T-Series Tachometer repair

Last couple days I've spent troubleshooting the non-working rev counter (tachometer) and clock. Finally figured out that the main shaft was frozen, which is why the drive cable kept snapping.


After lying on my back across the front seat, with the parking brake jammed into my kidneys and my left arm twisted up under the dash, I finally got it out. Took it apart, did some cleaning, let the drive shaft soak in my usual 50/50 mixture of acetone and ATF, and this morning it works. Also dis-assembled, cleaned and oiled the clock which is mounted in the tachometer, and got it working too.

Great to see it all back in order, but not looking forward to reinstalling it when the new cable arrives from Abingdon Spares. If you hear some colorful language from the general direction of New England, it'll be me, probably with my arm stuck behind the steering column..

I'm in big trouble - Abingdon Spares is only an hour away. The new owners are personable and helpful. I'm in *big* trouble.

​



On a different tack - Interesting MG story. The EX135 was quite a car.



https://primotipo.com/tag/mg-ex135/



Tom M.

Wait till you try to replace the master cylinder.

pdplot said:

Wait till you try to replace the master cylinder.

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If m/c goes bad, I'll just get a louder horn ...

One step forward: got the rev counter and clock back in. Victory!

Well done!

:thumbsup:

I posted a while ago that while in a similar contortion in Herself's MGB, I became pinned and experienced my first butt cramp! Be careful! :smirk:

DrEntropy said:

:thumbsup:

I posted a while ago that while in a similar contortion in Herself's MGB, I became pinned and experienced my first butt cramp! Be careful! :smirk:

Click to expand...

Sounds like a jailhouse story?!

Grantura_MKI said:

Sounds like a jailhouse story?!

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naaah. Was on my back, under the steering wheel, right arm trapped in the space under the dash... alone and contorting/twisting my body as I tried to figure out how to free my arm. Funny now, not so much then.

Hear you. I tend to put my back on the seat base and my legs over the seat back. Works well is you are going to be doing extended jobs under the facia.

You won't think it's so great when all the blood rushes to your head. I tried that upside down trick just once. That did it for me. 30 years ago - maybe.

I am a young and broken old man in the age of 50. Have been doing these cars for nearly 35 years. Do what works for you.

I learned a long time ago, it's easier if you pull the seats! Still doesn't make hooking up the heater cable any easier. PJ

Wonder if they've got a heater installed in this TD racing through the Alps?

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/safety-fast

Skip to around 7:00.

Don't know if it's the same problem as with my Bugeye, but a nice cleaning resolved it.

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?109162-Tachometer-seize&highlight=tachometer

Mark - the main shaft on mine was totally frozen. I wondered why there was no tach cable in the car when I got it. Stupid me - I bought and installed a new cable, but it broke the minute I started the engine. The tach was frozen, so the generator gearbox end of the cable snapped right off immediately.

It actually took 24 hours for the penetrating oil (acetone/ATF) to do its magic. After a few hours I could just barely turn that shaft using a square drill bit held by pliers. After overnight, it turned more easily. After 24 hours it actually would spin freely.

Also cleaned and put a few drops of sewing machine oil in the clock, which then ran (on a 12 v battery) for two days in a row perfectly.

I reinstalled the clock into the tach, then the tach unit in the fascia. Unfortunately, after a few hours back in the dash fascia, the clock stopped again. Tach still runs perfectly, but clock won't run more than a few hours after resetting.

Tom M.

... well, at least the tach works. Sounds like a similar approach to mine.
If it's not one thing, it's another.
Good luck with the clock, Tom - that sounds harder.

Suddenly its 1953...