62 Tach Drive Cable Removal

[Tom C.]

Is there a trick to getting the tach drive flex shaft out of the cable housing on my 62 without disconnecting at the dash? I have tried pulling it through from the distributor side but something seems to be retaining it. I've looked in the assembly manual but cannot find a diagram.

Would a replacement flex shaft by chance be available from a local parts store? I know that the reproduction houses have them.

[Jim T.]

Re: 62 Tach Drive Cable Removal

My 68 and 70 requires that the tack cable can only be removed/installed from the tach head connection. Your 62 must be the same.

[Jack H.]

Re: 62 Tach Drive Cable Removal

Disconnect the cable at BOTH ends. Now, the cable will slide out of the sheath from the distributor end...

Yes, generic speedo cable repair kits ARE available from your local auto parts store. You first need the length of the cable you're working with because the repair kits come in discrete lengths.

You lay the original cable next to the repair cable and cut the repair cable to match. Then, in the repair kit, is a fresh drive end for the cable that you lay onto the cut end and pin in place.

The job is fast and inexpensive. The trick is blowing dried/caked cable lube out of the existing cable sheath to get it clean as a whistle and then applying fresh cable lube to the replacement before you install it.

Typically, these cables fail because lube has NOT been periodically applied, high friction develops between the cable and the sheath and finally the drive end of the cable (square shape) 'rounds' itself off allowing it to slip relative to the drive gear....

[Tom C.]

Re: 62 Tach Drive Cable /Cannot Connect

Thanks for the info on removing the cable. I have discovered another problem. Someone had installed an extension drive to the original cable. It is where the problem cable lies. My original cable and attachment housing apprears to be OK.
But I am unable to allign it with the drive on the distributor. The drive is positioned at the 8 oclock position and the tach cable will not bend enough to allow connection. This is because there is not enough room at the edge of the firewall hole it comes through. Is it possible that my distributor is not aligned correctly? The "window" is at the 1 oclock position. I have a 90 degree drive with a grease fitting, but it will not align enough to get the threads started either. Any ideas? Should I file out the hole in the firewall to allow allignment?

[John H.]

Re: 62 Tach Drive Cable /Cannot Connect

Tom -

Unless the '62 tach cable is a unique configuration, it can only be removed from the cluster end, just like the speedo cable.