My 83 speedo cable drips oil behind the dash. I know I can find a used one, but usually after a year or so, it starts leaking too. Any way to stop the drip?

 

First I have heard this. have the original cable in my SA and its dry as a bone! Thought these were essentially lubed-for-life cables. But where else would your drip come from??
Weird.
Sorry I have no suggestions...
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

I've never heard of that one either. But I don't think it can leak very long, there is no oil source for the cable. In fact, it shouldn't have oil in it in the first place, as Stu points out. However somebody at some point might have squirted some oil in there to help with lubrication and what you are seeing now is the oil oozing itself back out of the cable.

But since there couldn't be more that an ml or two of oil in there, it should quit after awhile. If the cable is working fine otherwise, I wouldn't do anything, just don't wear white pants when you drive.

 

i agree with ray. someone may have put some oil in it to remedy a noisy cable or a "jumpy" needle. otherwise, there's no oil in it. it this is true, take it loose from the speedo, pull the cable out and let the casing hang to drain any oil that still remain. or u could just remove it from the car and blow thru it with some compressed air.

 

I put bearing grease in mine, Pulled out the internals, slathered em up, put it back in. Too thick to leak out, but lubricates enough to extend the life of the part and keep the needle from going crazy.

 

if its leaking gear oil from the speedo cable you need to reseal the speedo drive on the transmission. there is a little seal in there that keeps gear oil in the trans and out of the cable.

its really easy you need to go to mazda and buy the seal and the speedo drive gear o ring.

the speedo drive o ring is 1011-17-443 or something 81+ (SA is different) and seal is 9958-60-8166

 

^that will leak on the ground. never had it make it's way up the cable.