NSW Corvettes
Technical Tips => Pre 84 => Topic started by: 69VETTE on July 23, 2006, 06:29:29 PM
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Hello Guys,
My tacho aint working all of a sudden and was wondering if anyone has any ideas. Its mechanical driven being a 69 Vette with original distributor.
I have a feeling the cable just packed it in and am worried i have a big job ahead fixing it.
Has anyone replaced one before and knows whether i have to pull the dash out and replace all if cable has broken.
Cam, if you can advise, can you email me at usa_351@yahoo.com and i will give you my mobile number.
Thanks
Patiently awaiting feedback...arrrgghh!
M;36
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Done, but I have electronic tacho. But contact me anyway.
Cam
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I wasn wondering whether you (if required) to pull dash out to replace cable, if broken?
Logic says you have to.!
Not Happy Jan! :20
M;36
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Originally posted by 69VETTE
I wasn wondering whether you (if required) to pull dash out to replace cable, if broken?
Logic says you have to.!
Not Happy Jan! :20
M;36
that makes 2 of us now 69 vette
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Well Joe,
If i fix mine, i will show you how.
Just got off the phone with Cam.. he was so helpfull.
Now we have to undertake the examination....!
Fingers crossed....;27
M;36
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Originally posted by 69VETTE
Well Joe,
If i fix mine, i will show you how.
Just got off the phone with Cam.. he was so helpfull.
Fingers crossed....;27
Sounds great 69vette...as for Cam, he is very helpfull indeed...spent more than 4 hours on my horn and he fixed it!!!;41
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Check the gearbox end as well. It is a common problem, they get old, the grease disappears, eventually twists and snaps! If you got girly hands you can get behind the dash without pulling the dash off! The cable connector pulls out (sometimes it needs a little force).
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It's the Tacho cable. Doesn't it come off the Dissy?
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Originally posted by 69 DIRTY RAT
Check the gearbox end as well. It is a common problem, they get old, the grease disappears, eventually twists and snaps! If you got girly hands you can get behind the dash without pulling the dash off! The cable connector pulls out (sometimes it needs a little force).
Thanks for the advice 69DR,
I will have a look at that as well.....
At the moment its the tacho cable that worries me.... i just got to fit my big head under the dash and try to locate it.. behind all that stuff.
Mr Persistant also gave me some pointers last night... fingers crossed!
First i got to establish whether the cables broke, then go into repair mode.
M;36
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Okay,
Was just under the bonnet tonight with the bro (the mechanic) and found the problem.. as you would expect it was a broken tacho cable just near the neck of the distributor. Which apparently is a common thing for machanical drive tacho's.
Well, thats the good news,... so it aint anything too expensive to fix...pheww.
The bad news is that it aint as easy as it should be getting to the other end of the cable as everyone told me it would be.... ;37 ... the cable which is located well hidden beneath the dash (under all a/c ducting, cables vacumme hoses is and also located directly above the console support that the main dash clock console mounts to..
No hand can readily get to this place wthout pulling a few bits outa the way. Well, thats my sunday gone... that and the house painting! ;50
Guys, i will keep you posted!
M;36
Oh.. buy the way, i was also thinking of recalibrating or getting my original distributor regraphed .. if thats what its called... does anybody know of anyone that can do this for me within sydney? The dizzy is okay, but not 100%.
Apparently up at hight revs it dwells (if thats what its called) out of the range, and the only way to have the car running right is to have it advanced abit... so i think it needs to be recalibrated.
All help appreciated.
M
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;33hello 69vett,to take the cable out your right ,just remove that dash,what i normally do is take the nut and bolt off the rag jiont of your steering column end in the engine bay,then go inside the car there is 3 screws under the steering column these hold the cover on,then there is 2 bolts holding the steering column up undo them this releases the column,it will drop some then give it a good pull forward,not all the way out just enough to give you enough clearance for the dash removal,then undo all the surroundig screws on dash faciaand just bring it out far enough to reach behind it from over the top,its not that big a job but put aside a few hours and remane cool when doing it,i will post some pics if you like.
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(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j96/MADLT1/dash.jpg)
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(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j96/MADLT1/dash001.jpg)
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(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j96/MADLT1/dash002.jpg)
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(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j96/MADLT1/dash003.jpg)
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(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j96/MADLT1/dash-1.jpg)
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the adapter is from corvette america,allso before you start make sure your front wheels are pionting straight then make your steering wheel lock on and leave it that way so when you put it back on the shaft the steering wheel will piont straight when you are driveing in a straight line,hope this helps i am sure you will get the job done and have some fun ;41;41;41
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Hey MADLT1,
Thanks for your postings and lovely pics.... luckily for me i have also a mechanic for a brother who has worked on these tight jobs.
Im hoping that when i undo (or should i say when he undoes) some of the stuff located beneath the steering column that it will be easier to get to. Otherwise will have to do exactly what you have mentioned.
Cam also eplained the above proceedure to me the other night.
Once out i will be replacing the cable and also installing a Tach Cable Adaptor to prevent any future re-occurances.
Im hoping i (there i go again), we wont have to pull the whole cable out, just the inner and replace that as its far easier.
Will keep you posted G
M;36
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Oh, nearly forgot... still interested if anyone knows where i can get my distributor regraphed...
If anyone nows, can they put a listing here on this thread.
Thanks
M;36
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Originally posted by Cameron 77C3
It's the Tacho cable. Doesn't it come off the Dissy?
Opps I was thinkin speedo????
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Found this over at the Valley. Thought you would find it interesting.
CLICK ME (http://www.corvettevalley.com/showthread.php?t=3296)
Cam
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If a mechanical tacho fails there are a few simple steps to working out the problem
Step 1
Remove cable from distributor
spin cable while someone watches the tacho
If you get movement of the tacho then it is not the tacho or the cable
step 2
Start the engine with cable still removed
check to see if the side gear is turning
If not turn off engine and remove side gear and inspect the side gear teeth,
if the side gear teeth are ok inspect the main shaft gears for damage.
If however you find that all the gears are ok the problem is then the cable.
You will fine that either the inner cable is too short and not actually reaching
the inside of the tacho or the distrubutor side gear, Check to make sure that the
ends of the cable are square.
If you still cannot find the problem I doubt an expert would either!;28
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Hey, thanks for the info chromie.
Fixed the tacho by replacing the cable. Bought a new replacement from Flexidrive. I ended up also buying a tachometer cable adaptor, but didnt need it after all.
While i was at it, got the dizzy regraphed, bought new points, new dizzycap and rotor button and now drives very nice.
Thank you everyone for their feedback.
M;36
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Glad to hear 69vette
First signs of a tacho or even a speedo failure is twitching of the instrument needle.
Don't forget to gearse the tacho gears in the distributor often (each time you do a grease and oil change):)
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bugger - had a spare tach cable somewhere :S