Tach not working

[joejoecat]

What could be the problem with a tach that suddenly quits working? Broken cable ? If so, how hard is it to replace. Its on a 1964 TR4 .Thanks

 

[MDCanaday]

This job can be done with out spilling your beer in 5 minutes(you can let me hold it for you!!)
MD(mad dog)

 

[BobbyD]

Undo the cable at the distributor and try to pull the inner cable out. Probably a broken inner cable. The hardest part is snaking the cable through all the dash wires to hit the back of the tach. At least on a TR6 it is.......

 

[Geo Hahn]

If it is a broken cable you may be able to get a replacement locally -- even our mid-sized town has a shop that specializes in old speedos and can make a replacement inner cable while you wait.

This is particularly desirable if you still have the sort of off-white cable housing that would have been original on your car -- these are NLA. Yes, one vendor says they have them but theirs are more a shade of silver than white.

I have noticed a kit in the 'HELP' section of the auto parts store for making a replacement inner cable but haven't tried it yet. They are real simple and nearly universal (other than length) so such a kit might work.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Oh, one more thing -- if it is a broken cable be sure to check that your tach head turns freely (can be check with a nail, a small phillips screwdriver or just the squared end of the old cable).

One cause of a broken cable is a jammed or bound head which, if not corrected, will promptly break your new cable. I know this for a fact.

 

[TR3driver]

One cause of a broken cable is a jammed or bound head which, if not corrected, will promptly break your new cable. I know this for a fact.

In fact, even a head that is just a little bit difficult to turn can get hot in operation and bind hard enough to break something. It should spin very freely.

But in my case it broke the angle drive instead.

 

[Telly]

My tach head seized and stripped the gear in the distributor. I wish the cable would have broken instead!