Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi,

I strongly suspect that either the cable or drive need replacing on my S130/5 and that this isn't straightforward... Presumably you have to take the drivers seat and centre console out and then try to undo the retaining bolt for the drive via the hole in the side of the transmission tunnel?

Any top tips/handy hints??

Craig

Brilliant, thanks - I sought but could not find! C

Ok, so having got to the speedo drive, checked the cable and the angle drive and the speedometer I've still got a jumping speedo so it looks like it's the actual worm drive in the gearbox (5 speed). How do you get to this? Is it possible to take out while the gearbox is still in the car? (I tried pulling it upwards when the angle drive and its spacer were out but couldn't...)

C

When you say 'checked the cable' what did you do?

In the past I have had what seemed to be perfectly good cable, but the speedo jumped around. Replacing the cable fixed it.

I guess the inner was catching on the outer, but it was not at all obvious.

Hi Craig,

Having gone through the woes of an eratic/jumping/diving speedo on my +2 a few years back....and having checked and changed in turn:

- Speedo Cable
- Speedo
- Angle Drive

to no avail....

I/We sorted the problem when the engine and gearbox were out.

The speedo is driven by a gear at the rear of the gearbox on the (I think) output shaft.
This gear is held in by a 'friction' fit that is held tight by a nut (going from memory) at the end of the output shaft.

We tightened this up and...Hey Presto....super smooth speedo.

If you have a manual you'll see the items I'm talking about.

Now....hopefully it's NOT this for you! But, nearly a year after a friend had suggested that the above may have been teh problem and me hoping he was wrong.....

Best of luck,
Peter

Thanks for the quick responses!

I've replaced the angle drive (although I don't actually think there was much wrong with the old one) and checked both this, the cable and the speedometer using a variable speed electric drill attached to the angle drive - all works smoothly. But when connected to the gearbox itself it doesn't. It jumps about, gives a zero reading, under-reads etc etc. Hence I'm pretty certain its the drive within the gearbox...

So my question is, is there any way of accessing the drive gears within the gearbox to tighten them up without removing the whole lot from the car? I have the manual but any references to the speedo drive are very limited... From the pictures within the manual and parts list, which don't show the drive itself, it looks as though it will pull upwards out of the gearbox housing. Unfortunately this doesn't seem to be the reality, unless I've missed something?

C

Craig

Not 100% on this but I think you'll have to remove the engine/box to tighten up the nut on the output shaft...

John

Yep....unfortunately that's the case...

(There may be ways to do it in situ but invariably they end up taking more time and are more difficult than 'biting the bullet' and doing it the way John says)

But....hey! Your speedo will be almost 'modern smooth'

Peter

Ar*e! Thanks for the info - looks like a job for the winter...

May have a look over the weekend to see if there's a way of getting at it but given you're responses I don't hold out much hope.

Craig