Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

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PaulR
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Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by PaulR »

Does this look right? The 1964 assembly manual is kind of blurry on the exact correct position of the speedometer cable where it goes into the differential.
I am also working on getting the brand new PG cable installed into the proper position. I know, the TV lever is supposed to be below the edge of the transmission body and pan where they meet, when the dash gear selector is in "drive". But I can't seem to get it to go there. It keeps wanting to move lower than it should when trying to put the cable and ball stud into the transmission. When I start the engine up, it seems to be in "drive" when it is in "neutral", which is understandable with the TV lever in the wrong spot. The dash end adjustments should be fine because nothing was disturbed. I have never had this problem before while installing any other PG cables. The linkage at the transmission seems to bind a little with things like this. After having the dang thing apart for the better part of 3 years, this is what I get.
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1964 Monza convertible 110/PG
64powerglide
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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by 64powerglide »

Disconnect the linkage then insert the cable.
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64Powerglide, Jeff Phillips

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terribleted
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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by terribleted »

The lever does not look right to me it looks too high, the cable routing looks about right coming out to the crossmember . Rotating the TV lever fully counter clockwise before inserting the ball end is key. The end of the lever will be well below the pan flange when the ball first goes into place. The 3/8 +- 1/16 is with the cable installed not during install. If the TV level is badly out of adjustment issues can occur here as well.
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PaulR
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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by PaulR »

Yep, I followed all of the instructions in the shop and assembly manuals, and what is given here, and and the end result still came out looking like this. Badly designed replacement cable? It looks the same as the original factory cable, only a bit more simplified and a cheaper look.
1964 Monza convertible 110/PG
64powerglide
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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by 64powerglide »

Did you disconnect the linkage? If you do the lever will come counter clockwise down then you put the cable in & turn the lever clockwise to where the linkage will line up with the holes but then pull on the cable to see if the fork caught the ball. "Put the shift lever in reverse first I think" can't remember for sure but which ever gear on the indicator makes the cable end come out the longest.
64Powerglide, Jeff Phillips

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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by terribleted »

I would get the special tool from Clark's ( C 5332 on page 10-tools) and do a TV lever adjustment and try again (I had this fix one that I was having issues getting the cable to hook in correctly). This adjustment effects the position of the hook the ball is supposed to ride in . Dash lever must be in DRIVE and throttle rod disconnected from the TV lever on the trans. You can pull the pan off and see the lever and cable attaching area to see it something is stuck not allowing the TV lever to rotate counterclockwise perhaps. You might be able to see that the ball hook is not coming far enough forward to engage the cable ball by peering into the cable install hole. The TV lever fully rotated CCW should position the hole for the throttle rod 2 or more inches below the pan mating surface, it is at this point you push the cable in. the ball should ride into the hook and will then push the lever CW as you push it all the way in, seat it, and install the retaining bolt.
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64powerglide
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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by 64powerglide »

Like I said I couldn't remember what gear the shift lever said but I have had mine out & reinstalled 3 times & never had a problem with the fork not catching the ball. Here is a photo of my 64 lever position in reverse.
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64Powerglide, Jeff Phillips

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PaulR
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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by PaulR »

terribleted wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2017 12:51 pm I would get the special tool from Clark's ( C 5332 on page 10-tools) and do a TV lever adjustment and try again (I had this fix one that I was having issues getting the cable to hook in correctly). This adjustment effects the position of the hook the ball is supposed to ride in . Dash lever must be in DRIVE and throttle rod disconnected from the TV lever on the trans. You can pull the pan off and see the lever and cable attaching area to see it something is stuck not allowing the TV lever to rotate counterclockwise perhaps. You might be able to see that the ball hook is not coming far enough forward to engage the cable ball by peering into the cable install hole. The TV lever fully rotated CCW should position the hole for the throttle rod 2 or more inches below the pan mating surface, it is at this point you push the cable in. the ball should ride into the hook and will then push the lever CW as you push it all the way in, seat it, and install the retaining bolt.
Several years ago I did purchase the "special" tool from Clark's. Let me tell you that experience was "special". The tool was incorrectly made, with the pin being too long coming out of the square stock piece. Which made, for all my effort, it impossible to get the tool in the proper position. I called up my local clubs mechanical guru, sounding like a dang fool, to tell him my problem. I guess him or I finally figured it out and I re-engineered the tool by filing off a sixteenth inch of the pin. I take things pretty much at face value and pretty much assume that a tool or part, (read later), will work as intended. That was very frustrating. I had to snicker from the irony of that situation when I read about you suggesting that tool from Clark's.

