How do you change the speedo cable?

[91mr24u]

The rear speedo cable going to the tranny on my 91 N/A broke. I'm going to buy a new one and put it in....question is, how do I do it, and how hard is it?

Also, would I need to change out the front cable as well?

[MR2 Guru]

You may want to make sure that this cable is the problem, as the mechanical speedometer gear that goes into the transmission is the most common cause of failure, then the secondary cable. Most usually the primary cable is not the culprit.

Both the speedometer gear and the secondary cable can be done with a simple tool set in a garage or driveway. The secondary cable meets with the primary near the firewall and goes to the sensor/gear on the top side of the transmission. It is fairly easy access and should be much easier to see/understand once you get underneath the car. The speedometer gear itself can be accessed from the top, through the engine bay on the driver side of the car. It screws into the top of the transmission.

The secondary speedo cable will be the cheapest replacement. I would suggest finding a full used unit for the speedo gear if that is the problem. It consists of a few different parts from the dealer and all of the pieces never show up complete, nor are they assembled. Dealership woes :-P

[91mr24u]

I took it down to the dealership and they said the gear was working and the cable in the rear is broken. They quoted me $669.55 for parts AND labor for both cables. I was like well can't you just replace the broken one, and they said they wouldn't. So therefore, I will just do it myself. I just can't really figure out whether the rear cable is part number 83710-17110 or 83710-17150...I'd assume it's the latter, since it is the cheapest.

[schmiddr2]

^^^ I looked up those and others and cannot tell which one you need. I had to change the front one that connects to the speedo. I got lucky at pullapart-$15. Call a toyota parts dealer...get the part number, then check the price online.

$669---holy****! Thats why cars end up in junk yards. So Toyota can sell a new car instead of being any real help. Good Luck with the part!!!

[schmiddr2]

I never answered the real question. It should be easy to change. You might find find info. here http://www.mr2-tech.com/bgb/mechanic...mechanical.htm.

[schmiddr2]

I think I found it here http://http://info.rockauto.com/ATP/Detail.html?y849.jpg

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

the price sounds about right... from a dealer perspective

i broke my rear speedo cable... and they told me it was almost 350.00 for a one piece cable... they didn't believe me that it came in two pieces.

give them your VIN number and the part only costs around 80.00

and w/ a jack and a 10mm wrench you can change it in under 10 minutes.

[91mr24u]

I confirmed with the dealership today on the part number. It is 83710-17150, $69.97 at the dealership but I found the same part on 1st Toyota Parts for $42.96....that's the cheapest I've found on the internet. If anyone knows a cheaper place, please let me know.

Also, I didn't find anything on the speedo cable on that mr2-tech website. But I guess if someone can just tell me what to do, I can figure it out. Kind of sounds like just jack the car up and look for the cable...except I don't see it when I look down from the top of the engin bay.

[schmiddr2]

Its hard to see, look at the cable in the center of the picture here http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...g?t=1193378981

And the same cable here http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...g?t=1193379026

At the end of this cable is the connection to the speedo on the tranny. Unscrew the connector on the speedo. Under the car is the splice between the front and back cable. Its under the plastic panels under your car. Find the connecting panels under your car right in front of your back wheels. Open that area and unscrew the tube that houses the speedo cable. Remove the inner cable, slide the new one in. Reconnect the front side of the speedo cable tube. Then match up the shape of the cable end to the speedo. Push into place and screw the cap onto the speedo.

Not complete or exact but also not very hard. GL

[91mr24u]

So it is the cable with the foam casing type thing around it, correct? I think I saw that cable before.

So I slide the thin tube/cable out of the foam and then insert the new cable?

Is it hard to unscrew the cable from the tranny? I mean, is it hard to get to?

[schmiddr2]

Yes, the cable with the foam. Remove the intake and tubing from throttle body. These will be in the way. The foam part will be on the new one if its 2.

It depends on what you buy.

1. If you buy just the inner cable then just disconnect each end and insert new cable. It might be easier anyway to do it this way.

2. If you buy the tube and cable as one then it is probably attached to the frame somewhere(maybe twice or more). Unscrew both ends and remove the mounts from the body/frame. Replace with new one and reconnect ends.

It is hard to get at the connection on the tranny, but once you get that the rest is easy.

[91mr24u]

So the cable won't have the end pieces that screw onto the tranny and the primary cable? What you're saying is I will unscrew the cable itself and just insert a whole new cable without ends, then screw those on?

*I just ordered the cable from 1st Toyota and I found out they are located in Renton, which is about 30 miles from where I live. They said they'd have to ship it to me, Monday...sucks I have to pay tax too. But it came out to $56.53, which is a lot cheaper than $69.97+tax that the dealership wanted to charge me.

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

your confusing him...

unscrew from the trans, and unscrew where it connects under the car in front the driver's side rear wheel... its is as simple as it sounds

[91mr24u]

I thought it was as simple as that, but I wasn't 100% sure.

I found that cable while looking yesterday. I saw one single cable running on the drivers side under the firewall...got to looking and it leads to the top of the engine under the wiring harness. Didn't get any further than that, since I don't have the cable yet. It didn't have that foam piece on it though.

[91mr24u]

Finally got a really clear day (and some free time) here in WA. Changed out the cable yesterday. It was really easy...only problem I had was getting the cable to go into the gear...took me a few minutes to turn it just right.

The problem was that at the tranny side, the part of the cable that sticks into the gear was broken off. I am not sure how it broke off and got unscrewed, both...but it was rusted a bit where the cable protrusion should have been. Popped in the new cable and took her down the street and let out a few choice words out of happiness. Easy fix....NOT worth a $600 repair bill....ripoff dealership.

Next task....change out the center e-brake cable...