Tach Cable Housing too Long?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 361
Likes: 4
From: Ohio
Tach Cable Housing too Long?
Can't get the tach. to work in my '71. Cable turns with engine running but it looks like there isn't enough cable at the tach end to engage. Could the housing be too long? This is a brand new cable purchased from Paragon. Speedo soesn't work either, but I haven't dug into that yet. I'm assuming it might be the same issue. Speedo and tach worked when I had them out of the car and hooked to a drill.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,283
Likes: 4,373
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi P,
How much of the cable is extending beyond the sheath connector?
Is the connector 'seating' properly under the clip on the tachometer case?
Regards,
Alan
This happens to be the speedometer connection, but I believe it's typical for the tachometer clip/connection too.
How much of the cable is extending beyond the sheath connector?
Is the connector 'seating' properly under the clip on the tachometer case?
Regards,
Alan
This happens to be the speedometer connection, but I believe it's typical for the tachometer clip/connection too.
Last edited by Alan 71; Mar 11, 2018 at 04:25 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,176
Likes: 633
From: perth western australia
you had them out of the car , so now there back in the dash area ?
If so it can be hard to get the clip on by yourself , sometimes it gets on enough to stay there , but not enough to engage properly .
My solution with this is to get a helper to push on the cable at the firewall side (this was for the tach) and I got the few fingers I could up there and guided it onto the housing , no way I could get enough of a push by myself .
If so it can be hard to get the clip on by yourself , sometimes it gets on enough to stay there , but not enough to engage properly .
My solution with this is to get a helper to push on the cable at the firewall side (this was for the tach) and I got the few fingers I could up there and guided it onto the housing , no way I could get enough of a push by myself .
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 242
From: Russell Ontario
St. Jude Donor '09
I had the same issue on my 70 , I installed it on the tack and spun the other end by hand , just to see it the tach moved , then when it moved I un-hooked and did the same at the other end , just cranked the engine . 
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 361
Likes: 4
From: Ohio
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,683
Likes: 3,136
From: Shamong, NJ
With the cable out of the car, if both ends of the cable reach the ends of the casing's fittings, the cable is long enough. The 69-74 tach cable is about 23" long.
The tach end of the casing can be difficult to get installed properly on the tach. Often the casing feels like it's installed, but if it's up against the spring clip, instead of under it, the fitting isn't on far enough and the cable won't be seated in the tach. The flared end of the casing's fitting, has to be up flush against the back of the tach, and the spring clip needs to be beyond the flared end.
I'd install the tach end of the cable first. Once it's properly installed on the tach, there should be no more than about a 1/16 of an inch of cable sticking out the distributor end of the casing. If you have more cable showing, the cable isn't seated in the tach, and you'll need to move the cable around a little until it is seated.
The tach end of the casing can be difficult to get installed properly on the tach. Often the casing feels like it's installed, but if it's up against the spring clip, instead of under it, the fitting isn't on far enough and the cable won't be seated in the tach. The flared end of the casing's fitting, has to be up flush against the back of the tach, and the spring clip needs to be beyond the flared end.
I'd install the tach end of the cable first. Once it's properly installed on the tach, there should be no more than about a 1/16 of an inch of cable sticking out the distributor end of the casing. If you have more cable showing, the cable isn't seated in the tach, and you'll need to move the cable around a little until it is seated.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 361
Likes: 4
From: Ohio
You sure? On the distributor end the cable needs to extend past the housing in order to get inside of the distributor. Also, on the distributor end there is a brass shoulder. I assume this traps the cable between the distributor and the cable housing.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,683
Likes: 3,136
From: Shamong, NJ
The cable does not need to extend beyond the cable, on either end. The end of the cable goes in the distributor brass coupling, and the fitting on the end of the casing screws over the outside of the coupling. When tightened down, the fitting should bottom out against the brass coupling. The cable actually goes in the end of the shaft of the tach side drive gear, not the coupling. The shaft of the side gear goes all the way through the coupling.
If the inner cable is extending beyond the casings fitting's on either end, then the cable is too far out of the casing.
Below is the brass coupling, the side gear and the coupling with the gear installed. If you look closely at the last picture, you can see the end of the gear's shaft, inside the coupling. That's as far as the cable needs to go into the coupling.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 242
From: Russell Ontario
St. Jude Donor '09
Pykeslayer, Yes I did but it was not the cable , on the 70 the ignition shielding bracket, was in the way , I re-clocked the Dist, and all is fine , the cable looked like it was too long .
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 361
Likes: 4
From: Ohio
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 361
Likes: 4
From: Ohio
Just got off the phone with Paragon. They have seen this before. He offered to shorten a housing up for me, but I told him it would be quicker for me to do that with the one I have. I'll try this tonight and let you guys know how it works.