dashboard cable broken

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GTAuto
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dashboard cable broken

Post by GTAuto » Sat Oct 08, 2022 11:24 am

Hey all,

I'm afraid I must add to the hundreds of speedo posts already existing on this forum. Today, in an effort to get to the pcb and fix the info centre light and perhaps diagnose my speedo issue, I ended up breaking the blue connector ribbon cable going to the speedo. The plastic came off and the cables are no longer held together. I'll try to attach images. Does anyone know how this could be fixed?

Thanks in advance,
Wessel

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jifflemon
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Re: dashboard cable broken

Post by jifflemon » Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:50 pm

That's only the insulation that's come off.

As noted in the repair guide By Will,
WRDendy wrote: This can be patched up with insulating tape, or, if you have it, Kapton tape, which is my personal preference for these sorts of jobs.

GTAuto
480 Newbie
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Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2022 8:54 pm

Re: dashboard cable broken

Post by GTAuto » Mon Oct 10, 2022 10:36 am

Thanks for your reply,

though in my case, it looks like the paper is separating from the cable, part of its torn off actually

jifflemon
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Re: dashboard cable broken

Post by jifflemon » Mon Oct 10, 2022 12:03 pm

As long as the cable hasn’t broke, it’ll just need insulating

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WRDendy
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Re: dashboard cable broken

Post by WRDendy » Tue Oct 11, 2022 1:40 pm

Couldn't see the images in the OP so re-embedding here:

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That's very fixable as per Jeff's reply, none of the wires are damaged so as long as you tape everything back up as per my guide which Jeff linked to it'll be fine. I really would recommend Kapton (this, for example) as normal electrical tape won't last long in the heat of a car dashboard in the sun.

Even if the wires break it can still be fixed with a soldering iron and some patience, so don't worry!
Formerly known as 'Jaster'
Current: '94 GT & '88 ES
Former: '89 ES

Alan 480
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Re: dashboard cable broken

Post by Alan 480 » Wed Oct 12, 2022 6:36 pm

I might be able to liberate some of those diddy connectors and the crimps that go with them in case a wire does get broken, but not 'dozens' of connectors, it is difficult to buy some of these unless you have an account
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

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WRDendy
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Re: dashboard cable broken

Post by WRDendy » Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:42 pm

That's one option, although I'd just remove both the blue plug on the paper cable and the blue socket on the speedo and replace them with nice modern JST connectors and a ribbon cable. Costs pennies and it'll last forever.

Having said that I think it's rare that the cables themselves break, it's almost always the paper disintegrating with age and causing shorts.
Formerly known as 'Jaster'
Current: '94 GT & '88 ES
Former: '89 ES

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