Speedo doesn't work after reconnect

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rich006

rich006

Learning as I go
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My speedometer was working perfectly, until I disconnected the cable from the instrument panel so I could take the panel out. Now that I've put everything back together, the speedo doesn't work (odometer too). I've pushed the cable all the way back in as hard as I can. There is maybe a 1/8 inch gap between the nylon clip and the back of the instrument case, which I think is the same as before I disconnected it. Two questions:

1. What is likely wrong? Did I break something?

2. If I have to mess with it anyway, is it worth pulling the cable to lube it, or should I just leave it since it was working fine? The car has 78K miles, has always been garage kept, and is pretty pristine overall.
 
On some vehicles if the cable nut is tightened it loads instrument bushing. Finger tight and back off a bit works for me. Just make sure square drive mates correctly when inserting. Not sure about the clip and how that works.

It is not hard to pull a cable from the front seat and relube. I use a drop cloth in my lap to protect the front seat. Pull cable out using finger tips, wipe with lint free cloth. I use a dark thin grease I found in a military surplus store. Place some in palm of one hand, use other to rotate cable and also scraping off excess, as it is inserted back in cable housing. When it is nearly all in, feel square align on the far end.
 
Mine is the press-on plastic end, not the screw-on nut. I doubt it's possible to over-tighten it. I wonder if I pulled the cable out of the far end when I removed the instrument panel? If so, I'd be surprised if it would go back on the instrument panel at all, but I'll check that tomorrow (unless I'm busy fixing my kitchen floor--ugh). I guess I might as well lube the cable while I'm at it.
 
"as hard as I could" doesn't sound promising. That instrument is more sensitive that you might think. A small brass collar holds the spindle in place and sets its end play or linear travel. I don't know that one could change that with hand forces.
It's not uncommon for the cable to pull out of the sheathe a little when its hung up in the instrument. It has been in there for years with thick grease becoming loaded with rusty cable/sheathe wear material. It could have disengaged at the trans end before coming out of the instrument.
Always check the end of the cable to be seated in and centered the plastic collector/retainer so you know it is engaged at the trans properly. Attach it to the instrument routed as straight as possible. It should slip right on with minimal effort.
 
Sometimes you have to rotate the cable core's end a bit so that the square end lines up with the square hole in the speedo before you slip it on. Had that same issue as you are having on a later A-body with the plastic cable end, and I had to pull the trannie end and then rotate the cable core, and that helped the speedo end engage. The cable core can compress a bit in the sheath if it does not line up and the end of the core will not slip in if not 'pre-aligned'.
 
Its got to go in all the way and the the clip has to catch. Rotate cable a bit like was said. One time I had the plastic end with the clip get a little loose on the cable housing, the end went on and clipped like it should but didn't pull the cable in. It just slid up the housing. Had to grab the cable and push it in.
 
Ha, I found the problem. Here's what the transmission end looked like:
speedometer_disconnected.jpg

Someone must have replaced the cable a while back (cable was like new when I pulled it), and they must have forgotten to thread the nut back onto the transmission end. I guess it stayed in place until I pulled the other end.

One thing that was confusing me is: I thought the cable was seated in the transmission because the cable was going all the way back into the sheath. But I think it was just the little nut on the instrument end of the cable that was catching on the sheath. The transmission end was just dangling! Now that I've stuck it back in, everything works great. Thanks to all who answered.
 
Good! Quick easy happy ending is always the best.
 
Yeah, that could be a problem...!!

BTW, plan to lube the speedo cable core at some point; the grease is 40 years old or more and is certainly getting dry and hardened.
 
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