[Shotimes] Crash Course In Speedo Cable Lube

[Jon Heese]

Well, you can do it from either end, but I prefer doing it from the
cluster end.  Here's 5 (bloated) steps of how *I* do it:

1. Remove four torx screws (all torx in this procedure are T-15 or T-10,
IIRC) to remove the knee-panel, then four of the same (two above
cluster, on overhang, two below holding dash tabs to the rest of the
dash) to loosen inner dash.  Inner dash piece will pop out from the rest
of the dash (held in with springy tabs, just pull it out), disconnect
misc. electrical connectors (headlights, clock, read def, etc) and set
it aside.

2. Remove 8 or so more torx screws securing cluster unit to the part of
the dash still attached to the car.  Cluster unit should be loose now,
only things holding it in are the two rectangular electrical connectors
and the speedo cable itself.  Remove the connectors (squeeze the tabs on
either side) and the speedo cable (I gently pry it loose with a flat
head screwdriver).  Remove cluster.

3. Spray a bunch of brake cleaner down into the cable sheathing and let
it work down the cable.  You may want to spin the cable by driving the
car back and forth a few feet or so to work it in there good. Now spray
some white lithium grease down in there and work it back and forth
again.

4. Reassemble everything in the reverse order  Be sure to push speedo
cable all the way seated into the back of the speedo itself.

5. Pop open a cold one and enjoy.

NOTE: I've done this in both column shifter (SLO) Tauruses and SHOs, and
I believe that the cluster will come out whole in all floor shifter
models whereas the column shifter necessitates taking the clear plastic
and black plastic bezel on the cluster for removal.  IIRC, the low
coolant indicator piece is a little bit of a PITA on SHOs, but you
should be able to slide it down and out to remove the cluster.  Bottom
line is that everything is pretty obvious, so you'll figure it out once
you get in there.

YMMV, of course.

 - Jon

On Mon, 2004-10-11 at 14:32, Peter Maggiacomo wrote:
> Hey Guys... My box stock 95 MTX with 81,000 miles has
> a chirpping speedo cable that sounds like there's 
> 1000 birds in the car with me. Of course I can easily
> drown out the chirrping with the sound system, but I
> prefer the music of the Yammy V6. Can anyone give me a
> 5 step procedure to lubeing speedo cable as quickly
> and easily as possible? Thanks.
> -Pete
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