Speedometer Cable

[1990Festival]

So I have done some searching and cannot find anything on this particular problem. My speedometer and odometer stopped working on my 1990 festiva L 5 spd. I am trying to figure out if it is a bad gauge cluster or a bad speedometer cable. I pulled out the instrument cluster and disconnected the speedometer cable from the cluster. From what I read the part that connects to the cluster is supposed to spin while driving. Is this correct? I am also having trouble disconnecting the cable from the transmission. Do you just pull it out or am I missing something. I dont want to just yank on it if thats not the case. Thanks in advance for the wisdom.

[dliverance]

There's a knurled threaded part on the transmission. Loosen that then it should just pull out. with both ends disconnected, spin the cable at the transmission side. If it spins at the other end, the cable is good.

[firebush357]

Use a 19mm wrench to get it off of the Transmission, don't mess the the 10mm nut from what I have been told. The piece you need to unscrew is about 3 inches tall and has the speedo cable running through it.

[1990new]

Heed firebush357 warning about removing the 10mm bolt. If you do remove that little gear (you will have to on manual transmissions since that's where the transmission fluid is filled) be very careful not to pry on the flange and do not depend on tightening the 10mm bolt to fully insert the that gear all the way down. The flange is easy to break off, so just move it from side to side to loosen the gear oring seal and then leave the cable attached to assist the lifting up by pulling up on the cable and cable attaching housing to remove it from the transmission.
Also there is a little plastic bushing that will be on the end of the cable or may stay in the top of the gear housing when your unscrew the cable connector from the gear housing, so don't lose it.

Anytime you remove the dash cluster you will need to unscrew that cable from the gear housing so the cable can be pulled out while still attached to back of the cluster. Once you get the cluster pulled out enough, you can then reach behind it and pull up on the little tab that secures the cable to the back of the cluster so you can remove the cluster completely.
There are also little tabs on the two electrical cables connected to the cluster that you need to push toward the center on to release the connector. Careful with these tabs, look at them and understand which way to push them as it may not be obvious at first. I broke one the first time I removed a cluster.

[1990Festival]

This is what I'm looking at. Which part of this comes off?image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg

[1990Festival]

So I managed to get it out. Is this the broken flange you are referring to? If so it was broken off before I touched it. image.jpg

[1990new]

So I managed to get it out. Is this the broken flange you are referring to? If so it was broken off before I touched it. [ATTACH=CONFIG]19926[/ATTACH]

Yes, that's it. Looks like someone broke it off before you got it...which is not uncommon. A good oring will usually keep it in place without the flange though. People sell them occasionally on the forum if you want to replace it though.

If your gear teeth are still good and the little keyway shaft at the top is still good and turns when you turn the gear, it should still be good. If not then that part is bad.

[1990Festival]

Ok fantastic. Just one more question. How do I separate the cable from that piece now?

[1990new]

Ok fantastic. Just one more question. How do I separate the cable from that piece now?

The larger housing that holds the cable in has already been screwed off so it should just pull out.. unless the one your have has been modified some way. Mine doesn't look exactly like that.

[WmWatt]

Here's a photo of the bottom end of the cable if that helps...

http://s1086.photobucket.com/user/ag384fb/media/FestivaSpeedometer/102_0900_zpsfa1267c1.jpg.html?sort=4&o=15

[firebush357]

This is what I'm looking at. Which part of this comes off?[ATTACH=CONFIG]19925[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]19925[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]19925[/ATTACH]

Looking at this photo you are missing parts... That hole on the bottom is where the 10mm bolt is supposed to go. The threads that are showing should be covered by a metal cap/stem thingy that has a place to put a 19mm wrench. Since that is missing the cable should just pull right out with a simple tug. Mine did anyway.

There is a new member on here that plans on going to the Junk Yard on Saturday in Florida, maybe he can grab you the extra parts that you need and ship them up to you???