Tachometer lubrication technique??????

[714Speed]

The tach cable on my 71 is practically new, but was installed more than a year ago, but practically less than 100 miles since installation. I did not install it, but here's the condition I found it in.

It started chirping and squeeling, so I unhooked it at the distributor. It had just a dab of grease on the end, and I shot a little graphite down the tube. The horrible sounds stopped for about 30 miles and then began again.

When you lubricate with grease, can you take the cable out of it's casing? Obviously I need to do more greasing or graphiting, just don't know how to go about it. What would your plan of attack be?

 

[84Vette]

make sure to wear latex gloves. Put some grease between your forefinger and your thumb make a circle w/ your fingers then run the cable thru it twisting the cable. you don't need a whole lot of grease on the cable just a thin coat. Then slide the cable in the housing.

Bj

 

[714Speed]

Thanks. Now, to get the cable out, do I have to unhook the cable from the distributor end and the tachometer end? Or can I simply unhook the cable at the distributor end and then pull the cable out of it's casing without unhooking the tachometer end?

PS: I appreciate your hanging in there with questions like this. I've just never worked on cables before.

 

[JohnZ]

It's the same as the speedo cable - it only comes out of the casing from the gauge end, so you have to disconnect it from the back of the tach and pull it out of that end. Don't use "grease" on it - use graphite-based speedo cable lube after cleaning the cable; any good auto parts store has it.

 

[714Speed]

Thanks! I've never worked on a cable before...........does it unscrew at the gauge just as it does on the distributor? Or does it clip in place or something tricky? :s

 

[84Vette]

it should pop off right behind the gauge. It helped me out when i did my cables to take off the air duct running at the bottom of the dash. It lets you view everything above it. There will be a clip (if i am right) right behind the tach push it in and you can pull off the cable and housing. then you should be able to pull out the cable and lupe it. to put is back on you have to push in on the clip.

 

[Neepawa]

My tach works when I first start it up, after a minute it gets flaky and then goes to 0 for the rest of the ride. Any ideas?

 

[Vette/Berlina-coupe]

why no-name...

-why not be chummy and give us your name pal (other than neepawa, --this goes for others as well), --or jus'make up a name to make us feel liked; --anyway Jake or Lucy, if your're lucky it will just be a defective cable (broken or worn-tip at one end), so just detatch as they have explained and inspect, --otherwise it's either a problem at the distributor connection or a problem inside the Tach! Hope it's just a simple cable defect... ~Bob vH
:cool :dance