Speedo cable broke - replace just cable, or complete cable/sheath?

[Churchill]

Gang - a few days ago started hearing a MPH-dependent ticking noise coming from down behind the front seats, and then noticed that the speedo had stopped working. Today I pulled the speedo out of the dash, unscrewed the cable connector from the backside, and gave the cable a tug -- and almost the whole thing came out, broken off cleanly somewhere close to the nose of the gearbox.

I can buy a complete cable/sheath, or just the cable itself. Install of just the cable looks like a 95 percent easier job than doing the complete assembly -- so any reason not to get just the bare cable? Is there something I'm missing here? This is a job I haven't done yet.

[210bhp]

It's probable that you have pulled the cable away from the female connector at the gearbox end if its a 915 box. The connector is inside a removable cover that takes something like a 32 wrench. The cover screws off a threaded casting on the nose of the box and the male part is inside this casting. You gain access looking up between the gearbox mounting plate and the rear of the floor pan. The connector may or may not have a rubber cover which needs slipping back to get in with your wrench. I've just done this job and I found it much easier with the car on a ramp, a stand supporting the gearbox and removing the gearbox mounting plate for more access. Otherwise it's a pain of a job lying on your back on the floor.

Regards
Mike

[edmayo]

Just do the insert, otherwise you end up taking the tunnel apart to change the housing.

[Churchill]

Thanks all. Bare cable ordered. I pulled out the broken part of the cable last night (looks like almost all of it) but the ticking sound coming from underneath the car is still there. Will try to get under it tonight and remove the rest. Hopefully there's nothing wrong with the drive gear in the nose of the tranny.