Well, I ripped the dash out this weekend and tested the speedo and the sensor (you know a True Value drill does 58 MPH?) and it all tested good, so I will have to yank the cable and replace it. I believe this is a three-piece cable. I can't see it. It disappears behind the dash; since I have the "Sport roof" (targa) I think there's extra bracing in the car that's in the way. Anyone been in one of these before?
Also, as an aside, the gear for the tranny that spins the cable: I have a Canadian version, so everything is in Km. If I put a US tranny in, with the gear that's in it for the US speedos, will I then have a 240MPH speedo? (In otherwords, is the reduction done at the tranny or the speedo?)
Oh, no man! The Speedo's big white letters go all the way to 240! I love freaking people out with this! It actually hasn't caused me a problem, since I have only driven the car twice, and the cable is shot (or maybe disconnected at the tranny?) Previous owner told me it stopped working after she bought it.
What also stops people is "WOW! 247,000 miles!!!!" Then I tell them to look a little closer... ;)
So...you're saying the reduction is done inside the speedo itself, eh?
I would just LOVE to have a friend of mine, who's afraid of speed, to get in this car and go ripping down the highway at about 70MPH and say, "Hey, Look! We're doing 115! and it only feels like 70!!!" Have to be an empty highway, tho...how would I explain all the people passing us at 115? ;)
I would be looking at the gear and its mesh inside the trans before I would go diving for the cable. Typically, there is a bolt that holds the speedo gear into the back of the trans. There are various sizes of gears to fit, depending on tire size and final drive ratios. You can loosen the bolt, or remove it, and you should be able to turn the mounting assembly for the gear. If the gear was removed at some point, and not turned to to the correct position to ensure its meshing with the gear inside the trans, then the speedo would be inoperative. It would seem to me that there are many speed related systems that would not work in this instance as well, particluarly it seems that the engine management systems should not work right.
You should be able to drive the cable with your drill and make the speedo go. If this doesn't work, then maybe the cable is broken. In my experience, the cable is always one piece, and you can simply pull the cable out of the sleeve from the transmission end. Having said that, are you CERTAIN there is a cable? I don't recall what year you said you have, but if newer than a mid '90s then you could easily have an electric speedo that is driven by the computer.
But, you said you spun the speedo with your drill motor, that would mean you have a cable, or that you should have noticed that there was a cable.
The conversion from Miles to Kilometers is done in the speedo itself, not the trans.
Oh, yeah: just a couple: No Cruise Control (no feedback from speed sensor in speedo) and the tranny doesn't shift. Just the two I've noticed! ;)
I haven't replaced a speedo cable since 197something! The tranny fluid is BLACK, so I think I'll just replace the tranny as a whole. We'll check the cable then. Thanks!
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