924Board.org

[ted von Kampen]

I had a problem with the speedo jumping on my 924. So I bought a new cable and installed it. After I put it into the back of the speedometer and screwed the cable in it did not work. ??? So I took it off and checked the cable. It rotates in the sheath as it should. So next I took the speedometer and inserted an old cable end and spun it up with a drill. Worked fine and indicated as it should. Put it back together and nothing. I think the problem is the square end of the cable does not quite get in the speedo square drive slot. If I push the end of the cable back into the sheath it goes in about a quarter inch or so. This must be enough to keep the cable square from engaging. Fooling around once I did get it to drive (barely). But when I installed it would not work again. Question:
Does anyone have a trick for making that cable square end a bit longer? Or else how to restrain the cable from pushing back in the sheath? I am stumped for now. I really don't want to remove and screw around with a new cable unless I have to. Any thoughts or help appreciated.
Ted

[D Hook]

Have you inspected the other end that's connected to the drivers side front hub?
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'80 924 n/a SOLD

[D Hook]

Also, does the 81 have the egr counter box?. My 80 had one that was broken. Took out the two cables and replaced with a single cable from wheel to speedo.
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'80 924 n/a SOLD

[ted von Kampen]

Yes I have looked at left front hub. When I installed the new cable I checked fit and also put in new C clip and RTV's the end to the grease cup.

2nd question... it only had one cable before.
Thanks for replying

[D Hook]

You may need to pull the sheath out with the cable and give it a good inspection and lubrication. Product called "Dry Lube" out there that won't gum up like liquid lubes. Also, good old graphite works great on speedo cables.

You might also check the path the sheath follows now to be sure it's not constricted and not running a longer path that makes the cable end up shorter than it should be.

Mind saying where you bought the cable?
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'80 924 n/a SOLD

[ted von Kampen]

Yes, I bought it at Paragon. Brand new, European manufacture.

Here is the puzzle, with the new cable installed I can turn the wheel in the proper direction and see the end of the cable spin. It is not restrained and if I grip it with a pliers it will quit turning. If I turn the wheel with the speedo connected, the needle does not move but the odometer moves. I reversed the wheel direction and the odometer starts to back up. I then remove the speedo and set in a vise. I install the old cable on the speedo and spin it with a drill, the direction of rotation is clockwise looking at the cable from the speedo end. The needle moves like it should, the odometer moves, and basically it works flawlessly. The reason I installed a new cable was that lubing the old cable was not working by putting ATF in the tope end and letting it go down the cable. It was making a lot of noise and the needle was jumping. Reading a lot of forum postings said the best was to just install a new cable.

I have measured the square end, changed the insertion distance. At first I thought it was spinning in the speedo square but if the odometer works the input must be turning. It seems to be a real puzzle. I am going to take the case off tomorrow so I can see the input ferrule turning with the cable. I guess as a last resort I can install the old cable but this car sat for 15 years before I started the rebuild.

Any thoughts or comments are welcome. ...Ted

[ted von Kampen]

One more thing, I also thought maybe the insertion was short and just not getting to the speedo input square. A comment on one of the forums said to drive the fitting on the end of the sheath further onto the cable sheath. This effectively makes the square cable end longer. I did make such an adjustment on the new cable but not to a long as I could do.