Project car = confusion

Hi guys, I bought an 86 CRX DX I believe and after I bought it I noticed the speedometer AND like the trip meter and odometer do not work. I went back to the guy and he said he didn't know, and he said the car's been sitting for like a few years and he never drove it much and he believes it might have just rotted out. I'm not familiar with these types of cars. I read a small snippet about a speed sensor and since all of that bit that's not working is all tied into one I thought I would take the dash apart and look. Well I got the dash apart pretty easily, then I came to the, hose like thing that I think is called the speedometer wire or sensor or some thing. I gently but with minimal force pulled out the gauge cluster. I just came in and I didn't seem to be able to get the, fit like there was before. I think I might have ruined something, but I don't know. My main concern is why would my speedo/odometer not work? I checked fuses (someone told me to just in case) and there wasn't any problems. Any suggestions would be great! I don't know what all there is to be hooked up for the speedo and such to work. I know if you tap on the side of the gauge cluster the speedo will go up and slowly fall. Other than that I am clueless. Thanks again. By the way this is a 5 speed.

You've got a broken speedometer cable.

The only thing that operates the speedometer is the cable that runs from the transmission to the speedo gauge. Changing fuses won't do anything to help your situation. The Speedo cable is "that hose like thing" that you were looking at earlier. You can probably buy a new one for $40, or get one from the junk yard for $5.

New is fine with me.. Do you think I broke anything on my actual cluster since I can't really get it to have a snug fit like what used to be on it? Haha, sorry for the not-so-great-but-you-understood-what-it-was description of it. Thanks again for the help. How hard do you think it is to change it? I am going to go buy a jack and jack stands now.. been wanting to for a while now.