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TR2/3/3A TR-3 Tachometer Squeek

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af3683

af3683

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The tachometer on my TR-3 is making a loud squeeking noise. I just removed the cable from the tack and am wondering if I should apply grease to the end that goes into the tach. The needle has also been moving rather eradically. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again.

Art
 
most likely the cable itself. try pulling the inner cable out of the houseing, cleaning it up and lubricating it. If that doesn't help it's probably new cable time.
 
One test you can try is to move the tach cable to the speedo head. If it still squeaks, you know it's the cable.

If it is the tach head, then I would try just one or two drops of 3-in-1 or similar, not down the hole where the cable fits but just at the edge of the hole next to the threaded fitting on the housing. Take a short drive afterwards to let the oil work in.

If that doesn't fix it, check out Tony Rhodes' article on speedo service:
https://home.comcast.net/~rhodes/speedo.pdf

(The tach head is essentially identical, just without the odometer and trip meter mechanisms.)
 
Thanks Randall. So you are saying put a few drops of oil in the threaded piece that slicks out in the back of the tach? I did try to put a little bit of grease at the very end of the conduit which holds the cable. I assume that's OK too.
 
Randall's suggestion of "just one or two drops of 3-in-1 or similar" is probably much better. Grease, more correctly TOO MUCH GREASE (and it doesn't take very much to be TOO MUCH) is a great killer of the internals of tachs and speedos. Way back in the mid-1970s, not long after I bought the car, I had to send my GT6+ tachometer off to Nisonger for rebuild/repair. It came back good as new...and with a note inside the box about there having been an excess of grease and suitable warnings about same!
 
I would wipe out any grease in the end of the cable, just to be sure it doesn't get into the speedo head. As Andy notes, any grease or oil that gets loose inside can cause severe problems. In fact, the original speedo on my TR3 got a bunch of grease inside somehow and now indicates some 50% high ... when I'm doing 70 it wavers around 100!

If you look closely at the threaded piece, you may be able to see a small 'step' just inside the tip. That step is where the part that turns with the cable rides against the housing, which can get dry and squeak. That is where you want to put the oil.
 
Randall & Andrew,
Thanks for your help. I'm sorry but when you say "the threaded piece, you may be able to see a small 'step' just inside the tip," are you referring to the plastic piece that is part of the actual metal cable housed inside the conduit that sticks out and goes in to the back of the tach, or the piece that is part of the tach that has threads on it that receives the plastic nut? Sometime I can be a bit dense. Thanks.

Art
 
I think I know what he means but will let him explain.

I would also lube the cable since that could be part of the problem (could cause the needle wavering you're seeing, not so likely to help the squeak). I have heard several opinions on what to lube with including graphite and light oil but a local fellow whose business is speedo repair recommends plain old grease... just get some in your hand and drag the cable thru it. No, I don't think he is trying to assure future business.

As with any lube -- enough is good -- lots more than enough can be a problem. You don't want whatever cable lube you use to get forced into the tach head where it can gum up the works (specifically, it could interfere with the free-wheeling nature of the drag cup).
 
af3683 said:
or the piece that is part of the tach that has threads on it that receives the plastic nut?
Click to expand...
That's it. Maybe a photo (stolen from Tony Rhodes, my camera died) will help:
 

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Geo Hahn said:
I would also lube the cable since that could be part of the problem (could cause the needle wavering you're seeing, not so likely to help the squeak). I have heard several opinions on what to lube with including graphite and light oil but a local fellow whose business is speedo repair recommends plain old grease... just get some in your hand and drag the cable thru it. No, I don't think he is trying to assure future business.
Click to expand...
:iagree:
I use grease as well, for the inner cable.

But the important point here is that you must remove the inner cable, and add a small amount of grease only where it rubs against the outer housing. You don't want a blob of grease in the cavity where the cable joins with the speedo head, so wipe out any that remains there after reinserting the inner cable into the outer cable.
 
Randall,
Thank you so much. A picture is worth a thousand words!! I didn't actually put any grease in the cavity where the cable goes into the tach head. I did try to cram some between the inner and outer cable after I removed it from the tach. I'm sure that can't hurt. The squeek seems to be coming from the back of the tach so I think following your advice and putting a drop of oil where the cable rides against the housing will do the trick. If not, then I'll remove and grease the whole cable.

Thank you so much everyone. You guys are great!!

Art
 
In case it's not clear, you can withdraw the inner cable w/o undoing the outer cable housing or doing any more than uncoupling it from the back of the tach (same for the speedo). You just pull the inner cable out. When reinserting it you will probably have to twist it a bit this way then that until it seats in the little square drive on the tach (or gearbox in the case of the speedo).
 
George,
When removing the inner cable don't you have to disconnect it at the engine before you can pull it out at the tach end? I assume there is a similar type fitting at the engine.

Thanks,
Art
 
af3683 said:
When removing the inner cable don't you have to disconnect it at the engine before you can pull it out at the tach end? I assume there is a similar type fitting at the engine.
Click to expand...
Nope, Geo is exactly right. If you undo the speedo/tach end, the inner cable should pull out easily. The only issues are being careful to not kink it once it's out; while not letting it touch the car's interior (it will be messy). Easy enough for the tach cable, but a bit harder for the speedo cable (especially if you have the 8' OD cable).
 
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