Speedo Defunct

[RDKeysor]

Having decided to reset the odometer on my '60 BN7 for the first time after seven months of ownership, I was promptly rewarded. Yes, at a recorded 8.3 miles on the OD, I noticed that the speedo wasn't functioning, As I begin the search for the cause, is there anything I did during the reset that caused the speedo to expire? File this under wishful thinking, I suppose. This car has a Smitty Toyota gear box conversion and does not have an angle drive. It previously functioned perfectly.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I'm going to assume you reset the tripmeter, as resetting the odometer--which, I believe, is illegal in most circumstances--requires opening up the speedometer (and the odometer doesn't register tenths).

The speedometer is a simple unit in principle: you have a spinning magnet driven by the cable, and an indicator section which is magnetically coupled to the magnet. Either a) something is drastically afoul in the indicator section, causing it to jam (possibly debris or a loose part that got agitated when you reset the tripmeter, or b) the cable or some other part of the drive section is broken. Disconnect the cable at the speedo and move the car--the cable should rotate. If the cable rotates, take it out and inspect it for kinks--you should be able to roll it on a flat surface without it jumping around (kinks won't cause the speedo to stop indicating, but you might as well check it while you're at it). Assuming the cable is OK, it's likely a problem in the unit itself, which will require opening up the speedo. You can do this yourself, or send it to a specialist for repair (>$200 usually). Let me know your email address--private message or otherwise--and I'll send a document that is very informative and helpful.

 

[TimK]

I just got my defunct speedometer back from Nisonger's. It needed a new cradle assembly (the drive socket for the cable). The bearing had seized up and broken the cable at the transmission end. They also replaced the case because I had broken one of the two studs off removing it from the dash. Total bill was $280 plus $11 shipping to them via UPS. it took about 3 1/2 weeks turnaround. It had gone 100,000 miles over 53 years.

 

[RDKeysor]

Predictably, my speedo died because the inner wire snapped about 4" from the tranny. It looked like some wire threads had broken and then bunched, probably causing the wire to snap. As I said, this car has a Toyota gear box, so I have been concerned about fitting a replacement cable. My immediate problem was extracting the cable and housing, which was pinched between the firewall and the panel that is directly in front of the transmission cover. I had to remove the car's interior (again), including the tranny cover. I was then able to loosen the plate mentioned earlier, freeing the speedo cable. This cable has fittings at either end, and thus the wound wire interior can only be exposed if the wire breaks, as it had. The next question is how you attach a cable from one of the purveyors to the Healey speedo (SAE) and the Toyota transmission (metric thread)?. The answer, I think, is that the large "nut" that retains the cable housing at the transmission has a rather larger hole in it, and this allows it to be passed over the Healey cable attachment threaded piece. I am assuming I will pass this piece over that fitting on the new cable when it arrives, allowing me to slide it down to the transmission,where the boss on the new cable will be captured by the "nut" when I thread it to the tranny.

 

[steveg]

Predictably, my speedo died because the inner wire snapped about 4" from the tranny. It looked like some wire threads had broken and then bunched, probably causing the wire to snap. As I said, this car has a Toyota gear box, so I have been concerned about fitting a replacement cable. My immediate problem was extracting the cable and housing, which was pinched between the firewall and the panel that is directly in front of the transmission cover. I had to remove the car's interior (again), including the tranny cover. I was then able to loosen the plate mentioned earlier, freeing the speedo cable. This cable has fittings at either end, and thus the wound wire interior can only be exposed if the wire breaks, as it had. The next question is how you attach a cable from one of the purveyors to the Healey speedo (SAE) and the Toyota transmission (metric thread)?. The answer, I think, is that the large "nut" that retains the cable housing at the transmission has a rather larger hole in it, and this allows it to be passed over the Healey cable attachment threaded piece. I am assuming I will pass this piece over that fitting on the new cable when it arrives, allowing me to slide it down to the transmission,where the boss on the new cable will be captured by the "nut" when I thread it to the tranny.

I had this exact situation.

Had my speedo overhauled and installed the cable I got from Smitty with my Toyota kit. A year later it broke just as you describe above.

From Nisonger, I learned that for a while the Moss cables were wound "backward". This meant they unwound inside the housing and broke after some use.

