> As for the E-Type, I bought a '68 roadster last spring and the speedo
> was DOA. Gee, maybe the speedo angle drive in the glove box has something
> to do with it not working :-). This tach trick would be quite useful if
> my tach had any bearing to reality. Which brings me to question 1: what
> would make the tach read proportionately high (like reading 1400 for 1000
> and 2800 for 2000 when checked with a diagnostic tach)? Question 2: has
> anybody out there ever hooked an E-Type's speedo up? It looks like the
> angle drive connects the cable to the top of the trans. I can't figure
> out how to get to it without pulling the trans or the carpet. Bentley
> implies that those are the only 2 ways to do it. Please tell me it ain't
> so.
>
> Tim Keane
> timke@microsoft
>
It depends on the particular E-Type, but installing the angle drive can
be such a big pain in the derriere that you wouldn't believe it. In SII
XKE's (and I think your S1.5 1968 falls into that category for this
discussion), the angle drive attaches to the right side of the tranny,
about halfway down the length. If you pull out the carpet that covers
the side of the hump on the passenger side, you will find a large rubber
plug in the metal. If you remove this plug, you will likely be able to
feel around to where the angle drive is supposed to attach. The problem
is that on many cars the hole doesn't line up very well with where the
angle drive is supposed to be. If you can just slide it in there, fine,
but most likely you will have to pry, curse, and possibly jack up on the
back of the tranny. In order to connect the speedo cable to the angle
drive you will very likely have to take off the tranny access cover. To
do this you remove the radio console, and then the piece of metal that is
covered in leather that sits on top of the hump. To remove this thing you
might have to unbolt the seat belts. Once this stuff is out, you can just
unscrew about 10 screws to take off what I just called the 'tranny access
cover', but is really the top of the hump. Be forewarned that its a bit
of a messy piece, they seal it with tar of some sort. When you're done the
cable is supposed to lay across the top of the tranny and end up going into
the angle drive on the right side of the tranny.
Watch out for:
A couple things to check before you even start. Early XJ6 angle drives look
identical to E-type angle drives, but have a gear ratio of 5:4 instead of
1:1. Check before you start. Also, an angle drive can seem fine, but if
a bit of pressure is applied against it it will freewheel. Try to give it
some resistance and make sure that it won't freewheel (I know easier said
than done, but maybe with a hex key or torx driver). Every angle drive
seems to have a different lenth cable innard sticking out of it, I have seen
some that are defective because the innard is too short, watch out for this.
Finally, you've got to wonder what the angle drive is doing in the glove box
instead of its natural habitat on the side of your transmission. Check for
a seized speedo (it happens), or seized or binding or melted speedo cable
(also happens) before you start, and you will avoid dissapointment later.
When I had my E-type, angle drives were $50 each, and they can only be more
expensive now, so don't ruin yours unnecesarily.
Joe
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