to a drill, are actually seeing the speedometer work when you turn the drill on? Not just the cable moving…but the speedometer actually working and/or the odometer actually moving?

Yes to everything you said above - Speedometer worked, but did not look to see if the odometer was spinning.

 

[cvan1971man]

Not trying to be a Dick…but please proof read your comments prior to posting.

If I understand what you’re saying in 11, about the only thing I can see to prevent your speedometer from working is…when you finalize your cable hook up…it’s not actually inserted properly (all the way) at one end or the other. Either at the speedo or the t-case.

I checked that both ends were inserted fully. I pulled the speedo out of the dash and checked that the cable was installed correctly on multiple occasions.

I also checked multiple times to see if the cable end with the key was inserted in the slot correctly - which it was

 

[John McVicker]

And you are actually driving your rig, right? Just making sure the T-Case is not in neutral.

 

[cvan1971man]

Yes, driving around in 2wd

 

[Pighead]

it is a frankenstein - '78 engine, tranny and t-case, everything else is a '73.

Back around that time, IIRC, there was a change from the threaded speedometer connector to the push-in/clip-in speedometer connector. Have you had the speedo out of the cluster and in your hand? Are there threads around where the cable goes into the speedo? or is it the obvious click-in connector?
Pics of the back of the speedo?