My forum searches resulted in many related topics, but not this one.

Speedo stopped working, so I removed the dash to go ahead and replace bulbs with LEDs. Spun the speedo brass part on the back and the speedo and odometer both turn, so seems it came disconnected and I know the prior owner did some dash work shortly before I bouth the car.

I now have everything re-connected except the speedo cable itself. There's plenty of cable slack to push it all the way on, but something keeps stopping it when it's about 1/8" from the clip that holds it in place. It simply won't go in any further despite several attempts and also re-verifying that the cable itself is in the cavity.

I'm hoping someone has experienced this and can help. Hoping I don't have to pull the dash back out to check the speedo cavity for an obstruction, but thinking that may be in order. %$^&#@!

 

Just throwing a stupid idea out
Does the inner cable spin freely inside the outer sleeve? can you pull it out ? turn it slightly while pushing it in?
Is there any chance that the inner cable has slid out too far and isn't going back into the transmission end and it's bottoming out inside the speedometer before the sleeve can clip on?
M

 

To be honest, I've never messed with speedo cables. Tried to spin the cable itself, and it won't spin, Tried to pull it out of the casing, and it won't come out. Based on what you're saying, sounds like I need to confirm the cable is seated properly at the transmission.

 

I'm not sure if you can turn it while it's engaged to the trans gear but it should be more or less free to pull out (minus all the twists and turns the cable makes)
You didn't mention standard or auto?

The cable (or worse) seized or broken might be why the speedo didn't work before?
M

 

My '72 has two factory cables. The speedo cable exits the firewall and ends at about the engine to bell housing junction; a second length is screwed in there that runs to the auto trans. Each segment of cable has one permanent end on it that won't allow it to be pulled out from the other end. I don't know if 4 spd trans cars have this same arrangement. It could be that the connection between the two inner cables has separated so that they're not mating any longer and causing the cluster end to be too long.

 

Car was originally a 4-speed, now has a Tremec 5-speed. Engine, trans & related work only have about 5k miles on them, prior owner doesn't know if cable(s) were replaced at that time or not. I'll be jacking up the car now to check and test everything.

 

Tremec, mice upgrade
Disconnect the cable at the transmission and try turning the inner cable, should spin more or less free and smooth. turn it backwards (CCW) which is the direction the cable would turn in the speedo and prevents it from "unwinding"
M

 

I'm going to take a guess it 3 possible things

#1 Mr obvious the cable is bad

#2 Inner cable is installed backwards. The speedo end has a "plastic" tip with a molded barrel. The cable can only be installed from the speedo end and only removed from the speedo end. The plastic tip is designed so its the correct length for engagement into the speedo. The plastic barrel stops the inner cable from pushing into the outer housing too deep. The End at the transmission end is braided square steel and is designed to be cut to length if needed.

#3 the inner cable is installed correctly but is too long. You mentioned previous owner upgraded the transmission and did not match the outer cable housing with the correct inner cable length

 

When I bought the car, the speedo & odometer both worked. A few weeks ago, they both suddenly stopped working. When I removed the dash, I didn't pay enough attention to whether the cable was fully seated in the speedo or not. I automatically assumed the speedo needed a rebuild. After that, I discovered that rotating the brass insert in the speedo made the needle and the odo move.

Here's what I found out this evening:
- When trying to install the speedo cable, it interferes with one of the steel dash supports, making it harder to insert
- If I push the speedo end of the cable into the sheath until it stops, 1/2" remains exposed to be inserted into the speedo. There is no plastic tip on the cable. But again, the speedo and odo have worked since I bought the car several months ago..
- The cable will not spin or turn either direction. The cable will only pull out of the sheath about 1/2", then stops (resistance), I haven't forced it any further.
- Under the car, the speedo cable is wrapped in a thermal insulator (car has headers). Looks like it may be a replacement cable, which could make sense given the trans swap and the speedo end having no plastic tip.
- I can't even see where the speedo cable goes into the very front of the Tremec 5-speed, yet alone get to it with my hand. I'll have to drop the driver side exhaust to see it and get to it.

 

Feb 13th update: Jacked up the rear, spun the wheels, and the cable spins as it should.
Guess I'll remove the dash, then remove the speedo from it, then test fit the cable into the speedo to better see exactly what's happening. Sigh....

 

Let me suggest one more time that you check to see if you have the factory two-cable setup in your car (I'm unsure which years or option sets had this). The junction is near the engine to trans mounting point. If the inside cables became separated from their mating connection, the speedometer side could certainly be overly extended. Easiest fix is to separate the two cables, attach the speedo side of the upper cable and then reorient the two cables correctly and screw the upper and lower back together.

 

I followed the cable from the firewall down to the trans and found no coupling or junction. Near the speedo connection, the cable is marked "CA3001", which I researched online. With all the restoration this car underwent and the trans swap, seems this is a single piece, Pioneer #CA3001 80" speedo cable. Makes sense, as the cable in my car looks much newer than the car and just like the pictures at the links below. Guess my next planned step will be what I posted above...


https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...ca3001/4621012

 

Very good. Now I can stop harping on my idea! Thanks for following up.

 

LOL, no problem, I'm open to all ideas and input, anxious to get this all done so I can drive and enjoy the car again.
The speedo & odo worked when I bought the car, then suddenly stopped. With this aftermarket cable being so hard to insert, and the speedo itself working when removed from the car (albeit with minimal testing) it seems the cable worked it's way loose.
The weather should finally be good enough this weekend for me to start working on it again.

 

Removed the entire driver side dash again, removed speedo from dash assembly then attempted to insert the cable, cable simply will not insert into the speedo far enough for the clip to secure the cable in place. Jacked up rear and put it on jack stands, held cable into speedo, started car and shifted into first then second, speedo worked fine. Root cause is this aftermarket cable (inner cable is too long). Apparently this cable was never locked and secured in place, so the cable coming loose is why my speedo recently stopped working.

 

is there enough square end of the cable to shorten it and make it right? A thin cutoff disk on a dremel will make a nice cut without un-winding the strands.
M

 

Yes, the entire end of the cable is square, fortunately that's how it was made.
I'm trying to not cut the cable and came up with a solution that has tested very well so far. I have a compression spring that is the right diameter and wound it around the cable so most of it it locks behind the flange. Then I left a few spring windings beyond the cable that the retention clip is holding very well. More testing needed, but this may do it since there will be no pressure on it once the dash and everything else is reassembled.