Which takes me to the PG cable. I did not get the new reproduction to properly go into the transmission so I gave up and put another used one in. That one fit perfectly... no problems. Last week I saw that out of town local mechanical guru at a cruise night and told him of my long, sad saga of the PG cable. I showed him both the new reproduction cable and the original side by side. From what we figure, the "reproduction" cable shaft, where it tapers at the end just before the ball, is just a little thicker than the original. Therefore it would not go between the split lever inside the transmission and "catch" cable into the proper position. He also mentioned that some replacement cable end balls were breaking off inside the transmission. Maybe this lead to making the later ones with a thicker shaft? Or it was just plain reproduced wrong. I bought the new one from Clark's at least 15 years ago.

What I will have to do, a transmission fluid drain/refill and one new pan gasket later, is spread the internal lever to get the new cable inside. I am not sure that even that will cure it.

Which brings the subject: things that I have been buying since 1982 from Clark's Corvair Parts. From the "ready to install" fuel lines that have to be rebent, to bogus "tools", to almost aluminum foil gauge '64 trim and door sill plates, to rubber suspension bushings that crack and split after only a few years, to carpets that unravel faster than a Teaquana street vendors hamock. I am sure that there are some Clark's apoligists out there. But maybe this is better left for another post.
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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by terribleted »

Poor or incorrect new parts are an issue with all classic cars. I never expect any replacement part particularly a repro part from any source to be particularly good. I have also been buying from Clark's since the early 80's. (My TV adjusting tool works perfectly by the way) They are by far the best old car parts source I have dealt with both in customer service and in parts quality overall. (I have been in the body and classic car restoration business since the early 80's as well and over 50% of the vehicles I have restored were not Corvairs). Repro parts from any source for any car are generally of questionable quality, fit, and function. I think that in many cases such issues are simply a matter of the cost of producing a truly exceptional NOS quality part. If the costs are too high for such a part it becomes difficult or impossible to sell enough of them to recoup the costs of reproducing the part, so a lesser quality salable part is produced.

In this day and age of computers and internet vendors it becomes even harder as many people see only the price and assume the quality, so, even if you make an exceptional part it can not be priced higher than the guy down the streets POS part or it will not sell. An example I have seen a couple times on the forums is people buying replacement floor steel from various vendors complaining about Clark's "high" floorpan prices and then later complaining that the parts they bought do not fit. Guess what Clark's floorpans are excellent and certainly cost more to tool up for that the junk sold by some other sources. Some of Clark's other steel replacement panels are not so hot (early model fender and 1/4 panel sections for instance fit poorly and are more like the typical replacement sections bought for other common classics which are also generally poorly stamped and do not fit well).

You have to take the good with the bad when considering restoration parts. Clark's points out inadequacies with many of their repros. In the catalog they will often talk of fit, appearance or other issues with some of the available parts (I have rarely seen any such disclaimers from other classic car restoration parts vendors.) I have also found Clark's to be more than willing to take back any unmodified parts that I am unhappy with for any reason. also unlike many other classic cars restoration parts vendors. In a nut shell the parts Clark's sells are at very least on par with parts generally sold in the restoration market and their service is superior to most. I think they will remain my first choice go to for Corvair parts even though a lot of people seem to be dissing them recently on the web.
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Trip
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Re: Position of the speedometer cable on an EM.

Post by Trip »

I'm not saying Clark's is infallible by any stretch, but they are great and we are lucky to have them.
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