Just replaced my speedometer cable today. It ended up being pretty easy, but as always whenever you’re doing something for the first time, it takes longer.
1. disconnect the cable from the tranny. It’s a garden hose type of screw on connector. Small vise grips helped to turn it. Then just pull it out.
2. take out 7 screws on the dash, 5 up and 2 on the side. Take off top dash plate. Take off 2 nuts (10mm socket) and take off the metal bracket (just pull it up and out).
3. Now you can get to the speedo connector. Use a small screwdriver to pry the white plastic tab on the right out a little and at the same time push in the longer tab on the left and with your third hand pull the connector out.
4. In the fronk take off the plastic shield and pop out the two rubber grommets on the cable, then just pull the cable out into the fronk.
5. under the car pull the cable down and after taking off the plastic protectors unclip the cable from the three clips. Pull the cable out and you’re half way done.
6. Shove the new cable down from the fronk and route it back, pay attention going over the tranny, but everything is easy.
7.Shove the front of the cable into the hole. Get under the dash with a light and after three tries you will find where it is supposed to go. Just shove it onto the connector at the speedo and button up the dash.
8. The tranny has a slot and the cable has a tit on the side, make sure the tit slides in and screw on the cap and you are done.
If you can get your old inner cable out of the old sheath, then all you have to do is pull the cable out at the tranny end. Grease the new cable and slide it all the way in. You may have to twist it some and you may have to lightly use vise grips to shove it in, but it will go. My cable was broken 2 feet from the tranny end and no amount of twisting and pulling would allow it to come out the front. The cable can be had for $60 and the whole thing can be had for $120. Luckily, my parts car had a perfect one.
You can use a drill on the cable to test if the speedometer is working.
If you need to pull out the speedo “sub-assembly” from the tranny, use a 12mm socket on the bolt next to the speedo cable. The bolt holds a flat piece of metal that fits into a slot in the sub-assembly. Once those are out of the way, just wobble the sub around and it will come out. There is an o-ring on it and it has been setting in there for 20 years, so yep it may be tough to pull out. Mine however came out easily.
This documentation in no way replaces the Toyota MR2 Repair Manuals. The purpose of this content is only to provide supplementary information to fellow MR2 enthusiasts. Midship Runabout and its contributing authors will not be held responsible for any injury or damages that may occur as the result of practicing any of the methods or procedures described within this website. Article and photo submissions are property of the contributing author.
