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I admit that I am a bit frustrated right now. I just reinstalled my rebuilt speedometer in my BJ8 and it does't 'work' - no rotation at any speed. I disconnected the cable and drove the car to see if the cable was rotating. It wasn't. However, I pushed on the end of the cable and it started rotating. I thought I was OK, but the speedometer still didn't rotate after reinstalling the cable. So, I disconnected the cable again and it was rotating but the SLIGHTEST pressure with my fingertips stopped the rotation - very little pressure stopped the rotation - I mean the cable had no torque at all, it seemed. So, how does this happen? The gear at the tranny must be working or it wouldn't rotate at all, right? I am asking for your ideas on this one! Help!
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Speedometer Problem ...
- Thread starter stever
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Marvin Gruber
Yoda
Offline
Stever,
Have you checked the angle drive. If a little pressure against the cable makes it turn, makes me think it is the angle drive. My angle drive went out in the first five minutes of driving after I restored the car. The angle drives are not to strong but are fixable with a little epoxy..
Marv
Have you checked the angle drive. If a little pressure against the cable makes it turn, makes me think it is the angle drive. My angle drive went out in the first five minutes of driving after I restored the car. The angle drives are not to strong but are fixable with a little epoxy..
Marv
B
BUNDYRUM
Guest
Guest
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Hello stever, the angle drive coming out of the O/D has been known to self distruct in a couple of ways.
The inner cable is swagged from it's circular cross section down to a square section on both ends. Sometimes the end of the cable at the O/D end can get worn so all the cable does is spin inside the gear it is supposed to get drive from. A solution is to get the cable brazed with an Oxy-Acetylene torch and a brazing rod thus building the size up and filing it back down the the size of the gear. Doing it with any other welding method won't work as well because any other process will heat the cable too much and it will become brittle. Soldering it will not be strong enough.
The other possibility ( although I'm sure there are more out there) is that angle drive is in the process of coming apart.
This angle drive is accessible from underneath the car as long as the car is up high enough to crawl underneath. It is also accessible by removing the transmission cover.
The last way is probably better because if you jack up the rear of the car so the wheels are off the ground you can start it up and actually see what may be happening.
Best regards,
bundyrum.
The inner cable is swagged from it's circular cross section down to a square section on both ends. Sometimes the end of the cable at the O/D end can get worn so all the cable does is spin inside the gear it is supposed to get drive from. A solution is to get the cable brazed with an Oxy-Acetylene torch and a brazing rod thus building the size up and filing it back down the the size of the gear. Doing it with any other welding method won't work as well because any other process will heat the cable too much and it will become brittle. Soldering it will not be strong enough.
The other possibility ( although I'm sure there are more out there) is that angle drive is in the process of coming apart.
This angle drive is accessible from underneath the car as long as the car is up high enough to crawl underneath. It is also accessible by removing the transmission cover.
The last way is probably better because if you jack up the rear of the car so the wheels are off the ground you can start it up and actually see what may be happening.
Best regards,
bundyrum.
Rob Glasgow
Jedi Knight
Offline
You are describing the exact same problem I had last month on my BT7. If I disconnected the cable at the back of the speedo and moved the car, the cable would rotate. But as soon as I applied a little resistance to the cable end, it would quit rotating. I'll bet the issue is in the angle drive as others have suggested. My problem was the short cable that goes into the O/D. It was broken completely in two, but the two ends touched each other enough to allow the cable to rotate as long as there was no resistance. I was able to fix my angle drive by removing the broken cable and replacing it with a screw that I filed the sides down to make it square. Not sure how long this temporary fix will hold but it's still working after 200 miles. See my post from last month about angle drives. I broke two of them before a found out what was causing the failures.
TimK
Jedi Knight
Offline
I think it just screws off like the cable does (a threaded sleeve).
I didn't want to tell this on the forum, but when I got my car in 1981, the speedometer did not work -- the angle drive was broken. I cut a small hole in the tunnel and ran the cable directly into the trans drive. I then curved the cable under the carpet and up to the speedo. I have had no problems since. It is hidden under the tunnel carpet, so know one can see it.
I didn't want to tell this on the forum, but when I got my car in 1981, the speedometer did not work -- the angle drive was broken. I cut a small hole in the tunnel and ran the cable directly into the trans drive. I then curved the cable under the carpet and up to the speedo. I have had no problems since. It is hidden under the tunnel carpet, so know one can see it.
