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Disconnecting the 67 Eldo speedometer?

Started by 67_Eldo, August 10, 2017, 01:49:08 PM

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67_Eldo

I'm looking at the shop manual, looking at the dash from above (with the dash pad removed), looking from under the dash, and I still see no path to the back of the speedometer. In fact, I can't even *see* the back of the speedometer, much less where the cable connects. All I can see are ducts, wires, hoses, and the steering column.

Is there a trick to getting access to the back of the speedometer? Does one typically come down from above (in which case all the air-conditioning duct work needs to be removed first) or does one go up from below (by removing the steering column first)?

Any tips would be appreciated!

Thanks!

The Tassie Devil(le)

This is a case of actually getting your hand up in there, or down there, feeling through the maze of pipes, and wiring, and without hurting yourself, move the fingers around and feel for the outer casing of the speedo cable.

Whilst you are looking at the speedo, look at the centre of where the needle pivot point is, and imagine the backside, and this is where your fingers will feel the cable.

Now, feel your way to the back of the speedo, and if there is a circular knurled ring, undo that, but if there is a spring, push the end of it towards the back, with one finger or thumb, and with the other free digits, manually slip the cable towards the firewall, and thus, removing it.

You might get a mirror and a light, and see if you can see back there.   Might help to see what is there, because getting the head into a position to physically see, is sometimes impossible.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

67_Eldo

Thanks! I'll try to shove my pudgy arm up in there without ripping out the tubing and wiring. :-)

Even sticking my phone up there and taking videos, I haven't yet found a good route to the destination. I haven't even found the destination! At least the phone video helped me find the elusive Allen screw holding the shift indicator in place. That was sneaky on Cadillac's part.

I also think I'm going to change the disassembly order listed in the shop manual. Before looking for the cable, I'm going to (try to) pull the defroster and left-vent duct-work out, if I can get to those screws. I'm also considering loosening the 7/16" bolts that hold the bezel on to see if that will give me a tad more wiggle room.

Thanks again!

67_Eldo

I can't get my hand up there from below. So I took out the bolts holding the left defrost vent (or boot or whatever Cadillac called it in 1967) and slowly wiggled the vent free from the hose. Now I can actually get my fingers down to the speedo cable. But because the left AC vent (or "outlet boot") is still in the way, I can't really get any leverage on the speedo cable.

I took some 1/2" nuts off of the left-side dashboard supports, mainly because that left AC boot runs beneath one of them. That bought a tiny bit more of wiggle room, but not enough to pull out the problematic left AC boot.

I'm tempted to take a knife, saw, or Dremel tool and chop that left boot into pieces to pull it out. But I've resisted that temptation so far.

The first pic below is that of the first speedometer cable sighting! I took it by sticking my phone way down into the dash (from above, where you can see my arm) and triggering the shutter by tapping the Apple Watch's remote shutter switch with the tip of my nose.

The second pic is looking down from above. You can see a sliver back of the speedo. The infernal duct is running along the top of the pic.

The third pic backs out a bit farther to show the locations of the (now disconnected) defroster vent and one of the big, fat loosened dash supports.

Should I just go ahead and chop up that damn duct? Hey, if I had AC coming out of the center vent only, I think I could live with that. :-)

The Tassie Devil(le)

I see that you found it.

Now, all you have to do is press the spring that circles around the back of the cable mount, and it will release.

Personally, I would resist in destroying anything, as one day you will be kicking yourself.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

One thing that I have done is to take a Webcam camera and fish is down there while hooked to a laptop. A little easier than a big bulky phone.
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

67_Eldo

#6
After three days spent attempting to remove the final screw holding the instrument cluster to the bezel -- RIP left AC duct -- I'm down to not seeing how to detach the speedometer cable from the speedometer.

I've tried pressing what seems to be spring-like things all around the cable-attachment area. The shop manual says to depress "rises on wave washer," accompanied by a useless photo, but I don't feel any "rises" to press. Are there supposed to be little tabs sticking out?

Does one do this with fingers or pliers or a screwdriver? How can one press and pull out the cable at the same time? Access isn't great, but I can get to it from both the top and bottom now, although I'm working strictly by touch.

Any suggestions? Diagrams? Photos?

EDIT: I've attached a photo. As you can see, the little "ears" at the top and bottom of the connector are already fully depressed. They can't be depressed any farther. Does "depress" in this case mean pull them toward the back of the speedometer? If so, how. There's not much to grab onto there.

