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Speedo Cable Question

A1Avette79

Well-known member
Joined
May 16, 2008
Messages
92
Location
Miami
Corvette
1979 White Coupe
I have a '79, no Cruise Control, Auto. The Speedo stopped working. Took cable off at tranny and saw that the tip had sheared off. The last 1/8 in. of the cable was discolored as if it was heated. I have a new cable to install. I want to take the Driven Gear out to make sure it is OK and to make sure the missing tip from the old cable isn't still inside. I removed the retaining bolt (painted green for some reason) and the rectangular retaining washer. I can't get the gear sleeve out. I've pulled pretty hard but i didn't want to destroy something if i was doing it wrong. It's hard to get much leverage due to the cross member. @$%*!!!:mad
Is there anything else holding it in?

Second question. I am going to change my tranny filter (first start up in morning tranny delays about 2 seconds before engaging when shifting out of park). How much fluid will drain out when i drop the pan?

Thanks,
Trenton
 
I believe the gear should just pull out,however,
If you cable was discolored from the heat,
then the gear may have started melting.
then what was causing it to get hot????

you will lose a couple 3-4 quarts when you pull the pan...
 
Ya, the heat/melting think worries me, too. I'll try again to pull the sleeve out. It rotates easily so I know its not seized up.
Thanks
Trenton
 
transmission oil

I dropped my trans pan last summer. I is a messy job, it is best to have a large pan to catch the oil. My 79 was on rampe, changed filter, new gasket. It took 5.5 quarts of oil to fill it up. I recomend adding five , run to heat oil and add more as necessary. This was on a th350.
 
I dropped my trans pan last summer. I is a messy job, it is best to have a large pan to catch the oil. My 79 was on rampe, changed filter, new gasket. It took 5.5 quarts of oil to fill it up. I recomend adding five , run to heat oil and add more as necessary. This was on a th350.

Thanks. Any tricks with the filter or is it pretty straight forward?
 
Pretty straight forword. The filter is held on with a large screw, just be sure to notice how the filter goes back. Make sure that all of the surfaces that will come in contact with the new pangasket are clean. I only put an adhesive on the pan and not the transmission surface. Then torque down the pan bolts.
 
Thanks. Sounds like I can manage it without too much chance of major screw up. I see you're in Maryland. Do you get up to Carlisle for the Corvettes at Carlisle show? Wondering if it is worth going to. I used to live in DC so I have been to the Classic Cars at Carlisle events many times.
 
tranny filter change

DONT FORGET ABOUT THE COOLING LINES BLOW THEM OUT it wil scaer you what comes out:ugh
 
DONT FORGET ABOUT THE COOLING LINES BLOW THEM OUT it wil scaer you what comes out:ugh

Oh crap. Forgot about that. The cooling lines are a total bitch to get to. Is there any easy way to blow the system out? Is there an isssue with air in the lines afterwards?
 
Oh crap. Forgot about that. The cooling lines are a total bitch to get to. Is there any easy way to blow the system out? Is there an isssue with air in the lines afterwards?
A1Avette,

It should be pretty easy to blow out the cooling lines. Near the top right side of your radiator there is a small 3/8" rubber hose connecting the transmission cooler inside the radiator to the hard line leading to the transmission. Disconnect that line and blow out the line to the transmission and then blow out the cooler and the line that connects to the bottom of the radiator. It's probably a good time to replace those rubber hoses but make sure you get reinforced not plain hose (vacuum hose).

Just so you don't feel bad, I've never blown those lines out myself but it sounds like a good idea.
 
I don't know about the 350 or 400, but he 700r4 filter has a small gasket on the neck where it goes into the transmission.

Make sure you get the old gasket out before putting the new filter in. Trust me.

This may not apply to you, but just in case...
 
The gear should pull right out with some effort. I had a hard time myself with the removal. As far as the return lines, I saw someone on another forum disconnect the bottom line and let the fluid drain into a bucket while adding fluid to bleed the system. I can't remember though if they had the car running to help push the fluid through.
 
Thanks everybody for your advice. I got the trans fluid changed and put in a new filter. I was surprised how different the new filter was from the old one. I think the filter I had on there might have been the original one from 1979!!! I cant find any record of a filter change in the receipts I got from the previous owner who bought the car from the original owner in 1985. The new filter has much less surface area and is much thinner. I suppose that modern filter composition is more effective than the old style so the filter can be smaller (I hope so, anyway).

My new speedometer driven gear, sleeve and O-ring arrived so I will try to install next weekend.

Does the sleeve need to be lubed before installed?
 

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