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So I got in my car this morning to go out to breakfast and I had a squeal inside while it was idling. I believe it is my tach drive cable as I didn't have anything else turned on and as the engine speed picked up, so did the squeal. I assume the cable needs to be lubricated. Is this common and if so what is the best way to lubricate it.
On the fair chance that the squeal is coming from the tachometer and not the cable, the first thing you should do is disconnect the cable to prevent expensive damage. Advice will certainly follow from others as to lubrication methods if you will provide the year of the car as part of your profile.
Nick - What year Vette do you have? Not that it makes a difference when relubing the tach cable but if it's a solid axle Vette like a 58-62, it's not that difficult to access the cable from behind the tach and let it hang down so you can extract the cable from the housing. They all come out at the top, not at the trans...as far as I know. I just had a squealing tach cable in my '61 and after looking through a number of old threads, found some guys used Vaseline so...it did and it worked fine.
Mike T - Prescott AZ
Sorry guys, not sure how to add the year of my car to my Profile picture but my car is a 66 Coupe, Factory AC, PS, PB and PW car with all number matching 327/300 HP and Powerglide, for now! The car had a Holley Stealth Fuel Injection setup on it and because I am going to do an LS swap, I removed the FI and installed an Edlebrook manifold and carb so that I can drive it while I gather all of the parts needed for the LS/TKO600 swap. The car also already had a Billet Specialties Serpentine System with a modern AC unit, C5 front brakes (which are coming off and going to be sold in favor of Wilwood 14" 6 piston brakes) with 18" Billet Specialty wheels etc. So while it is a number matching engine and tranny, the car is not all original.
Never heard a cable squeal but have heard them develop an annoying tick. I never remove the wire cable from its sheath...you may get lucky and get it to go all the way back in and you may not. I get one end or the other loose and work some Kable-Eze graphite lube down in it and after you drive the car a few miles it circulates and does the job. I have never seen Vaseline recommended and I personally wouldn't use it. I suspect when that gets warm it could run off pretty quickly.
I just had a squealing tach cable in my '61 and after looking through a number of old threads, found some guys used Vaseline so...it did and it worked fine.
Mike T - Prescott AZ
Vaseline has been used to lube them since the invention of the mechanical cable. It stays in place and doesn't melt. Pull the cable completely out, clean the old lube off and put a light coat of Vaseline on it as it's being put back in the housing. I've been doing it that way for 40+ years and never had a failure or noisy cable. Vaseline is even endorsed by my local speedo rebuilder.
Don't fill the housing with anything expecting it to "circulate" as it will also work its way up into the tach or speedo and ruin it.
I experienced this same type of squeal in my '66. It was actually the head unit or tach itself. In a short time the tach stopped working. Remained that way until I replaced my dash harness and sent my cluster and clock out for restoration. If you attempt to lube the cable NAPA has a product called Sylglide. Many uses but one listed on the product is speedometer/tach cable lube. Use sparingly to prevent it from creeping into your head unit and causing a mess.
Exactly what I did! Took it loose from the distributer and shot some lube into the casing and no more squeaking/squealing cable! No Vaseline!
thank you guys for the help!
Nick
Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink
Never heard a cable squeal but have heard them develop an annoying tick. I never remove the wire cable from its sheath...you may get lucky and get it to go all the way back in and you may not. I get one end or the other loose and work some Kable-Eze graphite lube down in it and after you drive the car a few miles it circulates and does the job. I have never seen Vaseline recommended and I personally wouldn't use it. I suspect when that gets warm it could run off pretty quickly.
Squealing Tach Cable
