Speedometer stopped working

My speedometer stopped working today, I can hear the cable clicking as in spinning, think I have a problem where it connects to gauge cluster. Any thoughts out there, has this happened on your Fiat X1/9?

Welcome Mr. Arc... You really need to tell us more...

about your car... especially the year. Its NO guarantee though that will help, but close-up fotos will!

It does indeed sound like a broken cable... and many have a short cable with a plastic connector to the gauge cluster. It sounds like (from what you briefly say here) that you can hear it when driving... so the failure would be close.

Cables are available from FiatPlus.com and MidwestBayless.com, and possibly Vicks Auto Sports... but you need to tell them which one you need and its length. We can help... send pictures.

I will send pics thank you.

Okay I will take some photos this morning. There is a connection for the speedo cable just before it goes through the front fire wall. I'm going to go out and take a closer look now I have daylight. I really can't thank you enough, all of you that have been helping me out over the past week or so since I registered to Xweb Forum. Pictures coming soon today!

O.k so your rolling an '87...
That can take the longer single cable.

If you have the old 2 piece one.
My advice would be to get the new longer single cable.

Here's a photo for speedo connection.

Looks like mine, the sun bakes the plastic, gets brittle, breaks then the connection between cables isn't so good, you can try to manual reposition then connection point and use that metal tab to hold the two cables in a better alignment, replacing the cable is a pretty big deal and a bit of a pain (replacing just the cable but leaving the sheathing is easy, but that broken connection means you get to snake the whole enchilada through the car. I have mine "repositioned" and it's holding it's own for 30,000 miles or so. If you go one piece cable it eliminates this junction but makes it harder to put together and pull the cluster pod, should you need to.

speedo cable

I have tried moving the cable where it connects at firewall, but there is no slack of any kind, both ends are pretty tight. Yes the connector was def baked by the sun, I just touched it, and it was breaking apart. Do you think it is at the connection? Or possibly in the cluster? Is it a big deal pulling cluster out of dash? You know just to take a peek. I'm thinking at this point almost anything is going to be easier then my manifold gasket job I just did, which came out great other then a few broken studs
Your friend Mike C

cable cost

I priced out a long cable, one piece for 18.95 from International Auto parts. I was just told it's a bit of a job installing new cable though. Hmmmmm.... what to do??:confuse2:

Mike... I found that PULLING the cable from the trans-end...

is a better way of freeing up the front end.

If it will not pull out, most likely it is seized or broken or un-wound in the sheath. Try using a variable speed-reversing drill motor to attache to the end and back it out.

I re-install my cables by pushing in from the trans end and spinning it by hand until the needle on the dash jumps. I ensure its in place and then reattach to the trans.

HTH... There are complete sheath and/or cable replacements available... from our suppliers.

You have to pull the instrument cluster at some point. I usually undo the hex socket head bolts around the perimeter of the instrument cluster, three on top, two on bottom I think, then undo that cable connect in the scuttle and you can push the cluster forward via the cable end and wiggle the cluster forward enough to reach back there and undo the end on the speedo, it is either another compression sleeve style or it's a but thumbscrew type, you'll want to know anyway as the replacement cable you order needs to match the back of your speedo, there's two different style connections (compression sleeve and thumbscrew) I don't know when they switched them around. You don't have undo the three wiring connections but it's not too hard to reach back there and tease them off, you can get the cluster out from behind the steering wheel but some will just pull the wheel off (if it comes off easy, mine won't budge so I've never taken it off).
Only thing left connecting cluster to car is a yellow/orange wire that runs to the exhaust gas sensor reminder light, cut it. You can hook it back up if you want but I wouldn't bother, that idiot light is annoying.

Good info

Thank you much, I will dig into it tomorrow. I'm going to try some of the ideas given to me first. Awesome!:headbang:

I will try it from the trans tomorrow

Thank you for the tips, it really helps hearing it from another X owner for sure, where we do all our own work really.

I wouldn't mess with the transmission end if you're pretty sure it's the junction in the scuttle, sometimes poking that sleeping dog leads to bites (end doesn't want to fit back in, knob connector strips......:wall:

OK Mr. Allthumbs... You, and with YOUR luck, I would agee..

HA!

Yeah... I know what ya mean though.

I remember when I first attempted the same thing without pulling the cluster, it was the long cable itself that prevented me from completely removing the mid section and the cable out of it. Everything was so close.

Pulling the long cable back allowed me to easily remove the mid section. I do remember removing the cluster as well, several times in fact... but why and when and what-for escapes me at this time...