Fox New-to-me 93 Cobra: Speedo/odo Cable/gauge Noise?

fords2fast4u

Founding Member
Mar 27, 2000
1,426
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Mission Viejo, CA
So after a near-10-year hiatus from the fox body scene, I picked up a teal 93 cobra a couple weeks ago... and it's my daily driver for a bit (insane? yeah probably... but I love it)

Overall the car has been very well taken care of and modded nicely. No major issues, but plenty of small things that I want to tackle right away.

The first is the noise coming from the dash at any speed (more noticeable at slower speeds with less road noise and no radio on). It's a quiet spinning / rubbing noise. You'd never hear it with the radio on or with louder mufflers. I believe it's the cable going to the speedometer/odometer. Maybe it needs to be lubed or replaced? Anyone have any experience with this? There is a shop here called Tacoma Speedometer and they said they'd fix it for about $180... Maybe this is a cheaper DIY if I buy a new cable?

Also, the driver's door lock/handle is a little bent from a previous owner using a slim jim on it. The key will lock and unlock the door, but it's more difficult than it should be. Should I just take it apart and replace anything I can visibly see bent? I've never worked on doors/door handles, only ever done cam swaps and engine builds. The power door locks aren't working and I was told its the connection to the switch, so when I get in there to fix the bent rods I'll be messing with the wire connections in there to try and get that working. I'm so not a wiring expert though I do have test lights and voltmeters. Any tips? threads I should read?

Lastly, Anyone know of a fox body shop / expert in the Tacoma, WA area? I've lived in many states and always managed to find a guy with a shop who kind of specializes in the 87-93 mustangs. Maybe I've been lucky, but in OK and AL both I've found guys with big shops full of fox parts and always working on them. I need to find that kind of a place here in WA!?

Glad to be back in a cobra! Seeing as the car already has AFRs, I just need some Borla XR-1s or 1-chambers... haha
 
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I have the same car and its the first fox body I've had that has the noise from the dash. I thought it was the gauges so I swapped it with another speedo I had. Didn't make the noise go away. i am thinking its the speedo cable but it has not bothered me enough to actually replace it yet. I did read that people use graphite to lube the cable but i have no clue how you would do that.

I love my cobra though 100% stock 150K on the clock and still runs and looks like a champ. I can help you on your door question but Im sure with a volt meeter and some time you should be able to figure out where your problem is. Once you get the door panel off the wiring is easy to access and track. The lock mechanism is pretty straight forward as well. I always remove the metal bar that runs from the lock to the indicator that sticks out of the panel to show if the door is locked or unlocked. Its a known way to jimmy the door open you pull the door handle up and stick a screwdriver in the slot and push the bar up to unlock the door from the outside. It bends and messes up the handle and lock system but every theif gets into foxes this way. If you remove the bar this can not be done.
 
Replacing the speedo cable is very simple. @jrichker had a tip to tape a string to the old cable when you pull it out. Tape the new one to the string to easily navigate it through the dash. Shouldn't take any more than 45 minutes start to finish.
 
Follow this link to fix your door lock actuator problems

You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://get.adobe.com/reader/

http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/attachments/door-lock-actuator-fix-pdf.88290/

Complete instructions including lots of pictures...
Stuck with door lock actuators that don't work and don't want to pay the $50+ for a new one? Tried the junkyard ones and found that they last six months and freeze up?

A new actuator for less than $7. Fix one side for $20, do both sides for only $28. I don't sell parts, I don’t make any money off of the upgrade, I just tell you how to do it cheaply and easily.

By the way, I am still using the same $4 actuators I bought in 2002 and this is the second Mustang I have installed them in! Beat that with your fancy replacements!



Speedometer cable replacement for 87-93 Mustangs

Revised 1-Apr-2012 to clarify steps 11, 12, and 13, cable replacement inside the car.

How the speedometer works:
The indicator pointer has no direct connection to the speedo cable. It uses a drum with magnets on it to couple to the pointer. The drum turns and tries to twist the circular steel disk that is mounted on the pointer spindle. The magnetic force is all that connects the drum to the circular disk. There is very little clearance between the disk and drum, only a few thousands of an inch.

Lubrication warning
Use a graphite based lubricant for the speedo cable. It is available at most auto parts stores in a very small tube. Lubricate only the lower half of the cable. The reason for this is that if you use too much lubricant, it works its way up into the speedo head and gets between the rotating magnet and the disk. This causes the speedo to seize up and wring the indicator needle off the indicator spindle. You may be able to fix things up with non-flammable brake parts cleaner to clean the disk and magnet assembly. Plan on replacing the current cable and housing with a new cable and housing to prevent the excess lubricant from doing it all over again.


Speedometer cable replacement.

Note: All 89-93 cars have a VSS sensor even if they do not have cruise control. The 87-88 only have a VSS sensor if they have cruise control.

Speedo cable housing assembly without cruise control:
View attachment 109626

The VSS equipped cars have a speedo cable with a different fitting on the transmission end of the cable. It is the fitting on the LH side of the following picture.

