Speedometer Cable

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charger426

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So while replacing my voltage regulator my speedometer stopped working. From digging around I found my speedocable just hanging out behind dash (could see it through the radio hole). From everything I've seen it sounds like people are able to just push the cable into the speedo and it magically worked. So I must be missing something because I can't get my cable to hook back up. I can see the speedo bounce some while trying to hookup the cable but after fighting with it and thinking I got everything hooked up the speedo still doesn't work.

So is there something I'm missing here? Any tips on getting everything hooked back up?
 
Sorry just got back inside so still frustrated.

71 Dart Swinger. Slant six with what i'm assuming is a 904 but not 100% sure on the tranny
 
Not exactly sure which end is on that cable, if it's the push on clip type it should be fairly easy to get it back on.

What may have happened, when you pushed it on it forced the cable into the sheath instead of the end of it going into the speedo drive. They can be a booger to get hooked up correctly, not a whole lot of room to get in there.
 
Its a plastic end. I grabbed this pic from an eBay listing so sorry for the bad pic.
 

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And you are sure you got the connector on all the way and clipped with the cable inside the speedo drive?.

Did the speedo work previous to this?
 
I tried to take the cluster out but it hits the steering column when I tried to tip it forward. Guessing I have to remove some bolts from the steering column to get the gage set out if I was to go that rout. I was hoping to hear some great way to get this back together without having to go down the pull everything apart rout.
 
Bad Sport said:
And you are sure you got the connector on all the way and clipped with the cable inside the speedo drive?.

Did the speedo work previous to this?
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Yep only thing that changed was be replacing the voltage regulator which as a bolt right next to the cable. Since the dash was missing a screw their is a hole in the dash for a single din radio I wouldn't be shocked if someone was behind the dash before and had the cable a little loose so when I pushed on it some while doing the VR swap it probably knocked it out.
 
I just reread the OP. The cable end is square, so you have to get it lined up with the square hole in the drive. Like I said, it can be a pain as there isn't a ton of room to get in there.

If you keep having problems, you might have to take the screws out of the gauge cluster and lean it out toward you and see if you can hook it that way.
 
charger426 said:
I tried to take the cluster out but it hits the steering column when I tried to tip it forward. Guessing I have to remove some bolts from the steering column to get the gage set out if I was to go that rout. I was hoping to hear some great way to get this back together without having to go down the pull everything apart rout.
Click to expand...
Its not that hard to drop the column just be careful not to bend/break your brake light switch.
 
Lelo Dart said:
Its not that hard to drop the column just be careful not to bend/break your brake light switch.
Click to expand...

Yep, just take the bolts out at the bottom of the dash, and just loosen the bolts at the firewall, it will then drop enough to get the cluster leaned out toward you.
 
if your plastic clip is still good --
I would rotate the square cable a bit & try to slide it in the gauge cluster-- this should not be a difficult operation--- take a flashlight & look at the situation-- not much room-- but the cable should be lined up with the gauge cluster & it is just a mater of getting the square ends to line up--

or remove the speedo cable at the tranny & rotate the inside cable-- to line them up
(you should not need to do this if speedo was working before you started your repair))

or if you want to remove the whole cluster then drop the column& remove the screws & then find the wire harness clips inside the dash & bend them down to release the harness , then pull that harness free from the clips & tilt the gauge assembly forward-- then hopefully your speedo cable will slide forward enough to attach.
Lawrence
 
There is one on each side of the column where it bolts to the bottom of the dash (actually a stud with a nut) the nut may come off, or the whole stud will come out, either way is fine, take those two out.

Where the column goes through the firewall, there is a plate, I usually just loosen those to give the column some flex.

By doing those two things, the column will drop just enough for you to get the cluster leaned back enough to get your hand in there and to the cable.
 
VDART said:
if your plastic clip is still good --
I would rotate the square cable a bit & try to slide it in the gauge cluster-- this should not be a difficult operation--- take a flashlight & look at the situation-- not much room-- but the cable should be lined up with the gauge cluster & it is just a mater of getting the square ends to line up--

or remove the speedo cable at the tranny & rotate the inside cable-- to line them up
(you should not need to do this if speedo was working before you started your repair))
Click to expand...

Lawrence's suggestion is the best bet, but getting your hand up in there is the problem, at least for me anyway, I have big mits, lol.
 
So I had my fiancé reach up behind the dash and hook the cable back up (knew I put a ring on it for a reason). She wasn't 100% sure if she got it on there all the way but when I turned the cable at the trans it moved on the speedo. I'm going to run as is for now and plan on taking the dash apart in the spring. I know I have a bulb out in the dash cluster and there is a bunch of random after market wires just hanging out back there (prob from the last owners radio "install").
 
charger426 said:
So I had my fiancé reach up behind the dash and hook the cable back up (knew I put a ring on it for a reason). She wasn't 100% sure if she got it on there all the way but when I turned the cable at the trans it moved on the speedo. I'm going to run as is for now and plan on taking the dash apart in the spring. I know I have a bulb out in the dash cluster and there is a bunch of random after market wires just hanging out back there (prob from the last owners radio "install").
Click to expand...


:cheers: What a gal eh? Probably the smaller hand, that was my only problem, my hands are so big I can't get up in there.
 
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