Check the end of the speedometer cable where it screws into the speed sensor on the left side of the transmission. It should be square, not rounded off.
I pulled my engine out of my '88 Grand Caravan years ago and forgot to unhook the cable. It bent the casing which put sideways pressure on the cable end. After a couple of years, the cable rounded off and stopped spinning. I fixed it with "Belzona" which is an epoxy-like product used in paper mills. Once cured, it can be filed or machined on a lathe just like metal. I filed my cable to a nice square end, straightened the casing, and it's been fine for years.
If your cable end is ok, try pulling it out of the casing. It will only come out of it is snapped off somewhere. To remove it, you must remove the instrument cluster, squeeze the lever on the white cable end to pull it from the speedometer, then pull the cable out of the casing.
Before you do that, try spinning the cable by hand or with an electric drill. If the speedometer works, and the cable looks ok, remove the 10 mm bolt from the right side of the speed sensor and pull it out to inspect the teeth on the gear. Sometimes the gear gets hot and actually melts where it snaps onto the sensor.
If you need a cable and can't find one, holler back. I went on a salvage yard excursion a couple of months ago and got a spare cable for my van.
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Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 AT 5:53 AM
