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Lubricating the speedometer cable

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FrazerJames

Lubricating the speedometer cable

Hi all!

Great news! I finally drove the Bullnose yesterday with the Sniper performing flawlessly. Such a great feeling.

First things first, I have a squeaky bouncing speedometer. What’s the best way to lubricate? Should I pull the whole thing? Can I just pull it from the behind the cluster (looks like I can reach it from under…)? I can’t seem to find any stepped process anywhere.

1983 Bronco 4.9 300 I6
Current Name: Whitney

Gary Lewis

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

Administrator

Glad the Sniper is working so well!

On the speedo, you can pull the cable out from behind the speedo - unless you have speed control. If so you'll have a transducer in the cable about under the brake booster, and the cable you get from behind the speedo only goes to there. Then you break into there and pull the rest of the cable.

As for lubing it, my recent experience is that I copiously lubed the cable with spray graphite and spray Teflon. COPIOUSLY. And I still had bouncing. So I then lubed it with Mobil 1 synthetic wheel bearing grease, and that helped significantly. It didn't fix it, but it was much better, and livable now.

However, I don't know what it'll be like this winter. Hopefully it won't be too stiff.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

FrazerJames

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

Does it just pull straight out from the cluster? And as for lubing, am I just shooting it down the tube?

1983 Bronco 4.9 300 I6
Current Name: Whitney

Gary Lewis

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

Administrator

It just pulls straight out. As for lube, I put it on the cable as I push it back in. You don’t want too much as it might come up the cable and make a mess under the dash. And maybe get into the speedo itself. So I just put a thin layer on with my fingers as I was pushing the cable in.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

FrazerJames

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

I don’t know… I’m yanking on this thing and it’s not pulling off the cluster. The white plastic is supposed to come off with the cable, right?

1983 Bronco 4.9 300 I6
Current Name: Whitney

Gary Lewis

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

Administrator

NO! Don't yank. Here's how to do it, but don't tell anyone. It is our secret. Ok?

Actually, I'm going to put it on the website on the Speedo page as I frequently have to get a spare speedo and cable to figure it out. So now that I have, again, I'll document it.

In the pic on the left the cable is locked to the speedo. But on the right I've pushed on the tab towards the speedo's input shaft, and that unlocks the cable. The trick is to be able to push in and then pull back gently. If you pull back before you push in the latch won't let loose.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

FrazerJames

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

That’s fantastic!!! Thank you Gary!!

1983 Bronco 4.9 300 I6
Current Name: Whitney

Gary Lewis

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

Administrator

Welcome, but did you get it off? Easily?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

FrazerJames

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

So easy, yes!! Man, I totally was going to break that if I hadn’t known better.

1983 Bronco 4.9 300 I6
Current Name: Whitney

Gary Lewis

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

Administrator

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gsmblue

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

In reply to this post by FrazerJames

I had no idea that is how to release the cable!

Not wishing to hijack or segway.. BUUUT….

Looks like a couple of people here have worked hard to get the Holley Sniper carb (?!?) working, is anyone up for making a list or FAQ that may help others down the line?

Maybe a thread worthy question?

1985.5 F-150 XL Explorer standard cab 5.0 EFI AOD 4x4
Daily Driver. We call her Eunice the Ute.

1982 Bronco XLT Lariat 351W AOD 4x4
Code name Esperanza, or Espy to her friends. Please see my Project thread for the blow by blow.

1984 F-350 XL Centurion crew cab 460 T19 4x4
"Eylza Dual-little"

FrazerJames

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

That’s a nice idea. There’s definitely quite a number of threads here that get into Sniper related work. I did find that the sniper itself is very simple to install up until you get to electrical. As a novice, it was beyond my comfort zone, but some of the guys here were huge helps. Here’s the thread where we got into electrical even though it was originally about 2 vacuum lines….

Other than that I found it straight forward. My Bronco is a 300 I6 and there was an obvious place to install the sniper thermostat, but I imagine that might be a common question on some of the other engines.

I actually still need to figure out the throttle cable bracket. The set up I have right now doesn’t allow for WOT, but everywhere I’ve read most people just fabricate it themselves.

1983 Bronco 4.9 300 I6
Current Name: Whitney

rcarlisle

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Mine's missing that white clip completely. Just pushes into back of speedo. Pretty steady operation but knocks in there somehere like a valve lifter. But it's not - only noisy when moving. Stops when stopped.

Randy

Mt. Airy, NC 81 F-150 STYLESIDE regular cab 2wd. 302 Auto Zone crate. 5 spd M5od-R2

FrazerJames

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

In reply to this post by FrazerJames

Welp, my lubrication of the cable didn’t seem to help the bounce (although it did clear up the squeak). Might have to look into a new cable or gear.

1983 Bronco 4.9 300 I6
Current Name: Whitney

grumpin

Re: Lubricating the speedometer cable

I put a small amount of spray lube on the speedo itself, just at the back where it connects. Helped some.

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona