Well, a bit more information might be helpful.

Is this a cable driven speedomter? If so, how did you check it? With a drill? Spin it by hand? Did you spin the connector on the speedometer, or did you spin the cable?

Answer these and good things will probably come to you...

 

Sorry about that it a cable I took out the cluster and use a small screwdriver to spin the squard hole on the cluster and the needle did move a little I didn't spin the cable ,but did pull on it and it moves about 1/2 of an inch

 

one other question if I take the cluster out ,will the car start ,so the i could see if the cable spins ??

 

Spinning the speedometer by hand using a small screwdriver verifies the speedometer is working
(Did you look at the end of the cable to see if it will engage the speedometer?)
And the cable is probably not spinning. Pulling on the cable and not moving more than half an inch probably means that the cable isn't broken.
(Still needs to be checked)

If the instrument cluster is taken out and the electrical harness is still connected then the car should start.
Please let us know how it turns out.

 

Hear an update I pulled the cluster out to where i could sse the cable on the back of it then back up in my driveway then went forward the cable did not turn at all .So could that mean the trouble is on the other end ,that's connected to the transmission .My question is where exactly is the other end located on the transmission I have no clue

 

You'll see it. Even if it's not attached.

Toyota used to use plastic for the cables, and then went to a 'pot' netal, and sometimes it would just give up and break. If the end you saw looks OK then prbably the other end let go.

It attaches into the side or the top of the transmission, and should just unplug with no loss of fluid. It the end is still intact spin it with a drill and have someone watch the speedo. If the speedo doesn't work (NOTE: A reversible drill is indicated, since if it's spinning in the wrong direction there will be no indication on the speedo, so reversing the drill will verify) then it's the cable. If the speedo does work then there's a problem with the gear inside the transmission, and depending how well the engineers thought it out it will either be a 5 minute fix, or a tranny teardown.

 

Cable runs through the firewall and then down straight, into the top of the differential; the assy screws into there.

How many miles on your odometer?

 

187500 it still run good and only uses less than 1/2 quart of oil between oil changes want to thank everybody for their help I did find it after looking at everything right where Car Guy said it was on top of the differential ,now going to order a new one and pray it not too difficult to put on

 

There should be an o-ring seal at the bottom of the cable assy, when you get the new one.

Also, the cable attaches to a white plastic snap-in adapter behind the IC; be careful detaching this adapter (and the cable from it), when removing the cable, which will snake through the firewall; if in doubt as to whether you can avoid breaking the tabs on the adapter, have a new one of those at the ready as well ... or separate the adapter/cable at the IC end before getting the new one so you know the adapter is good to go.

As to the gearing at the diff, the spd'o driven gear (an upright shaft with affixed gear at lower end - not visible) is straight down the top of the diff channel; it is driven by the diff down inside; this hidden (lower) driven gear is held onto the top spd'o gear sleeve (which your new cable will screw onto) by way of a small drift/roll pin. The basic process is: the trans gears turn the diff which turns the spd'o driven gear (which connects to the upper sleeve via the roll pin) and which turns the cable which turns your IC gear. You probably won't need to dive into these (sleeve, roll pin, driven gear, diff gear) in the diff; but, you have the info, if needed. SBR711 can confirm on the '98, but I think it would be a diff job to replace the driven gear (down the channel) if it is proven bad. The driven gear's gear is made of hard plastic.

What size engine (1.8L or 2.0L) and what trans do you have - and how many gears?

Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

update I went to the junkyard they had just gotten in a 98 elentra so i took the speedometer cable out so I could see what steps I would have to take and in what order so if it ever stop raining and warm up a little i am going to tackle it .God hope it's just the cable and not the gear in the trans.

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...but...

Is the cable end made of that pot-metal crap? If so, there's a chance it broke off inside the gear. so there are a few scanarios...

It broke off inside the cable portion, with plenty of exposed metal that you may grab with your fingers, or maybe needle nose pliers. Good to go...

