[Healeys] cable

[Len and/or Marge Hartnett]

I have had two occasions where the speedo has stopped working.  In both cases, it was because the right angle drive at the transmission had come apart and the gear had fallen out.  The "cap" is similar to a freeze plug on the engine.  Concave shape that you tap to expand it when it is installed.  Luckily, all the parts fell onto the "X" member of the frame which is right below it and were recovered even after having driven several miles.  As I recall, there is the cap, a special spacer, and the gear.  I replaced the innards, and secured the cap by restoring its concave shape and then tapping it tight again.

Having looked at Bob's link, below, page 2, I believe that I do not have the washer installed that is recommended.  I will check this the next time I have the tunnel up or out.  I say "up" because you do not need to remove the tunnel cover, just get the back end of it up enough to access the angle drive.  Getting to it from underneath may be less time consuming but I have never tried it.

(The Other) Len
Fairfield, CA, USA
1967 AH 3000 MkIII, HBJ8L39031
        215,543  miles

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bob Spidell 
  To: healeys at autox.team.net 
  Sent: Monday, May 29, 2017 6:46 AM
  Subject: Re: [Healeys] cable


  There were some defective cables going around a few years ago but, IIRC, they were a bit too long at the speedo end and damaged the speedo.

  I've never heard of a speedo cable breaking--they usually just kink--but I'm sure it's possible, esp. if it got locked up inside the speedo.  Check that the cable hasn't just come loose at the OD end (though not likely as it would be too long to go properly back into the speedo).  You can do this by futzing with the inner cable at the speedo until you feel it go into the drive, at which point it should resist turning.  You're right, it's odd the cable would come loose at the speedo end.  But, the connector is a very fine thread and it would be easy to cross-thread; maybe someone just got frustrated with it and jammed it on?


  My gut feeling is the adapter is broken somehow, but more investigation is warranted.  The adapter should have a small copper washer acting as a spacer for the cable; the adapter can fail if this washer is missing: http://www.mossmotors.com/graphics/products/PDF/021-511.pdf


  Bob




  On 5/28/2017 8:56 PM, Mike S wrote:

    Interestingly, the speedo was working fine, until one day it didn't.  No warning.  I decided to unhook the connection at the back of the speedo and see if the square end of the cable was rotatable.  To my surprise, the entire cable was not even connected to the speedometer.  Just hanging loose.  Since it takes quite a few turns to screw it on, this seems odd.  Connecting it did not solve the problem.  Anyway, the cable itself turns quite easily; does this mean the cable itself is broken?  If so, I will have to pull each end out separately.  It's a real pain to get under the car, as it is an inch off the ground (it seems), and I am more than an inch thick.  Working from the top as Bob suggested sounds better. 
    Mike



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