How to Fix the Speedometer Cable on a Chevy Cavalier
by Cassandra Tribe
You need to know how to fix the speedometer cable if the speedometer in your Chevy Cavalier is jumping around erratically or not moving at all. While you can buy a complete replacement kit for the cable, here's a quick fix to make your speedometer work again.
Step 1
Disconnect the negative cable from your battery.
Step 2
Locate where the speedometer cable on your Chevy Cavalier connects to your transmission. Follow the cable from the gauge in the dash through the firewall and down to the transmission casing. All of this will be on the driver's side of the car.
Step 3
Loosen the lock nut on the speedometer cable that holds it into the transmission using a crescent wrench. Pull the cable out of the transmission.
Step 4
Wrap the end of the cable with Teflon tape. Just two layers will do the trick. Insert the cable back into the transmission and tighten the lock nut to hold it in place.
Step 5
Loosen the lock nut holding the other end of the speedometer cable in the gauge. Withdraw the cable, wrap the end with Teflon tape, replace it in the gauge and tighten the nut.
References
Tips
- If you have a hard time reaching the cable where it connects to the gauge, remove the cable from the transmission and then pull the speedometer gauge out of the dash to work on that end of the cable. If you disconnect the transmission end first, you will be able to pull the gauge out.
Things You'll Need
- Crescent wrench
- Teflon tape
Warnings
- Do not attempt to use any other kind of tape to fix the speedometer cable in your Chevy Cavalier, such as duct tape or electrical tape; these are too thick and have too much gum on them to be effective, and they will damage the inner gearings of your gauge.
Writer Bio
Cassandra Tribe has worked in the construction field for over 17 years and has experience in a variety of mechanical, scientific, automotive and mathematical forms. She has been writing and editing for over 10 years. Her areas of interest include culture and society, automotive, computers, business, the Internet, science and structural engineering and implementation.
