Speedometer help! Th350 help please

[RKRUZIN]

I need some help/advice on a non-working speedometer on my 1981 Malibu. I have a TH350c and the car had a non-working speedo at purchase and I am trying to repair and coming up short.

Stuff I replaced and tried

Different speedometer (yes the cable clip is good and engaged)

New Speedometer cable and lubed

new drive gear housing - TCI

New driven gear (small gear) and new drive gear (large gear)

the speedometer is jumpy but was working but there was high gear noise coming from tailshaft area while sitting in the car driving (sounded like speedometer gear problem.
after it quit working for like the 10th time I pulled the transmission tailshaft and thought there was too much play in the tailshaft also the speedometer drive gears had some minor damage but could be re-used.

I replaced the tailshaft output shaft bushing and replaced tailshaft seal replaced both speedometer gears transmission fluid and filter and tried again.

the speedometer was jumpy then quit after less than a mile.

every time this happens I can pull the speedo cable from transmission and turn it and the speedometer will move - so I'm back to the transmission

ANY IDEA's?

 

[beermonkey9417]

if theres any kinda damage to the dirven or drive gear for the speedo, it prolly means you have sort of binding issue in the cable, check to see how the cable is routed to make sure there are no sharp bends.

 

[RKRUZIN]

thank you! no, no sharp bends it's a 100 inch cable I have some 90 deg spots but the cable does a long soft L turns but the transition is minor I will take a look again at cable I did go up 10 inches on the cable to give me a softer turn maybe it's too long now

 

[RKRUZIN]

I think I found the problem there was no speedometer drive gear clip on it to hold it on and I put it back on there without one so my dumb mistake - the question is how do you put the clip on ? I can't find anything about it on line