B
BUNDYRUM
Guest
Guest
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Hello stever, I agree that taking off the tranny cover is not one of my most favorite things to do. But, when you do it just look at all those pieces that are under there that have probably never had any attention given to them in however many years.
The angle drive is attached with a knurled round sleeve just like the one that holds the outer cable to the drive. Similar but larger than the one that holds the outer cable to the back of the speedo.
There are some things you have to do in life to get a better appreciation of where you once were.
Best regards,
bundyrum.
The angle drive is attached with a knurled round sleeve just like the one that holds the outer cable to the drive. Similar but larger than the one that holds the outer cable to the back of the speedo.
There are some things you have to do in life to get a better appreciation of where you once were.
Best regards,
bundyrum.
AUSMHLY
Yoda
Offline
Hello Stever,
I guess you're not spending as much bonding time with your car as I have during my 5 year restoration.
I can now remove the transmission tunnel in about 15 minutes. I know, quick. It's really pretty simple when you know what tools you'll need and what sequence to remove the parts.
Remove the seats. (6 nuts)
Remove the center console. (2 screws near the back seats)
Remove the console. (4 screws under the dash lip, 1 screw where the two consoles meet at the ashtray)
Remove both front carpets. (4 snaps per carpet)
Remove the 8 screws that hold the tunnel down.
Remove the speedo cable from the back of the tach.
Pull the hand brake up then down in order to lift the transmission tunnel up and out of the car.
Good luck,
Roger
I guess you're not spending as much bonding time with your car as I have during my 5 year restoration.
I can now remove the transmission tunnel in about 15 minutes. I know, quick. It's really pretty simple when you know what tools you'll need and what sequence to remove the parts.
Remove the seats. (6 nuts)
Remove the center console. (2 screws near the back seats)
Remove the console. (4 screws under the dash lip, 1 screw where the two consoles meet at the ashtray)
Remove both front carpets. (4 snaps per carpet)
Remove the 8 screws that hold the tunnel down.
Remove the speedo cable from the back of the tach.
Pull the hand brake up then down in order to lift the transmission tunnel up and out of the car.
Good luck,
Roger
Ed_K
Jedi Knight
Offline
AUSMHLY said:
Roger,
Now we know the real cause of your poor gas mileage .
Just install your speedo cable into the speedometer instead of your tach. Your MPG is bound to shoot up like a rocket.
I couldn't help myself.
Your car looks good on the cover of Healey Marque !
Ed
AUSMHLY
Yoda
Offline
OMG...
My evil twin wrote that.
Much thanks to the guys here that proof what I write.
Note to self, and everyone else here....don't believe a word I write here on the forum. I'll mislead you.
Ed, dude! I'm so lucky to have my car on the cover. Thank you Reid!
And thank you Ed for pointing out that misdirection I was sending Stever on.
Now I'll just go out to the Healey and remove that speedo cable from the tach...that'll surly improve my mpg situation...lol.
Cheers,
Roger
My evil twin wrote that.
Much thanks to the guys here that proof what I write.
Note to self, and everyone else here....don't believe a word I write here on the forum. I'll mislead you.
Ed, dude! I'm so lucky to have my car on the cover. Thank you Reid!
And thank you Ed for pointing out that misdirection I was sending Stever on.
Now I'll just go out to the Healey and remove that speedo cable from the tach...that'll surly improve my mpg situation...lol.
Cheers,
Roger
Thank you for the very helpful information. Actually, over the years (37 now, but who is counting?) I have had the tranny off many times. And, the fact is that I just recently put it all back together after putting in new carpet and sound/heat insulation (which worked great!). I just was hoping to - for once - have a "quick fix" on this, but it doesn't look like it. I think I will just get used to not having an operable speedo for a while until I am in the mood to take the tunnel off again...
But, thanks a bunch. I might try to remove the angle drive from below...has anyone here actually done that before?
Thanks1
Going for a really nice drive in the Texas Hill Country tomorrow with some of the club guys - really looking forward to it. It is supposed to be sunny and 75 degrees....wow!
But, thanks a bunch. I might try to remove the angle drive from below...has anyone here actually done that before?
Thanks1
Going for a really nice drive in the Texas Hill Country tomorrow with some of the club guys - really looking forward to it. It is supposed to be sunny and 75 degrees....wow!