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When I bought my 61 Corvette it did not have a tach drive generator and the cable was broken. I ordered a rebuilt generator and a tach drive assembly. I have checked the tach by spinning it so I know the tach works. When I installed the new tach cable, the part of the cable that goes into the generator seems to be to small in diameter to be spun by the gear from the generator. I have contacted the company that I bought the cable from and they say that that is the correct cable and that I may have an earlier tach drive. I can only find one tach drive unit that fits 1956 - 1961. Has anyone run into this problem?
Can you post a picture of the back of the generator tach drive where the cable goes in? There should be a square shaft to accept and drive the cable in the center that attaches to the drive gear.
Can you post a picture of the back of the generator tach drive where the cable goes in? There should be a square shaft to accept and drive the cable in the center that attaches to the drive gear.
I have posted a couple of pictures for you to look at.
I have posted a couple of pictures for you to look at.
The cable should have a discernible square end that goes into the tach square shaft. Your cable end looks rounded off past the tip in the photo. It should be square for over an inch down from the end.
I just checked 2 originals I have here, and they confirm that.
The shaft on the Generator back is the same for 55-61, I'm not buying the excuse you got about that cable.
Last edited by Pilot Dan; Jul 30, 2020 at 06:00 PM.
Reason: added info
The cable should have a discernible square end that goes into the tach square shaft. Your cable end looks rounded off past the tip in the photo. It should be square for over an inch down from the end.
I just checked 2 originals I have here, and they confirm that.
The shaft on the Generator back is the same for 55-61, I'm not buying the excuse you got about that cable.
Would you be able to send me a picture of the end of the cable?
Why don't you just pull the cable out of jacket and insert the end into the tach drive. Then, keep your generator from spinning see if refuses to slip in the tach drive gear socket (withou over doing it). If it tight and snug then you have something else going on.
Why don't you just pull the cable out of jacket and insert the end into the tach drive. Then, keep your generator from spinning see if refuses to slip in the tach drive gear socket (withou over doing it). If it tight and snug then you have something else going on.
I have tried that and the cable is not snug at all. It is rather sloppy in the generator gear.
I have tried that and the cable is not snug at all. It is rather sloppy in the generator gear.
Just from memory (on a two month long trip), seems all the speedo, tach, and tach drive unit cable receiving slots where all squared. Also think the cable end had a very pronounced square shape and approx length of an inch. Upto 57 think the cable jacket was skinny metal and 58 to 61 a thicker vinyl or rubber coated jacket; however, think the cable ends were squared on both. I can only picture three things in your situation, the tach drive gear shaft slot is worn, the cable is wrong/worn, or both. Tend to agree with Pilot Dan that your cable looks rounded like it is worn.
Last edited by tgtexas02; Aug 1, 2020 at 09:38 AM.
1961 Corvette
I purchased a new tach cable from CC and found the square ended cable is about 1/2" too short to adequately engage the generator tach unit. I spoke with CC and they offered no solution but said send it back. It has been posted on this forum that this cable currently being sold by the vendors s too short. I ordered a speedometer cable repair kit and will cut to the proper length. Didn't know if this could be part of your prblem.
It's not real obvious in the photo, but the entire center cable shaft is square.. It's not round - at least any of the visible section.
I bought this cable at Zip a few years ago.
Tach cable problem