Speedo cable housing assembly with cruise control
View attachment 109627

Preparation: if you are only going to replace the inner part of the speedo cable, get lots of newspaper or a painter’s drop cloth to cover the inside front of the car. About the time you have the dirty, oily speedo cable core all over your lap and the inside of the car, you will thank me for this suggestion.

Replacing only the inner cable: see steps 1- 6, 12, 13, 17-21

Replacing the housing and inner cable as an assembly: see steps 1-11, 13-21

Inside the car:
1.) Remove the shield around the steering column that covers the ignition switch & turn indicator switch.
2.) You now have access to the two screws that hold the lower part of the cluster housing in place. Remove them and place them in a zip bag.
3.) Use a stubby or an offset Philips screwdriver to remove the two screws on the top of the cluster housing. The screws are up close to the windshield, so they can be hard to get at.
4.) The cluster housing will now slide forward: depending on your particular car, you may or may not have to disconnect the wiring for the headlights, hazard lights, or cluster wiring. All of the wiring uses plastic connectors with plastic spring clips on them. To release the connectors, lift the plastic clips and pull straight back.
5.) The speedo cable is secured in the speedo head by a white plastic clip. Depress the clip or squeeze it and pull the cable out of the speedo head. This can be tricky, but it will come out if you have the white clip depressed enough.

Speedo head cable clip

Photos courtesy of Almost Stock


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MustangSpeedocabledisconnect-headend.jpg


6.) With speedo cable removed from the speedo head, try twisting the cable end with your fingers. If it turns more than 1/4 turn, the cable may either be broken or you have damage at the other end where the cable mates to the VSS sensor or speedo pickup gear in the transmission.

Outside the car, replacing the cable housing assembly.
The following steps are necessary only if you plan on replacing the cable & cable housing assembly.
7.) If you are going to the replace the cable housing, the next step is important. Tie a study string or wire to the VSS sensor end of the cable housing. This string or wire is to be used to fish the cable housing back through the maze of wires that is under the dash. If all you are going to do is replace the inner cable, you can omit this step.
8.) Jack up the car, all 4 tires must be off the ground. Place jackstands under the car for safety.
9.) Locate the VSS sensor on the driver’s side of the transmission tailshaft housing. The speedo cable housing will be secured in the VSS sensor with a hairpin clip Do not remove the clip!!!: The hairpin clip stays in place. If you remove it, the odds are that you will not be able to get the cable to stay in place on re-installation. Pull firmly straight back on the cable housing and it will come out. A considerable amount of effort may be required to get the cable out of the VSS sensor, but it will pull out.
10.) Release the cable housing from the clips that secure it to the car body.

Inside the car:
11.) If all you are going to do is replace the inner cable, you can omit this step.
The housing assembly can then be pulled out and the fish string or wire can be removed from the old cable housing and secured to the new one.
12.) You can omit this step if you are replacing the cable & cable housing assembly.
The inner cable can be removed by pulling it out of the housing assembly. Watch out for the lubricant so that you don’t get it on the car’s interior.
13.) You can omit this step if you are replacing the cable & cable housing assembly.
Lubricate only the lower part of the new cable with speedometer lubricant or graphite. Don’t use too much lubricant, or it will work its way up into the speedo head unit and damage it. Thread the inner cable into the housing, turning it as you go. When you are all the way in with the new cable, it will engage the VSS sensor and stop turning.

Outside the car, replacing the cable housing assembly.
The following steps are necessary only if you plan on replacing the cable & cable housing assembly.
14.) Use the fish string or wire to feed the cable housing assembly through the dash wiring and out the cable hole in the firewall.
15.) Secure the cable in the body clips, making sure that the cable isn’t rubbing against the exhaust pipe.
16.) Push the cable housing assembly into the VSS sensor until it snaps in past the hairpin clip. Connect VSS wiring connector back to VSS sensor.

Inside the car:
17.) Push the cable housing back into the speedo head unit. You should be able to feel the white clip click into place.
18.) Reconnect all the wires & connectors on the speedo head unit.
19.) Re-install the cluster unit in the dash & tighten the 4 screws that hold it in place.
20.) Re-install the cover for the ignition switch & turn signal.
21.) If the car is up on jackstands, start the car, place it in gear & watch the speedo to see if it works OK. If you didn’t jack the car up, take a test drive.
 
I had the same issue about 5 years back, with a noticeable noise coming from the speedo as i drove slow. I tried the lube it solution and its been fine ever since. Probably just jinxed it, but its one of the more straight forward problems to deal with.
 
Speedometer cable replacement.

Note: All 89-93 cars have a VSS sensor even if they do not have cruise control. The 87-88 only have a VSS sensor if they have cruise control.

Speedo cable housing assembly without cruise control:
View attachment 109410

The VSS equipped cars have a speedo cable with a different fitting on the transmission end of the cable. It is the fitting on the LH side of the following picture.

Speedo cable housing assembly with cruise control
View attachment 109412

Now I finally know why the new speedo cable I bought for my '86 GT with cruise control back in 2004 didn't fit and looked nothing like my stocker.