1977 XJ6C
My speedometer just suddenly gave up the ghost. No needle bounce or noise beforehand. It’s been a long time since I had to deal with this, but I seem to remember the usual suspect is the right angle drive, correct. Just to add to the story, this car has a V8 conversion, and I didn’t build it. So before I open up the dash, any suggestions?
Thanks

 

At least on a Series III the speedometer pops out without removing the dash. You can then see if the cable is spinning or not. If the cable is spinning the Speedo itself is probably bad. You can then get a used one and pop it in. And that is why whenever you buy one of these cars you can't trust that the odometer is correct. If the cable isn't spinning the it's time to get under the car.

 

First place you might want to look is at the bottom end of the cable where it connects to the transmission.

My 90* adapter actually broke there, allowing the cable to fall out, rattling around uselessly under the car. As these are NLA as far as I know (at least not the correct size), but all the parts were still present, I sort of cobbled it together with "bailing wire" so it will at least work.
(';')

 

Series 2 speedometers pop out in exactly te same way as Series 3 ones. Push in, turn and release.

 

Series 2 speedometers pop out exactly the same as S3... push in, tun and release. Good advice to check the cable turning at the dash end first.

 

Elinor, you can have SNG Barratt USA store make you a new cable, they fabricate them in-house for all Jags. They made me a longer cable for my S type when I reversed the speedo and tach positions to match the XJ-6 positions that I am used to.

in the UK, www.speedycables.com fabricates cables and calibrate gauges too.

 

Thank you, Jose,
Perhaps I wasn't very clear.
It was the 90* adapter that broke on my car. I think it wasn't installed correctly to begin with.
The cable is just fine.
(';')

 

Bailing wire beats zip tie or is it the other way???

 

Zip ties are heat sensitive. As in, they'll stretch and/or Melt!
No such shortcoming with Bailing Wire (or the urban equivalent).
Of course it will short out electrical if applied improperly.
(';')

 

LnrB, my 90 degree connector went bad too. Or someone cut the part that goes into the transmission too short. I got a new one I think from one of the 3 conversion companies, I think it was Jaguar Specialities. If I recall, they were used originally in early Corvette. At the same time I got a set of "driven" gears and experimented until I found the one that made the speedometer read accurately.

When I was growing up on a farm (when Lincoln was president) they used a sisal twine for baling hay. But the wire used for electric fence was thin steel wire that was easy to twist. I got a reel of, I think, 1000 feet that I still have today and occasionally use. I've fastened a lot of tin cans around muffler holes with that stuff.

Jeff

 

Hmm... Thank you, Jeff, I'll contact Jag Specialties and see if they have one the correct size,
Mine is much smaller than the new one husband got to replace it, which is why it's still broken.

We used twine on the farm too as it was cheaper, and every penny counts. But some used wire ties, and we always had a roll in the shop just to cobble things together. One of the first things I bought when I started this business was a roll of bailing wire. In over 15 years there's still quite a lot left.

Electric fence wire is Much smaller gauge. I come from the Bigger is Better school of fixing things.
(';')