You're going to need a new hybrid cable - Healey on top; Toyota on bottom. Nisonger orders them from England. They will tell you how to measure. Delaney probably has them too.

Also if you're not using it, recommend installing the Toyota right-angle drive at the tranny. This will affect the length of the cable.

This is probably a good time to order from folks like Nisonger, as Pebble Beach is just over with.

 

[RDKeysor]

Thanks, Jedi Warrior. As I have the cable on order from Moss, I'll check it out before I try Nisonger. I have spent the past seven years working on my beloved (and since sold) Mark 2 Jag saloon and fiddling my Porsche 968, so I am relatively new to the Healey world (I did own one out of college in 1963, but briefly). All of this to preface that I don't have a clue as to who Nisonger is. Regards the cable, the one I removed was 4', 5",and the one I ordered was (the closest they had to that length) was 4', 8". I thought the original was a bit short as I was unable to pull it back to reduce the curve out of the transmission fitting. I have rerouted the intended path of the new cable up through the right top forward end of the transmission cover, where it will be covered by the carpeting. I'll be ****ed if I will go through the major hassle the original routing forced on me. Toyota wants something like $130 for the right angle attachment, and I gather from discussion on this site that they are prone to failure. One of the guys in the local Healey club that I have yet to join has a Smitty conversion and an angle drive he isn't using, so maybe . . . .

 

[steveg]

Thanks, Jedi Warrior. As I have the cable on order from Moss, I'll check it out before I try Nisonger. I have spent the past seven years working on my beloved (and since sold) Mark 2 Jag saloon and fiddling my Porsche 968, so I am relatively new to the Healey world (I did own one out of college in 1963, but briefly). All of this to preface that I don't have a clue as to who Nisonger is. Regards the cable, the one I removed was 4', 5",and the one I ordered was (the closest they had to that length) was 4', 8". I thought the original was a bit short as I was unable to pull it back to reduce the curve out of the transmission fitting. I have rerouted the intended path of the new cable up through the right top forward end of the transmission cover, where it will be covered by the carpeting. I'll be ****ed if I will go through the major hassle the original routing forced on me. Toyota wants something like $130 for the right angle attachment, and I gather from discussion on this site that they are prone to failure. One of the guys in the local Healey club that I have yet to join has a Smitty conversion and an angle drive he isn't using, so maybe . . . .

Nisonger: https://www.nisonger.com/
The guy who answers the phone, Peter Bayer can answer your questions. He has an info sheet on how to set these up. You may just take his sheet to a local speedo shop and have them put the Toyota end on it. I would join the club and have one of the local people look over your setup. Here's my routing - about 7" from the left.


I don't think the upper right is going to work. The cable goes forward on the right side of the tranny then loops gracefully to the left in front of the bell housing. Your opening through the first "extension panel" should be at this point. Many cars have grommets there. My extension panel is homemade so I didn't have the grommet and cut a slot padded with foam tape.

The online source I PM'd you had the angle drives from the lower $80s. I've been running mine for about 5 years.

I used a long piece of 10-ga house wire to snake through from the speedo thru the extension panel and back to the speedo drive to determine the exact length I needed without taking the car apart.

 

[57_BN4]

I'm surprised nobody has made up a Toyota-to-angle drive adapter, then you could run a regular Healey cable. It'd have the same shape as the Toyota speedo cable on one end and a female thread to go into the angle adapter on the other end. It'd need a slightly longer cable stub to go inside but that should be pretty easy to order. Just an idea. Andy.

 

[lgrusco]

When first got my 1961 3000 speedo didn't work. The car was a 95%complete restoration I bought when friend doing work died. I jacked up car, ran engine, and observed cable wasn't turning. Engine had to be removed for crank grind so obtained a new drive gear, right angle drive, and cable. speedo now bounces when car driven. When settles down, reads about twice mph it should. Are there different gear ratios on the drive gear and right angle drive. If speedometer needs rebuilt, can someone recommend a good shop?
Thanks in advice for help
Larry Rusco
1225 Chick Ave.
Maryville, Missouri 64468
1962 3000

 

[richberman]

https://www.nisonger.com/

 

[Bob_Spidell]

... or, https://www.paspeedo.com/