Speedo ...... pffft..... fixed.

[Pythias]

So..

I just hopped onto the freeway, gonna make a trip to Portland (50 miles). The speedo went thudadaddadadada and stopped. hmmmm...My gas gauge still isn't working so I HAVE to have the odometer function so I know when to buy fuel. As I drove I reached under and unhooked the cable. It was turning just fine. hmmmmm..... I pulled off at the next exit, attached the cable again, and .the speedo hopped a couple of times then stopped. I unhooked it again to have a look and only about a quarter inch of the tang was sticking out the cable. hmmmmm... then the brass ferule and gland nut came off in my hand. CRAP. I was at a truck repair place so I went in and asked if they had a crimp tool. They did, but it was too big, and they recommended an auto parts house across town. I figured I may as well stab the cable back into the speedo even without the gland nut, etc., and sure enough it was "as if fixed". At the auto parts place they said they could crimp it back on, just bring it on in. Anyone besides me have to hook up a speedo cable to a Datsun 5 speed angle drive IN THE CAR? No way I wanted to pull the cable, so I post on "the list" Frank C. (SpriteNut) had the solution.....

Wrap some friction tape, one layer around the cable jacket. ( didn't have any so I skipped this, but I'll get some and take care of that aspect). Cut a slot in the barrel, put it all back together and put a hose clamp from a gas line around the assembly and crank it down.

Good solid repair using available tools and material. It's not concours, but it works great.

THANX Frank.

 

[spritenut]

Anytime Bill
I learned this with my 1st Datsun 5 speed set up.
Simple and it works.

 

[Nelson]

Earlier this summer when I started the engine and five speed combo for the first time and with the car on jackstands, the speedo worked fine. Then after a short drive on the road it quit completely. When I pushed the car with the trans engaged the end of the cable would turn but there is only a short square end stub sticking out of the cable end. This sounds like what Bill L described but I don't understand the solution. This week my carbs are scheduled to be sent back to me (after nine weeks with Joe Curto) and I'd like to be sure the speedo will function when I get on the road again. Was the idea being to cut off a portion of the cable sheath to expose more of the drive cable? If so, how much is removed?

 

[Pythias]

In my case, the brass ferule along with the gland nut just fell off into my hand. The instructions I got were that 5/8" of tang was supposed to be left sticking out.

It may be that your ferule is loose on the end of the jacket and has slipped down some. That's was the condition of mine between the time the speedo stopped working, and the the parts found their way into my hand.