It broke off right at the top of the gear. Pot metal can't be picked up with a magnet. You're going to have to fish it out. If you're lucky (did you notice on the donor car?) there is a cover similar to the thermostat you can remove and take the gear out and get the stub out.

It broke off and fell into the transmission. In that case it has either already been chewed up or any damage to be done has been done already. Install the new cable and drive off, trying not to think too hard about it...>

Good luck my friend.

 

Good deal. Glad to hear.

Let us know.

P.S. There a couple other things it could be (other than the diff driven gear), IF the cable proves good.

 

well I unscrewed the end on the trans had my wife watch the speedometer while spun the other end she said it bounced up to 20mph as I was spinning it by hand put everything back together drove the car it got up to 10mph then went down and stay there the end looked good I'm going to get a good light so the I can look inside to see what there stay tuned LOL

 

There should be a small tab on the side of the bottom end of the cable. That end should be metal and the tab is part of it (the metal). The tab should fit down in through the aluminum sleeve (which bolts onto the diff) into the top hoirzontal cut-out of the (vertically-mounted) (spdo) diff driven gear.

When you had the upper end of the cable out of the IC last week, did you observe the condition of the white plastic 4-sided end (and tip) that inserts into the IC? It wears there.

Also, did you observe a black plastic "boss," into which the upper 4-sided end guides in? Was it worn or cracked or broken (not securely holding the cable into place)?

There also is a tiny 25-tooth (or so) gear inside the IC/spd'o (back behind the boss in the IC). Those teeth (on that gear) can break, causing erratic, intermittent speed until the teeth (or tooth) finishes separating.

Cable could be damaged inside the assy too, though less likely.

Look down into the diff channel with a high powered light for any debris if there is reason to (if all the above are good), but do not remove the sleeve (holding the diff driven gear) unless you're convinced the issue is in the diff. They are joined ... via a small roll pin.

 

Have a question ,I looked down into the place where the speedometer goes .there is a metal shaft with a slot in it .If I jack up the front of the car so that the wheels are off the ground ,put jack stands under it start the car ,and put it in gear should i see the metal shaft turn?? if nothing is broken inside the trans.

 

The metal shaft with the slot at the top IS the (diff's) spdo driven gear. That's it. Correct.

Just jack up the car enough to get both front wheels off the ground and simply turn one of the tires by hand, from the outside (not underneath). Then, yes, while one of the tires is turning, the driven gear (top slot) should turn (you will be reverse-turning the diff and spdo driven gear, which is fine, in this situation).

Turn the tire FORWARD (normal tire forward rotation).

Do not start/run the car with both front wheels up.

Did you see the metal tab on the side of the metal end of the cable at the diff? What did it look like? Still pronounced and grippable into the driven gear top slot? Or worn out? Or missing?

 

it looks a bit worn compared to the the one I got at the junk yard so if it ever quits raining i'll do what you suggested turn the wheel by hand if it turns I am going to replace the cable

 

Since you already have the new one and the old one looks worn, I would just replace it and then drive around the block. If it works, you're done! If not, then you can jack the car up and test some more...

 

That's a good sign (cable intact at diff end)!

The cable still could be overly worn at IC end - where all the rotational friction ends (on the teeny 4 four sides of the plastic cable up there); IC black plastic boss could be damaged (it guides and stabilizes cable into IC); white plastic adapter behind IC could be broken (though you hadn't mentioned any issue there); small gears in IC (that get driven by the cable) could be loosing teeth or already have broken a tooth (higher likelihood); cable could be damaged up inside the sleeve; diff driven gear could be worn - it is hard plastic; spdo itself is wearing on its teeny axles.

Let us know how it goes and keep the feedback flowing.

 

Well got the bad news the problem is in the transmission at the place where the speedometer cable goes in the trans the gear is proably worn or missing teeth every once in a while it catches makes a wrrring noise and the speedometer will work for a few seconds guess I will keep the transmission fluid changed and drive it till it dies does seem to be anyway to remove the gear from the top of the trans .I want to thank all the people who gave advice and information