Speedometer cable -- mechanical or optical?!
 

Is the speedometer cable 'pickup' point on the tranny of an FC a mechanical or 'optical' link? Looks like a fiber optic cable to me!

Anyone? (have my reputation at stake here :D)

Thanks!,
Manolis

Looks like an old school drive/driven gear setup to me.

Mechanical, its just a cable that spins to drive the speedo.

doh!
 

how does it attach?

I looked at it an the transmission end of things seems to have kindof a circle with a notch cut out on it -- what engages with this?

I don't see anything sticking out of the cable end of things to engage w/ that...

Thanks,
Manolis

Unscrew it. The thick end that goes into the tranny just screws in.

Re: doh!
 

The cable end goes in the circle there is a flat spot kind of squished on the cable end that engages the notch. The outer covering for the cable then threads on to the tread that are on the out side of the whole thing. Typical spedometer cable.

thanks Thaniel!

My friend just got a 1991 NA and the smog guy left the cable undone when he smogged it, so it got dragged down the freeway for like 20 miles (don't ask me how he didn't notice...).
The mazda dealer quoted like 190 bux to replace the cable... I wonder if I can do it. Anybody ever replaced it?

Nah, that's a load of crap!&nbsp The cable itself should be about $50.&nbsp One end goes into the back of the transmission - it's easy once you get the car jacked up.&nbsp The other end goes through the firewall and plugs into the back of the instrument cluster.&nbsp Be patient as the clip one the firewall is pretty tricky and getting the speedo cable plugged and secure takes even more patience; it can be done without pulling the instrument cluster by going under the dash, but be prepared to be laying upside-down on your back for up to half an hour!



-Ted

Go used
 

This is a part that would be good to go used as much as new. Probably get away with $10 if go used.:cool: