15 replies to this topic

[Speakjava]

Somebody please help me out on this, as I'm completely lost.

 

Our 1987 Mini Mayfair is on the road and passed the MOT but the speedo stopped working shortly after (the fact that it worked at all seems to be shear luck as you'll see). 

 

I bought a new speedo cable and, thanks to advice from the forum, became adept at removing the speedo drive housing from under the car (just enough room to get your hand over the drive shaft).

 

Here's the problem though.  The reconditioned engine I bought (which works fine) has a red speedo drive in it, which has a square hole on the end (see picture).  Since the instruments are in front of the driver, I bought the longer (48") speedo cable for the Clubman (part number GSD415).  The end that connects to the drive has a oval cross-sectional shape and nothing I can do will make the cable fit into the drive (literally trying to put a round peg in a square hole).  

 

So, what do I do?  Looking at Mini Spares, it seems there are several different coloured drives with different ratios but they all seem to have square holes. I see there's also a shorter (33" long) cable that is listed for RHD cars with dials in front ot the driver, part number GSD102.  I can't tell from the pictures whether the drive end is square. Does anyone know if that would fit?

 

Also, what's the chance that, assuming I can find a cable that fits, the speedo will read anything near correct? There seem to be a lot of speedo drive/pinion combinationa. Since the engine is not the original, I suspect it's pot-luck whether the speedo calibration is correct.

 

Thanks!

Attached Files

•  Speedo Drive.jpg   19.98K   0 downloads

[Stevie W]

I think the fact that you speedo recently stopped working might be a clue as to why you now cannot fit a new speedo cable.

 

All mini speedometer drives into the back of the instrument, should have a square profile like the gearbox speedo drive. It seems as though the drive into your speedo might be worn or has been damaged in the past.

 

Cheers, Steve.

[Speakjava]

StevieW, the instrument pack does have a square hole and the new cable fits snuggly into that.  If I drive the engine end with a drill, the speedo works fine.

 

The problem I have is that the cable is not square on the engine end, it's oval. If it was square, I'm sure everything would work as intended.

 

I need to find a long speedo cable that is square at both ends.

[KTS]

as above, as far as i'm aware all speedo drives have a square profile so it's more likely the problem is with the cable you've been supplied

 

to get the speedo to read correctly you need to ensure the speedo drive worm and pinion combination are correct for the TPM spec. of the speedo 

 

lots of very good info on the Guessworks site

 

http://www.guess-wor...Tech/speedo.htm

[Ethel]

It does sound like the cable's faulty or incorrect, I've not seen any that weren't square at both ends.

 

To get it read somewhere near accurately you'll need to identify your final drive ratio & the speedometer tpm (turns per mile)

 

Identify if it's a Smiths (should be?) or Seiko speedometer and if the engine number matches the V5 & year/model

 

Guessworks site is a great source of info and also the bits you might need.

[slidehammer]

I fitted a new Mini Spare speedo cable earlier in the year. While the end that goes into the gearbox drive was oval and more crudely formed than the square original it must have gone in diagonally across the corners of the square hole. As it did go in and has worked fine ever since.

I didn't take the drive out but managed to contort my hand to do it

[Stevie W]

StevieW, the instrument pack does have a square hole and the new cable fits snuggly into that.  If I drive the engine end with a drill, the speedo works fine.

 

The problem I have is that the cable is not square on the engine end, it's oval. If it was square, I'm sure everything would work as intended.

 

I need to find a long speedo cable that is square at both ends.

Ah OK, apologies for not reading your post correctly!

 

Cheers, Steve.

[Cooperman]

I had exactly the same issue with a new cable on a 1990 Cooper recently.

Initially I thought that the speed drive in the gearbox was not turning, so I pushed a short allen-key into the speedo hole and jacked the car up and ran it in 1st gear. The allen-key was turning.

Then I put a small blob of Mig-weld onto the end of the cable, just the last 1/4" and linished it back until it was square and the right size. That worked fine and I've had no further problem.

[Lplus]

I fitted a new Mini Spare speedo cable earlier in the year. While the end that goes into the gearbox drive was oval and more crudely formed than the square original it must have gone in diagonally across the corners of the square hole. As it did go in and has worked fine ever since.

I didn't take the drive out but managed to contort my hand to do it

Same here, I had to deal with a speedo cable during an engine change recently and the gearbox end was oval, but fitted into a square pinion drive hole. Possibly filing/grinding  the oval down slightly might get it to fit.

[Steve220]

The ends are usually crimped square of have a fitting. Sounds like you need a new cable, chap!

[68+86auto]

It sounds like the cable is defective however yes they are normally oval.

For the speedo accuracy it will be best to just see. If you give the minis details and the details on the current engine it can probably be worked out if the speedo will be close.

Edited by 68+86auto, 02 December 2023 - 11:19 AM.

[Ethel]

I can see how an oval end could be stronger, with larger radii than the corners of a square one, so maybe it is intentional if it'll fit in the pinion.

[sonscar]

A while ago I was supplied with an oval ended cable.It lasted for less than fifty meters.Steve..

[nicklouse]

I remember when I first came across oval drive ends for the gearbox. It was just a cost cutting step. Never had issues. But that was many years ago.

[Rorf]

My SA Clubman 1275 speedo cable is square on the speedo side and oval on the drive side and works perfectly (after rerouting the cable from the hot exhaust) and this cable was installed about 12 years ago