Speedo cable pops off the tranny

[skinsgamer]

When I bought my 78 midget the speedometer was inop. what I found was the cable was disnonnected at the tranny. Reconnected and found out the cable from the counter(purpose unknown) to the gauge didn't have the center cable in it. So, replaced with a 79' cable which goes straight from tranny to gauge (not counter). It seemed to work fair, but then POP, came off the tranny again.
Is there a trick to putting it on correctly?

 

[Tullamore]

not sure on the 1500 tranny but mine connects to a threaded plastic part, which is visible through the trans oil fill hole in the tunnel side. If yours is similar the plastic part maybe worn out.

 

[dklawson]

I'm not familiar with the later cars and the "counter" you mention. However, on German cars of the same period, there is a box in the middle of the cable that is used to monitor maintenance intervals. Perhaps some of the 1500 owners will know if that is the function of your counter box.

It could be that the counter box is binding up. If that happens, the cable between the gearbox and counter will get a lot of torque on it which will tend to pull the cable jacket off either or both ends. If your threaded plastic part is worn as Tullamore said, the cable would pull off that much easier.

 

[SilentUnicorn]

i have one of those boxes. Tony Barnhill told me that it is a maintence indicator, a rare faactory option. it is a inline box in the speedo cable with two green wires coming out of it, dont ask me where they are supposed to be hooked to because mine was not connected when i got the car. Maybe you can tell me??


mark

 

[Matthew E. Herd]

It's an EGR counter installed stock on certain years. It determines when the EGR should be replaced based on mileage. I got a longer cable that will run straight from transmission to speedo, but haven't gotten around to fitting it. In some california cars, I understand they had 2 counters, one for EGR and the other for the charcoal canister.

Matt

 

[dklawson]

Matt... you're in Troy? I spent 4 very long years living (existing) in Troy while my wife was in school. Godspeed to you. May your venue for your Masters be a much more scenic and warmer place!

 

[Matthew E. Herd]

I hope so /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif It's pretty darned cold here in the winter! Especially since I'm used to Southeastern PA temps, which aren't much higher, but they're not as cold in the winter months either.

Matt

P.S. back to the forum subject, on 1500's there should be some sort of clip that holds the speedo cable on. Do you have this? It looks like a U and I forget how it attaches, but it holds the flanged end of the speedo flush against the transmission. There may be some pictures in the Haynes Manual.

 

[skinsgamer]

Wow, a lot of info there. The EGR counter makes sense. My counter was all hooked up but the cable from the counter to the speedo gauge was missing the inner part (no turning thing). I bought a new longer cable (79's didn't have the counter) and installed it. I do have the U shaped clip and it was installed. I may not have seated it correctly though, will have to recheck.

Thanks for inputs.

 

[77_MG_Midget]

[ QUOTE ]
It's an EGR counter installed stock on certain years. It determines when the EGR should be replaced based on mileage. I got a longer cable that will run straight from transmission to speedo, but haven't gotten around to fitting it. In some california cars, I understand they had 2 counters, one for EGR and the other for the charcoal canister.

Matt

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe the counter you are referring to is for the catalytic converter. On California Emissions cars, the cat converter had to be replaced every 28,000 miles or so. When the counter reached it's limit, it trips a "catalyst" light located on the lower right of the radio console. Once the catalytic converter was changed, the dealer had a special "key" which would reset the counter. To the best of my knowledge, only the Cali emissions cars have this.