I was at the junyard picking up some parts and I happen to see a instrument cluster out of a 87 Dodge truck. Since my speedometer head was bad I thought I'd give it a try if the price was right. $20,It is worth a try. Pulled mine (85 truck) and mine had 2 small wires going into the speedometr head? The new one did not. So I plugged in just the new head to make sure it functioned and it did. Don't know what the wires are. Anyway, I mounted the new head in my dash and put it all together and the speedo does not work. Hummm. reach in behind and pull the cable almost out of the back of the speedometer and it runs! What is up with that. The speedo cable is just flush with the end of the housing. But as soon as I plug it in fully it will not run. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Rick

It is very easy to stretch a speedometer cable accidentally; when it's even a little long, it can cause the speedometer to bind. After I stretched mine a little when lubing it, I just shortened it ~1/8" by using a Dremel tools w/ #409 cutting wheel to make a clean cut and smooth the edges.

What is the correct length of the cable in relation to the housing? Should it be flush with the end or recessed? I find it odd that when I pushed just the head onto the cable to verify it worked, before I mounted the instrument cluster, that it worked. And I was holding in on it. I guess the cluster holds it in tighter or something.

Rick

I think the wires that are in the back of the speedometer are coming from a switch that turns on a "maintain engine" idiot light, at least that's what I think they used to do in my 85.

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85 d-100 HEI 2BBl
06 Toyota Corrola

Thanks carl.

Any comments on the correct cable length?

I removed the cable and trimmed 1/8 or so off the end of the cable and all is well. Must have been binding on something?

Thanks to all.

Rick