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Speedometer angle drive question

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Speedometer angle drive question
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  This topic is about my 1967 MG MGB
GWUISTER Avatar
GWUISTER GREG W
RIVERSIDE, CA, USA   USA
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1967 MG MGB
Started today on diagnosing why the speedometer isn't working.
First thing I checked was the 90 degree angle drive and sure enough the connector cable between the drive and the trans was a twisted broken mess.
I got that all dug out and my question is:
It doesn't look like the part inside the drive gear is square to fit a square end cable. Is this short length of cable pressed in in some way?

Of course there had to be a cause for the angle drive to break...Ended up the speedometer was locked up...
Took the speedo apart and the drive shaft was stuck in the housing. I soaked it with some break free and finally got it to come loose. Cleaned it up and will lube it with something. Was thinking of silicone spray since it won't hurt the plastic gears unless someone has a better suggestion.

Thanks

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mgbanthony Avatar
mgbanthony Platinum Member Anthony Henderson
Eastern Thousand Islands, ON, Canada   CAN
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1962 MG MGB
1974 MG MGB
Throw the angle drive in the garbage and buy a longer,overdrive cable. Fewer moving parts is always a good thing.

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GWUISTER Avatar
GWUISTER GREG W
RIVERSIDE, CA, USA   USA
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1967 MG MGB
In reply to # 3574625 by mgbanthony Throw the angle drive in the garbage and buy a longer,overdrive cable. Fewer moving parts is always a good thing.

Humm, hadn't considered that. I need to crawl under it again. I suppose a longer cable would allow it to make the bend..

I appreciate the suggestion!

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benhutcherson Avatar
benhutcherson Ben Hutcherson
Maryville(St. Louis), IL, USA   USA
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I will just say that I'm running an O/D cable straight into the trans and only have an angle drive on the back of the speedo.

This is a fairly common thing to do.

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lgorg Avatar
lgorg Larry Gorg
Renton, WA, USA   USA
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1966 MG MGB "Robbie"
In reply to a post by mgbanthony Throw the angle drive in the garbage and buy a longer,overdrive cable. Fewer moving parts is always a good thing.

X2thumbs up on this advice. Bought a new angle drive, and it got chewed up, too. Then went to a longer overdrive cable, and haven't looked back since. The only problem is fitting the grommet back in the firewall, which is kind of hard.

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MGB73VEM Avatar
MGB73VEM Van Moore
Gibsonville, NC, USA   USA
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1972 MG MGB
I don't use a speedometer cable. I went the Speedhut GPS speedometer. These can be customized to your needs nd no hassels on the installation.

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albeegreen1 Silver Member bob tresch
bordentown, NJ, USA   USA
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1972 MG MGB MkIII "ALBERT"
X2 with Anthony.



"Only those who have patience to do simple things perfectly ever acquire the skill to do difficult things easily"
James J. Corbett

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Boris67MGB Richard Boris
Kings Park. NY 11754, USA   USA
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1967 MG MGB
The Mk1 MGB with 3 synchro without overdrive uses plastic/nylon speedo drive gears. The angle drive s/b used because it acts as a fuse if the speedo gauge/cable seizes. The D overdrive uses metal speedo gears; but, requires an angle drive to prevent speedo cable kinking near a chassis stiffener. Note: this issue is caused by the fact that the D overdrive gearbox is approx 2 inches shorter than the non overdrive gearbox.

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about 4 years and 1 week later...
lagraves Lyle Graves
Nashville, TN, USA   USA
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I tried the OD-length cable w/out angle drive at either end (the one behind the speedo is bad). It worked for a half-mile or so and stopped. Upon examination, the new cable had twisted and had snapped at the transmission. Suggestions?

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Donthuis Don van Riet
Rijswijk, ZH, Netherlands   NLD
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For the 1971-1974 build years yes, after this the speedo side small angle drive disappeared again and the cable was rerouted differently eye rolling smiley

In reply to # 3574647 by benhutcherson I will just say that I'm running an O/D cable straight into the trans and only have an angle drive on the back of the speedo.

This is a fairly common thing to do.

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lagraves Lyle Graves
Nashville, TN, USA   USA
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Mine is a 70. Should that make a significant difference?

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Gerald O G O
..., NC, USA   USA
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1971 MG MGB GT
1972 MG MGB GT
1978 MG MGB
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-08-26 09:09 PM by Gerald O.

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lgorg Avatar
lgorg Larry Gorg
Renton, WA, USA   USA
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1966 MG MGB "Robbie"
Lyle,
Sorry for the delay to your post. When I first read it, I glossed over the part about the angle drive behind the speedo. For a few years as Don van Riet stated, the speedo cable was routed differently for a couple of years. The cable entered the cabin on the right side and traveled to the left side behind the dash to the speedo. The angle drive was needed to make a 90ยบ bend into the speedo. Without that angle drive, the bend is too sharp.

If your car has the speedo cable entering the cabin on the right side and then travels under the dash to the speedo, you have two choices. One is to use the angle drive behind the speedo.

The other option is to drill a hole on the left side of the firewall between the pedal box and the heater. In my photo, which is of a MK1, and was taken when the pedal box was removed for maintenance on the pedal box, you can see the factory hole where the speedo cable enters the firewall. The cable drapes over the bell housing before entering that hole. This gives the cable a straight shot to the speedo with no bends between the firewall and the speedo.

When you stated that the OD speedo cable snapped, I am assuming that your cable entered the cabin on the right side, under the dash to the speedo. The angle was too great, and since there is more torch at the transmission, that is where it snapped.


Quote: in reply to post # 4387554 by lagraves

I tried the OD-length cable w/out angle drive at either end (the one behind the speedo is bad). It worked for a half-mile or so and stopped. Upon examination, the new cable had twisted and had snapped at the transmission. Suggestions?


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IMG_0574.JPG

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rrikola Avatar
rrikola Platinum Member Robert Ikola
Santa Maria, CA, USA   USA
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1966 MG MGB
I think Larry has it right in his photo. The cable should have a straight entrance into the speedo as shown in the picture. An angle drive is used at the transmission to include the required packing washer to prevent it from locking down the cable when tightened.


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dickmoritz Platinum Member Dick Moritz
Philly 'burbs, PA, USA   USA
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A reminder that no angle drive is used at the gearbox end when fitted with overdrive...

Dick



Errabundi Saepe, Semper Certi
(Often wrong, but always certain)

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