Thanks!

The Tassie Devil(le)

In the picture, there is a spring that is attached to the outer cable end (Sleeve).   You have to reach over the top of the piece, and with one finger, pull it back towards the sleeve, and this will allow you to slip the cable off.

The idea of the spring is to simply allow the cable to be pushed onto the diecast piece of the speedo housing, and it is the spring pressure that holds it in place.   A bit like the old Chinese finger cuffs.   The harder you pull, the tighter it grabs.

The one in your car is different to the ones on the later Cadillacs in that on these, the spring is attached to the speedo housing, and not the cable.

Bruce. >:D 
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

67_Eldo

Let me see if I understand what you're saying, using another photo marked up with arrows.

If I can get a finger (or 2?) to the locations indicated by the red arrows and then pull toward the right side of the photo (in the direction of the cable), the little retaining "hook" (dull gray, closest to us in the photo) will move upward (closer to us, the viewers) and release its grip on the shiny-silver cable flange. Then the cable will slide free(to the right of the photo).

Is that a fair interpretation? :-)

Would pliers or a fork-shaped release tool work better (if I could wiggle something down into place)?

Thanks!

The Tassie Devil(le)

Yes, the dull grey thing needs to be pulled to the right, thereby releasing its' grip on the centre spigot.

I think that just by applying pressure to the spring, the same pressure will slip the cable off at the same time.

You can either use your finger, if you can get it up there, or a screw driver, or a bent piece of rod to lever the top.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

cadillactim

To remove the cable you must depress the two high spots on the wavy spring at the same time. Then slide the cable off the dull gray part. The spring is attached to the cable, not the speedo head. You can use pliers if they will fit in the tight spot.

Tim
Tim Groves

Glen

Now I see the wavy washer.  In the picture the red arrows point to them and if I am right show the direction you must push them.   
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

cadillactim

Tim Groves

67_Eldo

Success! Thanks guys!

I couldn't get my fingers to push the wavy washer so I used a stubby 11/16" open-end wrench -- just wide enough to straddle the speedo cable connector -- to push the washer and slide the cable end off of the speedo.

Then there were a few more wires attached that the shop manual makes no mention of, but those were trivial to detach.

As you can see in the last photo, I put some small scratches on the lens as I pulled the cluster out over the bezel.

Do you have any advice on how best to polish scratches out of that lens plastic?

Thanks again!

The Tassie Devil(le)

Congratulations on getting it done and using your brain to think outside the box and use a tool not designed for the task.

Sorry about the scratch, but if I remember correctly, I think I used Brasso to clean up the plastic face on a speedo I had.

Whatever you use, it needs to be the least abrasive material available.

If you have a plastic fabricator near you, ask them, as they know the tricks of the trade.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

35-709

#15
Here's one --- good for minor scratches and hazing which results from using a dry cloth to clean the plastic.  There are several on the market available at WalMart and your local auto parts store.

1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

67_Eldo

Thanks for the scratch advice too! I should have placed a cloth across the top of the bezel as I was pulling the cluster out. But by that point, I was way too impatient!

These are pretty small scratches so I'm guessing that the polishing juice will take them out with no problem.

I also have to epoxy on some of the edges of the plastic housing that came off simply due to age (apparently). There are also some paper and foam gaskets that I'll have to replace with something.

But the main objective right now is to clean out the speedometer mechanism without screwing it up.

Thanks again!

67_Eldo

Scratch-repair update: It was easy!

Following a tip I found on YouTube, I squeezed some product out of my Pepsodent "Whitening" toothpaste tube and onto the scratched regions. Then I vigorously rubbed the scratched areas with my right index finger.

When I washed away the toothpaste goo, scratches were gone!

Any "whitening" toothpaste will serve as an ultra-fine polishing compound. It makes perfect sense in retrospect.

Easy and cheap, my favorite combination of qualities.

bcroe

Another approach, I tend to release the engine end of the speedo cable
first. This gives me the slack to pull the speedo partly out, where the
cable is easier to detach.  Bruce Roe

67_Eldo

Bruce,

I should have detached the engine side first. As it was, the cable was being pressed against the speedo by the length added by the Rostra cruise-control sensor, making it even more difficult to slide off.

Putting the instrument cluster back in should be easier since all I have to do is jam the cable onto the end of the speedo once the speedo is in (or near) its final position.