my speedo just died

[Big_Richard]

while driving to my destination this afternoon i was 100 meters away from completion when all of a sudden the speedo needle went up down up down then twang it dropped to zero.

I dont know if its the cable or the speedo - i can still hear the speedo cable rotating behind the cluster when driving so its either a stuffed speedo head or the cable has snapped at the speedo, which is concerning in it self...

Naturally, this is the one time ive gone for a drive without my GPS so i have no way at all of telling the speed im going. Ill drive behind a pace car tomorow to get me home without breaking the law 

I see that driving the car rather than leaving locked in a garage has benefits and disadvantages   

[WGB]

I had errant behavior with my cable seemingly losing it's grip of the speedo speedo head.

It would do a number of very strange things.

I have an old Porsche cable end and I put it in my dremel to test the speedo head - only about 3 cm long piece.

Sounds more like the cable but as I recently found out  a 450 cable works quite well enough if you need to buy one - 1/3 the price of the unavailable 6.9 RHD for 50 mm shorter cable.

May have been a section of the cable that became rusty during the prolonged layup and has suddenly let go.

Might just be a loose connection at either end.

Bill

[jjb-w116-hu]

i've also noticed that my speedo needle wobbles up and down at slowing/slow speeds.... is this also likely cable related or something else?

[koan]

i've also noticed that my speedo needle wobbles up and down at slowing/slow speeds.... is this also likely cable related or something else?

Could be cable but could also be just the nut that holds the cable to speedo loose.

koan

[TJ 450]

In concurrence with Koan,
MT, I reckon you might find that the knurled nut/collar has worked its way off. It seems too much of a coincidence, as the cluster was removed/disturbed recently.

Tim

[Big_Richard]

i guess it is possible - as i do hear the cable rotating still. and i would think its much more likely to snap at the transmission end.

I just dont want to do a Nathans dad and ruin all my new woodwork removing the cluster again

[WGB]

I just dont want to do a Nathans dad and ruin all my new woodwork removing the cluster again

Which is why you remove the steering wheel and put a strip of masking tape along the upper surface of the wood before you pull the instrument panel.

Go on - you know you really want to do it

Bill

[koan]

I just dont want to do a Nathans dad and ruin all my new woodwork removing the cluster again

Can't you get at the nut from the bottom?

koan

[Big_Richard]

my speedo mystery is solved.

I need a new cable, it broke right at the speedo.

I tested the speedo with the remaining piece and it turned freely with my fingers moving the speedo needle and the odometer so theres no fault there.

looks like ill be getting a RHD 450 cable too (when i return from o/s)

[WGB]

At least you know what it is and what to do about it.

Bill

[Big_Richard]

indeed, but what i dont look forward to is installing the new one 


Perhaps i'll offer Tj some fried chicken in exchange for his efforts.

[koan]

Keep the broken one MT, the're the best thing for poking out A/C drains and the like.

koan

[Big_Richard]

Might make a nice ear cleaner too. 

[WGB]

indeed, but what i dont look forward to is installing the new one 


Perhaps i'll offer Tj some fried chicken in exchange for his efforts.

I've now changed two and the hardest bit is under the car.

I did them both from the passengers footwell.

I might be teaching you how to suck eggs MT but someone may be interested in a cable change in a RHD. For a LHD read driver's side rather than passengers.

1) Remove the passenger carpet and underlay. Remove the passenger knee roll. Pullback the carpet over the passenger side of the console until you can see the cable exiting through the junction of the floor and the bottom of the transmission cover.
2) Remove steering wheel and instruments - protecting your woodwork with a strip of masking tape of course.
3)  Tape some strong cord or electrical cable to the instrument end of the cable and gently tug and jerk the cable until it ends up in the passenger footwell with cord attached.
4) Working under the car remove the 10mm pinch bolt and pull the cable free. Loosen the grommet and pull the cable into the car. It is likely to be greasy so hence the carpet is better removed.

Removal is the reverse starting with pulling the new cable into the dash with gentle tugs on the drawcord until you are happy with the length at the instrument end and then feeding the transmission end into place.

As I said before an original 450 cable from Diesel Motors was of sufficient length to work in my 6.9 with a little left over.

The cable I removed was a non OEM cable and it had been manufactured in reverse with the anti rattle foam at the transmission end and the grommet on backwards - so buyer beware.

Bill

[TJ 450]

It sounds like the cable didn't like its new position.

Speedo cables are a bit of a chore to remove, but I'm sure I can assist with that one.

Tim