Is it possible to remove the speedometer cable off an early car without removing the gauge cluster? I saw a thread from 2005 or so, but he was fiddling with the speedometer gear too, so he had to pull the whole thing.

My cable is making a racket when it is cold and I want to oil it or replace it. Of course I want to do the least amount of work as possible. Can it be done? How long will it take?

 

No
The cable has a nut at the end to secure it to the speedo.
But removing the gauges is a 5-minute job in an early car...


1) remove horn pad and 24mm nut securing steering wheel to column - remove steering wheel
.
2) remove two small screws, one on either side of the column to remove the 2-piece trim clamshell (that covers the ignition switch and wiper/turn signal stalks)
.
3) remove the 2 screws inside the top of the gauge cluster that secure it to the dashboard.
.
4) gently but firmly pull the cluster out from the dash, the speedo cable and various wires have enough slack that you can pull the cluster far enough out to get pliers in there and loosen the nut (it has knurling rather than hex sides so you can grip it by pliers/fingers once it is loose)

 

Dear V21: Glad to know..I too had wondered about this arrangement. I've been a bit awed by the mechaninations and obscure procedures of this beast.

 

Five minute job? You're crazy V2! I've had that cluster out maybe 3 times in the past. I hate removing those plastic clamshells. It feels like they are going to break into a dozen pieces every time you move them.

Don't you have to unplug the turn signal and wiper stalks too? I'm always afraid something won't work after I disturb it.

Has anyone just tried to reach up behind there and twirl off the speedometer cable? How much of a job after that would it be? Is it easy to get through the firewall and out of the spindle?

 

I agree that removing the cluster is the easiest way. It really is pretty easy on the early cars. I got rid of the plastic trim around the ignition switch for that reason

Once you have it unscrewed, just start at the hub and remove the clip. You can pull it through the hub via the entrance at the inner side of the hub. Then just work it through the firewall. The hardest part is getting the new one through the firewall, I ended up tying a string to the end of mine as a guide, you're going to have to get your head under the steering column and face up to see it.

 

I would think you could climb under the dash and fight the DME and column and wires etc to get to the nut...
or you can take the 5 minutes to pull it again

 

You don't need to remove the clam shell.
Also, you can reach up under and push out the multi-guage, then access the speedo nut.

 

+1

 

Having the same noise issues on my 84- Is it worth trying to oil/grease/lube the cable, or should I just skip that and replace it?

Here's the noise, for the record, and I swear it's actually at least twice as loud as it comes across in the video... https://goo.gl/photos/qkXsJ7TtiFV5SPCg8

 

careful with that, the little tabs that clip the gauges into the cluster are brittle/fragile and if you break one the gauge may not "stick" in the hole very well.

 

I don't know if a 924S is different but the only time I had a problem was when it came time to reattach the cable to speedo. After taking off the cluster a few times tracking various problems I eventually used a die grinder to remove a bit of sheetmetal bracing that was kinking the cable near to the speedo. Pulling the trim off the column was easy and helped. Tieing a bit of string to the cable before pulling it out makes threading it in a lot easier also.

 

To answer dmjames, if a speedometer cable or sheath is not kinked or frayed you can 1) drip some heavy oil such as bicycle oil or oil with teflon or graphite or AGS brand "Kable-Ease" down the sheath after unscrewing it from the speedometer or 2) better, but more work, is to remove the front wheel and unfasten the cable and pull it out of the sheath, clean it and thinnly grease it with a light graphite or teflon grease that won't get stiff in the cold. Don't use vaseline because it liquifies when warm and may run out. If you want you could use a cloth patch saturated with oil on a string and work it through the empty sheath to clean it like a gun barrel followed by a greased patch before reinstalling the greased cable.
Definitely follow Odonnell's recommendation of tying a string to the cable when you pull it out of the sheath.

If the cable is frayed or kinked replace the cable. if the ends are damaged or worn you can try dressing them with a file or sharpening stone but if they are too bad just replace the cable. Have fun.

 

You may want to lube a new cable also. I replaced mine with a Gemo cable and in a short time I got the "needle dance"

 

I always thought the cable bouncing at low speeds was normal. You guys were able to make it go away with lube?

 

On other cars white lube always took care of needle dance. If I recall the cable can't be removed from the housing on these cars.
I'm really starting to believe that theses car's are not all that. After a few thousand miles the brake rotors (Zimmerman) are warp, the stupid radiator fan switch, a retarded fast idle system, etc. My Daytona doesn't have those issues, feels like a go kart, and goes around corners flat as a Lisa Edelstein belly.