66 Dart Speedometer Cable Question

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Ryan Hoelzer

Ryan Hoelzer

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Troubleshooting non working speedometer, I found that the cable isn't spinning, but I can pull it all the way out and it's intact, and when I push it back in I have to turn it to get it to drop in the other end. And then I can't turn it by hand. So it seems like it's in place on the transmission end. I believe there is some plastic gearing under the cover on the transmission end? Assuming something is locked up or broken there? Am I going to lose fluid removing that cover?

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Put a drip pan under it, you might loose a little fluid, but pull the whole unit out. Make note of the indexing numbers before you do so it goes back in the exact location. You will now see the plastic drive gear. They come in different colors. Note the number of teeth molded into the gear (like 32, 34,36, etc.). Does that number of teeth match the number outside on the case that the unit was indexed on? If yes, then the unit was properly installed and the teeth should be meshing and driving the cable. Next, grab the gear and turn either direction. With a little resistance it should turn. Have a friend go in the car and watch the speedo. I can't remember which way, but with a quick rotation in one direction the speedo needle should bounce. This indicates that the speedo head is being driven. Try all this first and we can go on to bad speedo's and bad cables.
 
Make sure that you get the inner strand of the cable in correctly... It's ground to a square and you have to get it properly engaged on each end for the speedo to work... Make sure that the square doesn't bind when installing the cable... Sometimes you have to spin it a little to get it to fit into the transmission end or speedo end properly...
 
Yeah, If I have it loose from the speedometer and pull it out some I can spin it, then I have to spin while I'm pushing to hit the transmission end. Then I can't turn it by hand.
 
I took it all apart, got a good understanding of how it all worked. Was confident everything was good as long as the gear in the transmission was turning. Put it all back together and still not spinning. I ended up with the cable loose at the speedometer so I could drive and see if it moved at all. By pulling, pushing, spinning, etc, while I was moving, it went in a little further and started working.. I would have sworn it was in all the way before that..
 
Good that you inspected all components. Without pics is difficult to help. At the speedo end, the cable has a Ferrel, a collar that prevents the cable from falling down into the housing and disconnecting from the head. The ferrel is crimped on and should be a good "1" or more from the end, allowing plenty of engagement to the head. Did you pull the cable completely out to inspect? They can break somewhere along their length.
 
It's working now. The confusing part was that I couldn't turn the cable by hand, but it wasn't in all the way. As soon as it went all the way in it works.

Thanks
 
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