speedo cable replacement - help!

[alistair260661]

I have a J type manual gearbox (the one with the flat / ribbed gearbox sump cover).

I'm needing to replace my whole speedo cable (speedo jumps around and the outer cable is obviously damaged - letting water in).

I was under the car today trying to remove the cable at the gear box end, but without success... is there a knack to it?

My problem is that the rear gearbox support is in the way and I can't get a firm hold of the "nylon"? nut which appears to screw the cable onto the angle drive. Have tried to get at it with long nose pliers and similar tools, but it isn't budging.

So 2 questions - how do you get it off? and if I can't move it how easy is it to remove the angle drive from the gearbox so that I can remove the cable "on the bench"?

Thanks in advance for any help....

A

[Dave Worrall]

Hi,

I just fitted mine last week - it is a PITA. The way I did it was place a jack under the gearbox then slacken off the gearbox mounting bolts so the bracket drops a little. This will give you a bit more room and allow you to take the angle drive off and undo the speedo cable.

Dave.

[Andy Rundell]

when i did mine i just got in there with a pair of long handled water-pump pliers

......Andy

[Colonel Mustard]

I had a problem with my speedo which was jumping quite badly. It fixed itself of this fault...stopped working completely!!!

I disconnected the cable at the speedo head end (easy...just stick your hand behind the panel) and found that I could turn the cable with my fingers...which I shouldn't have been able to. So I pulled the core out...expecting it to be damaged or even snapped...but it was in very good condition.

The fault was obviously with the angle drive...this was a bit of a sod to get off...but once removed I found it had indeed broken. Got a new drive from Paddocks...was an absolute bar steward to fit.

Managed with a lot of percy veerance and a small one armed wrench. (took me an hour)

Speedo now pretty smooth.

Chris

[Firept]

Hi.
yes agreed this is a PITA job. just completed fitting all of the car back together took it for a run speedo fine 200yds from home stopped working yes cable broken. Pulled out about 2' of cable from the head end. ordered a new one then the fun of fitting.
Got SWMBO to thread the cable in from the foot well whilst I fumbled underneath and eventual as per Andy's comment above using water-pump pliers you can turn the angled drive nut about a 1/4 turn each time and it a long thread!! still fitted it went to fit it to the speedo and ....it was too short WHAT a few anglo saxon words only to find I had gone around the wrong side of the Clutch pipe.... OK take it out and start again . I must admit the second time was easier I took the angled drive off and fitted it to the cable first and then fitted it to the gearbox all went well except I now have a wavering speedo needle... no I have not changed it I'm still thinking about it.

Best of luck

Paul