hi, i've just purchased a 91 townace super extra and am well impressed. i have trawled through your site just to get a feel of whats happening and am gobsmacked by the amount of interest and knowledge posted on these amazing vehicles.
i have a couple of problems with the motor and hope that someone out there can give me a few clues;
1. when engaging reverse (auto box) sometimes there is
is no drive, and i can rev the engine freely to crawl backwards. other times reverse engages properly.
2. the speedo does not work at all. i have been underneath and disconnected the cable at the box. i have spun the cable with my fingers and the speedo 'bounces'is this a problem with the drive in the box, and if so do i have to remove the box to replace.
3. the 4wd light on the dashboard seems to be permanently lit. i have pressed the panel switch but this makes no difference, although i can hear the solenoid clicking at the rear.
any advise but be greatly appreciated.
3.
- (#11163) Steve Bowen, 13 Oct 03 18:24
Erm, I Hate to say it but that all sounds suspiciously like a failing transfer box. Check the selector cable adjustments (auto and 4x4) Change the fluid in the autobox and transfer, and check for shorts in the cable to the 4x4 sensor switch (top/ front LHS of the transfer). Check also the vacuum hoses to the 4x4 actuator, ensure there's a vacuum getting to the reservoir tank under the floor and if that all looks OK, try swapping the hoses over- one of the valves might be leaking, and not allowing full withdrawl to 2wd.
Speedo- wise, when you remove the cable, does the gear it fits into in the transfer turn freely? It should be tightly meshed with it's drive gear.
If none of this helps, I'd have to say tranny and transfer out for diagnosis...
- (#11164) david miller, 14 Oct 03 2:22
Thanks for your reply David.
I seem to have cured the reversing problem by topping up the transmission fluid. I had to put in 1.5litres to even register on the dipstick when hot.
I have removed the speedo clock from the facia, and driven the motor to check that the cable is turning at the Speedo end, which it is. The inner cable looks to short to engage properly with the back of the clock though.
I am still checking out the 4x4 light problem.
- (#11240) Steve Bowen, 18 Oct 03 18:12
I have a 1991 Townace Super Extra. The speedo has not worked since I bought it a few weeks ago.
I have checked the drive and cable from the box end and all is o.k. It seems the inner cable is not reaching far enough in to the back of the speedo head.
Or is it likely that the speedo head has worn.
As anybody had this problem before.
- (#11297) Steve Bowen, 21 Oct 03 17:36
Check if the overspeed gong has been removed (instructions in Aceanswers) if the person removing the gong has not replaced the screws, then almost certainly none or some of the gauges will work.
HTH Rob.
- (#11298) Rob Drinkwater, 21 Oct 03 18:28
Speedo is fully mechanical. Are you pushing the cable fully into place?
As I recall the speedo's bush is alloy, and the end of the cable has a plastic drive, so if anything has worn I'd go for the cable. Can you perchance pull the end of the inner cable out a bit with pointy pliers?
- (#11299) david miller, 22 Oct 03 2:28
Many thanks Rob and David for your replies.
Rob I will check the back of the speedo as you suggested.
David, I can pull the inner cable through with the pointy pliers. Does this mean that the plastic drive from the end of the cable is missing. I can only see the squared metal end of the inner cable. This would make sense. As I said earlier, the cable does seems to be short of the speedo head.
- (#11300) Steve Bowen, 23 Oct 03 17:31
I'm pretty sure the cable originally had an overmoulded plastic adaptor on it. Perhaps someone else can confirm?
- (#11301) david miller, 24 Oct 03 0:29
The plastic bit clips to the back of the combination meter, this need to be released to get the combo out. Has yours come off the cable and still on the back of the combo? Otherwise breakers yard to see if you can get one off or replacement speedo cable.....
- (#11302) Clive, 24 Oct 03 2:40