Club 80-90 Forums

so on my trip to dorset last week i looked down at the speedometer while on the motorway to find that it wasn't working.

the needle then started jumping for a little while before completely doing nothing.

the odometer has also packed up.

so... what am i looking at here guys? can't really see/get to anything up above steering column. removal of the whole dash and check connections?

arghghghghhhh.

Sounds like the speedo cable has come out of the back of the speedo. like mine, if it is a plastic push and turn fit, it may have broken. Cables cost less than £20 to buy. Seems do-able but fiddley if you have a haynes manual. Take the cover off the instrument panel (lift and pull from the bottom of the back of the cover.) Look down and you will see the cableto see if it has come away.

Also....check your wheel where the cable comes through the centre. Its retained by an 'e' clip which can fall off, and the cable work its way out of the wheel centre cap which would also cause this. If the square hole in the cap has rounded, you can work the metal from inside the cap with a cold chisel and close it up, filing it square again afterwards.

jake - cheers will lift it off tomorrow and have a look.

CovKid wrote:Also....check your wheel where the cable comes through the centre. Its retained by an 'e' clip which can fall off, and the cable work its way out of the wheel centre cap which would also cause this. If the square hole in the cap has rounded, you can work the metal from inside the cap with a cold chisel and close it up, filing it square again afterwards.

sorry Covkid - but probably due to my own ignorance here - im a vehicle dunderhead... what wheel are we talking about here?

Hi, The wheel covkid is talking about is the front nearside hope this helps.Hobopatch

Look at the wheel centre cap and you should see the end of the cable smack in the middle, held with a clip. If theres just a hole, clip has gone, if hole isn't square any more, that will also cause the speedo to pack up. Could be broken cable too possibly.

guys.

it seems fine connected behind the dash. when i look at the under the car i can see it held on by a clip near to the chassis, then it just seems to disappear into the wheel as per the picture. it doesn't feel loose at all... i can't seem to see a clip where it disappears into the wheel and its a round shaped hole?

Heres a piccy of the wheel centre cap that CovKid referred to..........

http://www.justkampers.com/shop/type_2_ ... cable.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

See it has a square hole in the middle that drives the speedo cable. Cable should be secured to it by an 'e' clip.

Mike

CovKid wrote:Look at the wheel centre cap and you should see the end of the cable smack in the middle, held with a clip. If theres just a hole, clip has gone, if hole isn't square any more, that will also cause the speedo to pack up. Could be broken cable too possibly.

i couldn't see any kind of clip (assume it's behind the cap)- but the cable was slightly poking out of the cap. i pushed it back in (it still seems square enough) but no joy when i took the van for a spin.