Dumb speedometer gear question coming

[Riktar]

The speedometer on my 89 Jimmy was non functional when I got it so to start looking I pulled the speedo cable from the tailshaft. To my horror when I oulled the gear out it looked like it had been forced in the last time it was installed and it really chewed up the gear. So much so that it was a real effort to get it out the tailshaft because of the mushrooming on the end of the chewed teeth.

Of course today being Saturday I am SOL for getting another one from the dealer. But I want to drive this thing between now and Monday. So can I just put the "plug" back in, screw the cable back on and drive it as is? I'm guessing that since the gear is a soft plastic it doesn't support anything in the tailshaft. And I don't want to figure out how to fah-nangel that dear back in.

Thanks

 

[DukeBoy88]

I think you'd be ok, never did it, but I can't think of a need for it to be there. someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Ryan B.]

I don't see what would be wrong with just removing the plastic speedo gear and then putting the cover back on.
It'll be a great excuse when you get pulled over for speeding.. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
I'd go to the junkyard and roll around in the mud under trucks looking for a new speedo gear if i were you. /forums/images/graemlins/pimp1.gif
Last time at the junkyard i found a little inline gear reducer that makes my speedo pretty accurate.. It used to be like 5-7 mph too slow, now its 2-4 mph fast. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Riktar]

Thanks for the replies. It seems that it makes no nevermind since after reading the responses to my question I put the speedo cable back into the trans minus the gear and ran it for the weekend without any issues.

 

[Riktar]

Ok this is getting too wierd. I called the dealer(s) this morning and the 2 places I called are in disagreement over what I need. One dealer is telling me that the speedometer is electric for my particular year, the other is saying it's gear driven. I obviously have a gear driven unit so I thought going with the "gear" dealer would take care of the problem. Not so.

The tag on my transfer case has been removed which the "gear" dealer says I have too have to get the proper speedo gear.

The other issue with this is how the old gear got chewed up so badly. I am wondering if the wrong part was forced in and suffered the consequences. As far as I could see their was no damage to the internal gear in the tailshaft housing that drives this speedo gear.

If anyone can help me out of this I would really appreciate it. For the sake of reference the gear I have is a dark grey color and the teeth on it number 44. That count is approx. since the teeth are chewed so badly. But that is the closest I can guess.

HELP! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[dyeager535]

First off, look on either "edge" of the gear itself. Bet you find the number of teeth cast into it. Sometimes hard to find, and if the edge got chewed up, might be impossible to read, but chances are its there still.

Second, you should be able to take the gear into them and they should be able to match it up if they know their stuff. A lot of tranny places keep those kind of things in stock (both new, and used from cores they get) so it shouldn't be a big problem finding what you need.

All the GM speedo gears I've seen use a "square drive" for the cable/driven gear relationship, so it's unlikely the wrong piece was installed. More likely is that a PO or shop put the speedo cable up to the gear without aligning it and the cable end, and tightened up the "nut".

 

[95 Silverado]

Another thing for you to check. The plastic part that the cable attaches to, which also holds the driven gear in the transmission should have several numbers on the outside surface, for example 37,38,39,40,41, this is the driven gears that can be used with that adapter, if yours didn't match the gear that was in there it would damage the gear.