Speedometer Re-Connect?

[Frog2Spider]

I disconnected and removed my speedometer to replace my dash. When doing the re-install I did not get the ring clip secured properly. The speedo did not work. The second time, I pushed the the cable all the way into the instrument and made sure that the ring had 'clicked' and the cable was secured.

Now the needle kinda just floats above 10 mph. What did I do wrong? Any suggestions for the 'fix' .

Thanks,
Dave

[TX82FIAT]

Dave, not sure if it is seated properly on the speedometer or at the transmission. Looks like you have an 81' so you are on point with the "click" from the snap on style cable. You may find it easier to seat the cable inside the assembly with the click on to the back of the speedo by unhooking the cable at the transmission to give it some slack. The square ends of the cable need to be properly seated inside the speedo as well as the transmission. Not sure how long the cable was out of the car, you may want to lube the cable. If non of these work, I'd just replace the cable. Those plastic clips can break pretty easy as well.

[Frog2Spider]

Thanks. I'll look at it tomorrow.

Dave

[micbrody]

I have '81. I had exact same issue. Turns out the female part of speedometer that accepts the square end of new cable was "stripped" or "rounded", probably because old cable was not fully engaged. I took speedo out of dash; and on workbench took a tiny sliver of copper (used tin snips to create a tiny copper "wedge" from copper strapping material) at most 0.5 mm wide , but the the length was just shy of depth of hole . I then wedged the copper and square end of cable into hole using needle nose plyers. When fully wedged , cable was essentially now stuck and secured in hole. I then clicked the white locking ring. Then I took speedometer with cable and fed it (cable first) through the wood dash hole , and cable through firewall, eventually to tranny.
Everything works now. Has been working for about 11 months

[micbrody]

I have '81. I had exact same issue. Turns out the female part of speedometer that accepts the square end of new cable was "stripped" or "rounded", probably because old cable was not fully engaged. I took speedo out of dash; and on workbench took a tiny sliver of copper (used tin snips to create a tiny copper "wedge" from copper strapping material) at most 0.5 mm wide , but the the length was just shy of depth of hole . I then wedged the copper and square end of cable into hole using needle nose plyers. When fully wedged , cable was essentially now stuck and secured in hole. I then clicked the white locking ring. Then I took speedometer with cable and fed it (cable first) through the wood dash hole , and cable through firewall, eventually to tranny.
Everything works now. Has been working for about 11 months

[paulhastings]

I have a 1974 124 spider and the speedometer bounces and makes an awful noise. I have purchased a new cable but the current one feels stuck in the transmission. Any suggestions would be appreciated?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Paul, I had this same issue with my '71 spider. Almost like it was possessed by demons, in that the needle would bounce uncontrollably at times and it made an awful screeching sound.

It turned out the issue was inside the speedometer, as the grease on the internal gears had dried up. I took apart the speedometer, cleaned, and re-lubed. It's now rock steady at all speeds and totally silent.

If you think this might be the issue with yours, I can tell you how I took it apart.

As for your '74, it might be the issue above, or it might be the cable. Try unscrewing the cable housing connection to the speedometer drive on the transmission, and then the cable might pull out. Clean and regrease and reinsert.

-Bryan