Some trick to inserting the speedometer cable in the Transmission?

DOCTORBILL · 10-12-2008, 09:44 PM

About a year ago (?) I took the speedometer cable out of the Transmission when
I changed to a Tachometer-Speedometer unit from the Speedometer only unit
that I had.

I must have not gotten the cable back in very well, since my speedometer always
jumped a little bit after that.

Now, the speedometer simply stops working for a while then comes back on....when it is cold outside.

I vaguely remember that the square cable didn't want to match up and go into
the hole easily.
Then the little "clip" that holds it in place didn't want to seat.

You can't see a damned thing - it is way back there and is a back strainer to
try reinstalling it.

I hope the square cable hasn't been worn round by now.....

HELP !

DoctorBill

Johnny Mullet · 10-12-2008, 10:02 PM

As long as the gear is seated properly, then I suspect the square end of the cable may be rounding off. You might be able to build up the cable end with JBWeld or something and see if that works.

DOCTORBILL · 10-12-2008, 11:02 PM

I remember - As I pushed the Cable end into the transmission coupling, it didn't
want to "slip right in there."

Would it help to have someone rock the vehicle in gear so that the square hole
lines up with the square cable end?

The clip didn't want to seat - should it just 'pop' into place if everything is lined up?

Problem was - I couldn't see what I was doing nor feel much - the connection is
back there and I was stooped over in an odd position - old man stuff...

DoctorBill

Johnny Mullet · 10-12-2008, 11:46 PM

Have someone push the car while you are laying under the hood and inserting the cable. This worked for me when inserting the actual gear, but not the cable. My wife pushed the car about 10 feet before it popped in. This might work for the cable portion so it seats and the clip will go right in.

idmetro · 10-13-2008, 06:46 AM

Since I am "taller than average" and I usually work alone this might or might not work for you but what I did was to jack up the front of the car so the front wheels were off the ground and put the car in gear. This allowed me to spin the drivers side wheel while leaning over (not nearly so far now that the car was raised) and get the cable to go into place. When it went into place it lined up easily and literally fell into place leaving plenty of room to get the clip into position.

This also worked out better for me as no one at my house appreciates pushing a vehicle, especially while I'm trying to line up some reluctant parts.

Also "back in the day" you could purchase the inner speedometer cable by itself without having to buy the entire housing. I'm assuming that would still be possible and probably considerably easier than trying to build up the flat with JB weld. Alternatively you could snag a new inner cable on your next trip to the wrecking yard.

Good luck

DOCTORBILL · 10-13-2008, 08:27 AM

You know, while I was writing the last posting, I was thinking about maybe
jacking the front end up!

If the car is in neutral, the speedometer cable still rotates with wheel movement,
so it ought to be easy to rotate the front wheel with my foot (a foot job as it were).

Yes, I will try that....

I was wondering if I could build up the cable end with silver solder (or those aluminum
solder sticks you can buy at Harbor Freight) and file it square.

When I had the cable out before, I wanted to lube it with Lithium Grease,
but I couldn't so I tried to get Graphite powder into it - not easy...

I have written down the "Speed / Gear / RPM's" just so I can get from here to there
and not go over the speed limit with my speedometer going in and out!

Thanks!

Now, off to find a replacement car for my daughter's Deer Destroyed car...

DoctorBill

DOCTORBILL · 10-13-2008, 08:41 AM

Wow!

Johnny Mullet - you keep saying that your wife helped with this and that!

Nice!

Mine helps, but I get that "face" if I ask too often....and I worry she may ask me
to help with the ironing or clothes washing.

What happens if you say, "Honey...would you mind changing the oil in the Metro? I'm watching the game today..."

DoctorBill

Johnny Mullet · 10-13-2008, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOCTORBILL

Wow!

Johnny Mullet - you keep saying that your wife helped with this and that!

Nice!

Mine helps, but I get that "face" if I ask too often....and I worry she may ask me
to help with the ironing or clothes washing.

What happens if you say, "Honey...would you mind changing the oil in the Metro? I'm watching the game today..."

She is not mechanically inclined, but if I step her through something, she can do it and does not mind helping. One day she blew the radiator on our 1980 Dodge Aspen and called me at work. I stepped her through it and she removed it herself and got the replacement from the junkyard so I could put it in after work

She can also determine if something is wrong with any of our vehicles while driving and is always right on the diagnosis such as "creaking suspension noise", "bucking like it's running out of gas", "humming noise in left front", etc

The Metro trans swap was a nasty experience for her when the coolant started dripping on her face while trying to slip the axle shaft in laying on her back with me holding the trans up top. The starter slipped down and jammed the axle and all kinds of stuff went wrong, but we got the job done.

carpenter_jai · 10-27-2008, 10:30 PM

I will try jacking my car up next time I have to reinsert the speedo cable. Easier than getting my dad to roll it forward at just the right speed while I fit the cable in.

Quote:

The Metro trans swap was a nasty experience for her when the coolant started dripping on her face while trying to slip the axle shaft in laying on her back with me holding the trans up top. The starter slipped down and jammed the axle and all kinds of stuff went wrong, but we got the job done.

This is funny, cause when I did my trani swap last week, I forgot to disconnect the negative cable and the starter wire grounded out near my helpers face. He laughed it off but inside I was picturing all that could have gone wrong if he were a few inches closer...

Jai

Crvett69 · 10-29-2008, 01:22 AM

you know if you take out the speedo gear by removing the 10mm bolt you can get cable and gear up where its easy to work on, push inside cable as
far toward dash as you can, slide gear onto end on cable, spin till it slides into hole. put the clip in and put gear back into hole

RossT · 10-29-2008, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crvett69

you know if you take out the speedo gear by removing the 10mm bolt you can get cable and gear up where its easy to work on, push inside cable as
far toward dash as you can, slide gear onto end on cable, spin till it slides into hole. put the clip in and put gear back into hole

This is exactly what i did when I lubed my cable (getting it ready for winter) last week!! Much easier to do it this way then try and match up the ends down at the tranny level.

DOCTORBILL · 10-29-2008, 02:31 PM

OK...I'll bite.

How do you take the Speedometer gear out of the Transmission ?

Never did that....

DoctorBill

Crvett69 · 10-29-2008, 03:38 PM

its held in by one 10mm bolt that goes in from the top, easy to get to with long extenion. once its out might have to twist gear housing back and forth a bit then pull it straight up. just look down where cable goes into tranny, will see the bolt

RossT · 10-29-2008, 05:54 PM

Also before you remove the speedo gear housing make sure you remove all the dirt and grease from around the base so that it doesn't fall into the trans.

RossT · 10-29-2008, 05:56 PM

My speedo cable is held into the housing with a wire clip, the housing is held into the trans with the 10mm bolt.

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