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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.
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.
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 .
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 .
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 .
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.
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.
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.
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.
Yes I am sure. The cable inside the casing, is about the same overall length, as the casing itself.
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.
This is the cable inserted into the distributor with the housing removed. notice the brass ferrule. This limits cable movement between the distributor and the housing.
And this illustrates the position of the cable if it were pulled toward the tach. In other words that little brass ferrule is bottomed out on the cable housing.
Anyone know which way the cable gets inserted into the housing? Not that that matters as i've tried both ways. Talk about a dime holding up a dollar. This has my whole interior on hold.
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 .
Both my speedo and tach cable came from Paragon. According to Paragon they are made in India. What I'm looking for now is what the proper length of the cable and housing is.
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.
03-11-2018, 11:52 AM
Tach Cable Housing too Long?
