tranny fluid pushing through speedometer cable

[Guest brayburks]

I noticed oil dripping from under my dash on my 90 legacy wagon. After much searching I pulled my speedo cable apart from under the hood and some tranny fluid ran out. I think that it is being pulled to the speedometer by the rotation of the cable and then leaking where it connects to the speedometer. Has any one else heard of this? What's the fix? I'd appreciate some guidance.

[Guest Legacy777]

That is NOT good.

 

I don't see how in the world this can happen. I just replaced the speedo base a month or so ago after my speedo died.

 

Do you have a MT or AT?

 

Have you had any service done on the car recently, filled the tranny or diff with fluid?

[Guest hocrest]

I read of this happening somewhere around here. If Josh doesn't remember it must have been on the 80's Board.

 

I'm not 100% but I seem to remember something about a seal on the tranny leaking where the speedo cable attaches???

 

I think I remember suggestions to replace both the seal and the cable???

 

Sorry for all of the uncertainty<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif ALT=":\">

 

Anybody else have a better memory??

You may want to post this over there if no one else responds here.

[Guest scoobtech]

Just replace the speedo cable & all will be well in the land of Oz . 0]

[Guest edrach]

Just replacing the speedo cable will help but not cure the root cause of the problem. I had this on my Brat and I suspect the Legacy may be prone to the same thing. Just inside the odometer cable fitting at the transmission end is a small oil seal (about $10 for the one for the Brat) to keep oil from migrating up the cable as it turns. If the oil gets into the speedometer it will cost you a speedometer, so fix it now by at least replacing the cable. On my Brat the first indication was that my speedo was wildly optimistic--as I was shifting from 1st to 2nd, the speedo indicated I was going about 75 mph! In 2nd gear and up, the speedo was pegged. What happens is that the oil eventually gets into the speedo head which is a magnet dragging around a metal cup with the speedo needle on it. Once oil gets between the magnet and cup it just drags the cup with it. NO fix other than replacing the speedometer and cable; but without the oil seal it'll happen again. I wound up not replacing the oil seal since I couldn't figure out how to get the old one out (may need to do it from the inside!). Anyway, when we did the conversion to the 5 speed gearbox, that problem was permanently fixed anyway.

[Guest Legacy777]

I'm not sure if the legacy is setup the same way.

 

This is the base of the speedo cable on the legacy

 

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru/images/speedocablebase.jpg

 

You may be able to just replace that. I'm not sure.

[Guest brayburks]

I think there is a big nut at the base of the speedo cable base. I hope the seal is accessible from the outside. I will check that soon. thanks for the help!!!

[Guest Legacy777]

what I took a picture of is the base of the speedo cable. If the seal is in that piece, it can be replaced. If it is before that piece, it may not be a pretty fix.

[Guest edrach]

On the Brat the seal was inside the transmission housing. That's another reason I did the 5 speed conversion since I didn't see any point in opening the gearbox to install a $9 oil seal. A felt

o-ring at the input side of the speed cable, might be useful in slowing down the flow of gear oil. Replace it every oil change and that'll probably eliminate the problem easily and cheaply.

[Guest brayburks]

That picture looks alot like the one on my 90 legacy wagon, but mine has an extension before the clip on the speedometer side. It looks to be about 9 inches long. I checked some of the local auto parts stores. they don't carry the part. They say it is strictly a Subaru item, but we don't have a Subaru garage around here. Is there any web site that sells subaru parts online???

[Guest brayburks]

never mind. i just ordered one from "Your Online Subaru Parts Dealer.com". It was only $42. They didn't say what s+h would be or how long it would take. thanks for all your help.

[Guest Legacy777]

42 bucks for the piece I have in the picture?