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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Speedo Cable to gear box oil seal

Afternoon
I had my speedometer repaired exactly a year ago (midget 1977)
It started to play up about 3 weeks ago so I checked it again last Saturday. The trip counter works as does the odometer.
The needle would appear to work in slow motion. After about 5 or so miles it would get stuck on a random MPH.
I contacted Speedograph yesterday who repaired it & they said return it. I asked what could be the possible cause given the symptoms & they suggested it could possible be oil.
I looked at where the cable enters the speedo & there is evidence of oil.
Looking at the workshop manual there is an oil seal at the gearbox end.
The question is how easy is it to replace this oil seal and also remove the existing.
Many thanks
Regards
Nigel Axtell

Removal is difficult requiring a bent mini pick/hook that will destroy seal during its removal. New seal needs to be driven in square using a suitable drift with a flat and square end. Some original vehicles were provided with a Seal Retainer 2A3255 (NCA) however a suitable item can be carefully cut from an appropraitely sized piece of plastic tube.
S G KEIL

Thanks for that info. I've got a new seal on order which hopefully means it doesn't matter about destroying the old one
Regards
Nigel Axtell
Nigel Axtell

Have you installed led bulbs in the instruments by chance? I had one of these interfere with the disk in the speedometer. The needle would stick. Finally realized that pulling the LED bulb back slightly was the trick but not before delivering the speedometer to the shop a couple of times.
Glenn Mallory

Nigel, did you manage to find a fix for your speedo?

I had exactly the same problem after being repaired at Speedograph after the trip and odometer stopped working, after refitting the initial problem was fixed but the speedo needle sticks at 10-20mph.

After returning the Speedo to Speedograph they said all appeared OK after a quick test, Ive since added a new speedo cable and the speedo is better but not right as the needle sticks at random low speeds but jumps back into life at around 40mph and then works fine until it drops below 30mph.

With seeing you've had a similar issue it would be good to hear if you found a fix. Interesting to see Glenn found the cause being down to an LED bulb.
Tim Lynam

This thread was discussed between 22/02/2022 and 27/03/2022

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