Speedometer not working on 64 Barracuda.

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Witchboard

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The speedo never worked in this car when I bought it. I've finally starting messing with it and I don't know if it's bored out or if the cable just isn't the right one. I thought it should be square, but this one looks circular.

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Nobody has any insight if this has been worn or if I just don't have the right kind of cable? If it's worn, can that part be replaced or is it a replacement speedo I'm looking at?
 
It has been so long since I had an early A that I don't remember if the speedometer end is square or if it has a nub on one side of the cable. Is your cable end square? Can you see anything inside where the cable goes (almost looks like a slot on one side in your pic)? If the car is running, jack up the rear (with stands, of course), start the car and put it into gear. Watch the end of the cable and make sure it spins. You can also pinch the cable end between your fingers to see if it stops. My Dad taught me that trick many years ago on my first Valiant. Cable had broken but had one wire still intact and would turn the cable just enough that you thought it was OK. Holding it would stop it turning. This will tell you if the problem is in the speedo drive/cable or in the speedo itself. .
 
AbodyTim said:
It has been so long since I had an early A that I don't remember if the speedometer end is square or if it has a nub on one side of the cable. Is your cable end square? Can you see anything inside where the cable goes (almost looks like a slot on one side in your pic)? If the car is running, jack up the rear (with stands, of course), start the car and put it into gear. Watch the end of the cable and make sure it spins. You can also pinch the cable end between your fingers to see if it stops. My Dad taught me that trick many years ago on my first Valiant. Cable had broken but had one wire still intact and would turn the cable just enough that you thought it was OK. Holding it would stop it turning. This will tell you if the problem is in the speedo drive/cable or in the speedo itself. .
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The cable end is square, but it's like twisted. I'm not sure if that's how its designed or if it's damaged. The cable isn't broken as I can pull it all the way through the sheathing from the transmission and that end is square metal. Cable looks good to me.


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I can’t provide insight to the problem but I gotta commend you on posting clear photos in a tight spot; well done!
 
Hmm. Maybe the cable is the wrong type. My dad has 66 Mustang he's restoring and we pulled the cable out and tried it on his speedo since he had it removed from the cluster and it slipped right in and worked a peach. What I'm running into is they've changed out what I presume was a standard transmission to what I'm pretty sure is a 904 automatic transmission. Might be looking at a conversion issue with an incompatible cable to the speedometer.
 
Witchboard said:
Hmm. Maybe the cable is the wrong type. My dad has 66 Mustang he's restoring and we pulled the cable out and tried it on his speedo since he had it removed from the cluster and it slipped right in and worked a peach. What I'm running into is they've changed out what I presume was a standard transmission to what I'm pretty sure is a 904 automatic transmission. Might be looking at a conversion issue with an incompatible cable to the speedometer.
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it's hard to say on modified cars. If you have your rear end blocked up and the car in drive and the cable is smoothly turning it would seem your trans gear and cable are good? Then onto the speedometer or fitment of parts.
 
While driving around, it spins and I can't force it to stop with my fingers, so I expect the cable and transmission are fine. All the online pictures I've found of the cables don't show ends so I can't confirm what it should look like.
 
If you spin that round brass input shaft by hand, does the speedo needle move? If not, something wrong in the speedo head. If it does move, the length of the cable might be off. Looks like an aftermarket end has been put on the cable, or it's an aftermarket cable altogether.
 
The input on the speedometer is supposed to be female square to match the square end of the cable. Very obvious what happened here. The speedometer locker up and the cable kept turning and rounded out the speedometer input. You might need another cable, too. I'll look, but I don't think I have another speedometer.
 
I can turn the brass part where the cable connects by hand and dance the needle. Not sure what would cause it to wear that badly. Thanks for checking.
 
Still looking for a pic if anybody has one lying around. It appears it should be a square connector. Found another video that looks like mine, but I can't see in there. I'm wondering if the previous owner drilled out the magnet on mine for some reason, but I don't have a reference to be sure.

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I haven't fooled with early As but I don't understand how the hole that the center (spinning part) of the cable fits into can be round. The cable would just spin in it - that's why the cable is square. On a later A body (mine are 1970) you can't pull the cable out through the transmission end. There is a crimped collar on the cable, so it has to come out the speedo end of the cable, but maybe early models are different.
 
It may just look like it's a simple round hole. I bet it's square farther inside. The upper end (by the speedo head) has the collar on the cable for all years AFAIK.
 
str12-340 said:
I haven't fooled with early As but I don't understand how the hole that the center (spinning part) of the cable fits into can be round. The cable would just spin in it - that's why the cable is square. On a later A body (mine are 1970) you can't pull the cable out through the transmission end. There is a crimped collar on the cable, so it has to come out the speedo end of the cable, but maybe early models are different.
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I can pull my cable through the sleeve at the speedo all the way out of the transmission and put it back in with no issues. Spins as expected.

cudamark said:
It may just look like it's a simple round hole. I bet it's square farther inside. The upper end (by the speedo head) has the collar on the cable for all years AFAIK.
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I expect it's supposed to be square farther in. From what I can tell the copper peace is just a collar, the metal part inside is the magnet. I found a video and it shows a square end cable, so it has to be.
 
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