Hi my 81's speedometer works when it wants to. I recently had the transmission out for something else, and that end is perfect. Behind the dash, the small plastic needle-like gear that goes in into the cluster is detatched from the cable, is this normal or broken? If I push the plastic needle gear into the cluster and then slide the cable down over it, it will work fine for about a week, and then it starts bouncing and will eventually just do nothing. The Haynes manual doesn't really discuss how the connection behind the cluster is supposed to work.

 

I don't know the answer to your question but I took my cluster out last weekend due to the right side of it not illuminating. I thought it was some bulbs but it might have been loose connections to the plastic electric grid ribbon on the back. i pulled out the suspected lights and bent the forks up hoping to get a better connection. I also noticed one of the ribbon connections on the plastic grid where the harness plugs in was almost completely broken through. I had some old rear window defogger repair kit lying around and I applied some of that to the exposed connection. Put everything back together and it works. (I wish the 194 bulbs were brighter but it all works). Not sure if the window defogger mattered or bending the forks but whatever.

Anyway, sorry to hijack your thread but while I had it out I had tried to remove the steering wheel cable from the cluster. It's a tight fit so being able to see what's up I couldn't really do. i noticed there are 2 bolts that hold it into the cluster that are 1/4" and I removed them but I still couldn't get the cable out so I just left it and put them back in. That said, I don't think there's supposed to be anything loose or easy to come out back there regarding the speedo cable.

 

I'm pretty sure the cable screws into the speedo, or has a clip that holds it. If not it is most likely broken.

 

I have recently replaced my speedometer cable and I would say that if the small plastic needle-like gear that goes in into the cluster is detached from the cable, then it is broken. A new speedometer cable should be a relatively inexpensive and somewhat simple repair.

 

Allright, Ijust wanted to make sure that it wasn't supposed to be seperate from the cable. I'm trying to get her inspected, so if I can get it to work again for even a few more hours while I wait for the new one to arrive......

 

If I remember correctly, I purchased mine at NAPA for about $25-30.

 

I know what it's like having a speedometer that works intermitantly. Mine doesn't always work. Sometimes I can go 3 ft, and it reads 85, other times I can go 5-6 miles without the needle wiggling, but the odometer counts. When all the stars are aligned, (or I whack the top of the dash) it works like it should.
I guess 30 years and 300+K miles will take it's toll on these things.......