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Topic: tach cable blues

in Forum: C3 General Discussion


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tach cable blues

Posted: 7/5/06 2:17pm Message 1 of 9
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ratray
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Erda, UT - USA
Joined: 8/1/2005
Posts: 200
Vette(s): 1973 coupe. LS4, M-21, DARK SADDLE LEATHER, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, POWER WINDOWS, A/C, AM/FM STEREO, YELLOW ( 952 ).
When my car warms up to running temp the (mechanical) tach quits working. The cable is tapered at the end and doesn't appear to be really worn. Could it be the gear in the distributor? Is there a gear in the distributor? How much wear on the cable would cause this? When the car cools down the tach works fine. Has anyone experienced this before?


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tach cable blues

Posted: 7/5/06 2:36pm Message 2 of 9
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cthulhu
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Hot Springs, AR - USA
Joined: 4/24/2004
Posts: 3236
Vette(s): 69 Conv #'s match 427, TKO-600/.64, 3.36HD-Posi, HT, T/T, PS, PB, PW, SP, Leather, Comp XE264HR & Roller Rockers & Lifters, Air-Gap RPM intake, Holley St Av 770 VS, MSD 6AL+Dist+Blaster SS, K&N, Jet-Hot Hooker Side-Pipes, Steeroids, Al Rad, Spal Fans

[QUOTE=ratray]When my car warms up to running temp the (mechanical) tach quits working. The cable is tapered at the end and doesn't appear to be really worn. Could it be the gear in the distributor? Is there a gear in the distributor? How much wear on the cable would cause this? When the car cools down the tach works fine. Has anyone experienced this before?[/QUOTE]

i would think this would be a problem on the tach side of it.

the distributor gets very hot, the gear is known for going bad,  especially if it isnt lubed regularly.




tach cable blues

Posted: 7/5/06 5:25pm Message 3 of 9
Chips58
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Australia
Joined: 5/6/2004
Posts: 535
Vette(s): 71 Coupe Black on Black
Get yourself a Mallory Dist with tach drive.  They are really easy to lube (they've got a nipple on them) and are damn near bullet proof.


tach cable blues

Posted: 7/6/06 5:08am Message 4 of 9
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Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20229
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
I'd agree with Ben...the cable normally either works or it don't. Temp should have nothing to do with it.
The gauge itself, however, could be locking up after it spins for a while.
Next chance you get, once it stops working, disconnect the cable at the dist, and see that the gear is turning in the dist(engine running). Then spin the cable with your fingers, or a drill motor, to see if the tach works. If it still does not work spinning like this, then the prob is most likely in the gauge itself.


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tach cable blues

Posted: 7/6/06 2:24pm Message 5 of 9
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cthulhu
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Hot Springs, AR - USA
Joined: 4/24/2004
Posts: 3236
Vette(s): 69 Conv #'s match 427, TKO-600/.64, 3.36HD-Posi, HT, T/T, PS, PB, PW, SP, Leather, Comp XE264HR & Roller Rockers & Lifters, Air-Gap RPM intake, Holley St Av 770 VS, MSD 6AL+Dist+Blaster SS, K&N, Jet-Hot Hooker Side-Pipes, Steeroids, Al Rad, Spal Fans

[QUOTE=Chips58]Get yourself a Mallory Dist with tach drive.  They are really easy to lube (they've got a nipple on them) and are damn near bullet proof.[/QUOTE]

I had a Mallory..  kept on blowing the optical pickup..  I know two other people who had the same problem.  This has been a few years...  but dealing with Mallory left a bad taste.  I (and the other two) switched to MSD and have had no problems.

cthulhu38904.6012731481


tach cable blues

Posted: 7/6/06 2:40pm Message 6 of 9
daveb12
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KERNERSVILLE, NC - USA
Joined: 1/13/2004
Posts: 1355
Vette(s): 1968 L-71 convertible

The only issue I ever had with a Mallory was the presence of the grease fitting. Some P.O. must have thought it needed service as often as oil changes. It was so packed with dried grease, the weights had no travel and it wouldn't advance. There's obviously a lot better distributors out now though, this was an antique dual point.

I'd save the old dist and run an MSD. Put in a new cable while you have it down.




tach cable blues

Posted: 7/6/06 3:44pm Message 7 of 9
LQQK
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Gillette, WY - USA
Joined: 3/28/2004
Posts: 67
Vette(s): 1960 (got wiped out in the Rapid City flood of 72), 1968 roadster(sold it so I could buy the 71), 1971 Coupe Chromed almost everything underneath. Had it since "76"
I had this problem with my '71 years ago and behind the tach gear there is a little  button that gets worn. I just looked it up in Eckler's and they have a bronze button ( item #A2763 ) or the drive gear ( item #A8950 ) or the tach drive kit ( item #49056 ) I'm sure Mid-America has them also. I did a kit in mine and it has worked since. You can look the numbers up on line at the Eckler's web site and see what I'm talking about.


If it's not painted, Chrome it!!!

tach cable blues

Posted: 7/7/06 8:20am Message 8 of 9
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ratray
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Erda, UT - USA
Joined: 8/1/2005
Posts: 200
Vette(s): 1973 coupe. LS4, M-21, DARK SADDLE LEATHER, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, POWER WINDOWS, A/C, AM/FM STEREO, YELLOW ( 952 ).

 Thanks Ron. I think that is the problem. I can spin the cable when it's hot. One other thing. Very nice looking car. Better be on the calander next year or I'll be disappointed.




tach cable blues

Posted: 7/14/06 8:37am Message 9 of 9
75BrownC3
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Rhineland, MO - USA
Joined: 4/11/2006
Posts: 108
Vette(s): Picked it up and it running good now. Just need to do a few more things and she will be 100 percent.

I don't know if this is related or not. When the car is cold, the tach seems to go all over the range but mainly stays up in 3K and better range. When the car warms up, it gets a little better but very inconsistent. It goes to the correct RPM range for a while then goes up for a while and back down for a while. I have checked the wire on the distributor and it appears to be in good shape.

Does anyone have any ideas why this might be happening?




in Forum: C3 General Discussion


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