My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

[Jimmy J.]

My 1959 has been in storage for 7 years. The battery was removed and the tack cable was disconnected. I just installed a new battery and reconnected the tack but it doesn't work. The cable is turning at the generator. If the cable is broke can it be replaced without replacing the shield? Thanks Jimmy

[Richard M.]

Re: My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

Yes Jimmy the inner cable can be replaced if broken, but you have to remove the end at the Tach to do that.

If you can remove the inner cable from the generator end, then it's certainly broken inside.

You can test the tach itself, and the cable, by putting a drill on the generator end of the cable. The drill must run in reverse.

Rich

[Jimmy J.]

Re: My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

Thanks Richard that was good info. The cable did not break but was disconnected from the end that goes into the tact. I could not see anything to hold the cable to the end that attaches to it. Was it attached by solder or some other method? Will epoxy hold it? What type of grease should the cable be lubed with? Thanks, Jimmy

[Richard M.]

Re: My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

Jimmy, There should be a threaded knurled cap that holds the end of the cable sheathing. It screws on the end of the tach input housing.

Chances are, the knurled cap slid back from the tach cable sheathing, about 6" or so toward the front of the dash. The cable sheathing goes downhill when it exits the tach. It's a trick to get it back to the tach. If you can reach it, after you attach it to the tach, put some masking tape with a flag on it, on the sheathing so it won't fall forward again.

Don't use grease on the cable. It can ride up into the tach head and ruin the tach. There are better products for lubricating cables. I use CRC Power Lube. Napa has it.

Rich

[Dan B.]

Re: My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

Great advise from Rich and just to add, if you remove the lower steering column bezel, you will have quite a bit more access to the back of the Tach and cable. Cheers! Dan

[Jimmy J.]

Re: My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

Rich, I didn't describe what happened very well. The square end that fits on the round cable that drives the tact is what came off. It has a square end with a flange to keep it from going in the tact too far and it separated from the round cable. There is no residue that shows how the round cable was attached to the square end with a flange. The round knurled nut was in place and tight. I am thinking about soldering it but the heat may harden the cable and cause it to break again. Any thoughts? Thanks for all the replies.

[Richard M.]

Re: My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

Rich, I didn't describe what happened very well. The square end that fits on the round cable that drives the tact is what came off. It has a square end with a flange to keep it from going in the tact too far and it separated from the round cable. There is no residue that shows how the round cable was attached to the square end with a flange. The round knurled nut was in place and tight. I am thinking about soldering it but the heat may harden the cable and cause it to break again. Any thoughts? Thanks for all the replies.

Ah now I understand better....but if that knurled knob falls back from the tach you will be cursing it! Just keep that "tape flag" idea in your memory if needed.

So.....you definitely need a new inner cable. It'll break if soldered as it'll just twist off again, as the oils are impregnated inside the cable strands and will not hold right.

I'm wondering why it broke in the first place, so you may want to test the tach with your broken off piece to make sure it turns the end shaft. If it binds, time to take the tach out for repair and recalibration.

But, one more caveat, as if there aren't enough when workin' on these oldies.....The reproduction cables are sometimes too long. If it is, it'll bind the tach end when the knurled knob is tightened up. I had one bind but luckily I found out when I turned the cable end by hand before I connected it to the drive, in that case the speedo cable at the transmission. I removed the inner cable from the sheathing and took about 1/8" off the square end......all fixed!

Hmmm, maybe your tach cable was too long prior to 7 years ago and that's what happened. ???

Rich

[Dan B.]

Re: My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

.The reproduction cables are sometimes too long. If it is, it'll bind the tach end when the knurled knob is tightened up. I had one bind but luckily I found out when I turned the cable end by hand before I connected it to the drive, in that case the speedo cable at the transmission. I removed the inner cable from the sheathing and took about 1/8" off the square end......all fixed!


Rich

Right, and sometimes the new casings themselves are the problem. Some reproduction cable assemblies I have worked with had to be taken apart and reworked to get the cores spinning freely right from the get go. I have had excellent results just replacing the cores in my original casings. In fact, they work much better IMO than the replacements with no wrong length issues. If I have a good original casing to work with, I always prefer to save it. I have a 1ft length of old cable with a good tip on the end and use that to test the Tach and Speedo free movement. First by hand, and if it passes the spin test, then with a drill at low speed. You will know right away if there is a problem or not. Dan

[Jimmy J.]

Re: My Tach won't work after 7 years of storage.

The cable did not break it just separated from the square end with the flange. No signs of how it was fastened to the square end and flange.