oil dripping on my leg

[shuey]

I`ve had a small drip of oil on my trouser leg several times of late while out in the tr after the MRS getting P+++++ off with this thought I best investigate turns out to be coming from the speedo cable and it seems to be getting worse several drips on the carpet it doesn`t seem to happen if just a local trip only on long trips two questions come from this

1/ how do I stop this I assume it must be coming from the g/box ?

2/ do I need to have the speedo out and clean this

[ianhoward]

Shuey

 

I had a similar problem a long while back in my old TR4... If I recall correctly the threaded securing 'nut' attaching the speedo cable to the Speedo itself had become a little loose... Just needed tightening...

 

Hope this helps...

 

Brgds

Edited June 29, 2008 by ianhoward

[Richard Crawley]

Strange; the spedo drive pinion take off does have an O ring seal but if this lets by, you usually end up with oil on the garage floor! I don’t think it’s possible for gearbox oil to get through the angle drive (assuming you have one fitted!) & up the spedo cable; the nylon angle drive is grease lube’d & also sealed & as far as I recall; have you recently fitted a new cable or been oiling/greasing the old one!

[TR 2100]

I don’t think it’s possible for gearbox oil to get through the angle drive (assuming you have one fitted!)

& up the spedo cable; the nylon angle drive is grease lube’d & also sealed & as far as I recall; have you

recently fitted a new cable or been oiling/greasing the old one!

 

Doesn't the inner cable have spiral grooves that would tend to force oil upwards?

Take your point about the angle drive (assuming there's one fitted) but I suppose

the seal could have gone.

Over-oiling/greasing could be the cause if you have done this recently.

 

AlanR

[Richard Crawley]

Doesn't the inner cable have spiral grooves that would tend to force oil upwards?

Take your point about the angle drive (assuming there's one fitted) but I suppose

the seal could have gone.

Over-oiling/greasing could be the cause if you have done this recently.

 

AlanR

Your right, it will force any oil upwards; but, as I said, the angle drive effectively isolates the spedo cable from the gearbox oil so I don’t believe it can be coming from the g/box. If the “O” ring on the g/box pinion take off is shot, I can only ever see oil ending up on the garage floor; unless the spedo cable is directly connected to the pinion!

[shuey]

hi gents thanks for advice Ive checked the nut on the back of speedo an seems tight, I do have angle drive fitted, cable was renewed last year I just put it on as delivered no extra greese/oil, the prob has only just come to light but saying that I didn`t do many long runs after fitting it

The oil that comes out is very black I sort of assumed that if it was traveling up the cable this would cause this, looking at it again there is quite a lot of oil that missed my trousers on the carpet and is running down the speedo cable and dripping off where it touches part of the loom, would the first place to look be the angle drive can theese be repaired or just renewed .Spose I could keep to sort trips out I don`t think so done 350 miles last sunday ended up down your way Richard I think Diss? carnival day

[Richard Crawley]

hi gents thanks for advice Ive checked the nut on the back of speedo an seems tight, I do have angle drive fitted, cable was renewed last year I just put it on as delivered no extra greese/oil, the prob has only just come to light but saying that I didn`t do many long runs after fitting it

The oil that comes out is very black I sort of assumed that if it was traveling up the cable this would cause this, looking at it again there is quite a lot of oil that missed my trousers on the carpet and is running down the speedo cable and dripping off where it touches part of the loom, would the first place to look be the angle drive can theese be repaired or just renewed .Spose I could keep to sort trips out I don`t think so done 350 miles last sunday ended up down your way Richard I think Diss? carnival day

Disconnect the spedo drive, pull out the inner cable & give it a good wipe dry & see if matters improve, I suspect it's been over lubed on assembly. You could also try putting the cable in the opposite way around; I think they are the same both ends!

 

I'm ashamed to say I haven’t yet been to the Diss Carnival; I wasn’t even sure they still had one but I do live out in the sticks, we do support other local events though!

[Rhodri]

I don't know the position of the oil pressure gauge on a TR6, I have a TR4, but is the pipe that goes to the back of the gauge loose, allowing oil to drip?

[shuey]

thanks for the advice I will give it a go but the amount of oil on my trousers and carpet makes me think it`s got to be coming from somewhere not just whats in the cable I`ll try turning it around the twist of the inner cable might be bringing it up !! ?

I wasn,t at the carnival was at a triumph meet Caistor hall

[PJM]

I had a pin hole in my oil gauge line and lost so much oil I have had to renew the carpets. My gauge line runs across from the passenger side but depending on where it runs behind the dash I suppose that it is possible for drips to appear as if they are coming from the speedo cable. Oil will travel a long way once it starts to puddle and drip! It took ages between the loss of pressure and finding the offending hole! All sorted now though so it would be worth a good look behind the dash with a torch and some kitchen roll to mop up any suspicious spills to isolate the source.

[F69]

Disconnect the spedo drive, pull out the inner cable & give it a good wipe dry & see if matters improve, I suspect it's been over lubed on assembly. You could also try putting the cable in the opposite way around; I think they are the same both ends!

Richard, I have very recently replaced my old inner speedo cable with a new one which is spot on, however am I correct in thinking that once fitted oil or some kind of lubrication should be fed into the outer cable to lube the inner. I simply fitted the cable as it came from the manufacturer. I have an angled drive fitted and this has a grease nipple which I have greased.

[Richard Crawley]

Richard, I have very recently replaced my old inner speedo cable with a new one which is spot on, however am I correct in thinking that once fitted oil or some kind of lubrication should be fed into the outer cable to lube the inner. I simply fitted the cable as it came from the manufacturer. I have an angled drive fitted and this has a grease nipple which I have greased.

 

That’s fine; complete spedo cables come pre-lubed & no further lubrication is necessary but you can pull the inner cable to check prior to fitting. If, for some reason, you ever feel the need to lubricate the inner cable, don’t use oil but a smear of light grease, leaving the top & bottom 3 inches clean. If oil is used it WILL find it’s way into the spedo head & probably ruin it.

[dblenk]

Hi

i have just replaced the stereo in the 6 and the old one had oil on it, strange i thought, when checked the oil gauge was not fitted with the little fibre washer hence the leak, black oil just as you described, it didn't get on my trousers though, gearbox oil will be cleaner

regards

david

[Steve R]

I would be surprised if it was coming from the speedo drive, wrap some tissue round the oil pressure gauge connection and see if it gets oily.

Steve

[Richard Crawley]

I would be surprised if it was coming from the speedo drive, wrap some tissue round the oil pressure gauge connection and see if it gets oily.

Steve

My thoughts have always been that it’s not the spedo cable. As others have already pointed out, if its carbon laden black oil, the obvious culprit has to be the oil pressure gauge which doesn’t have a remote sensor!