57 replies to this topic

[dklawson]

There are two reasons for going with an electronic speedometer. One is infinite programming capability to match your final drive and wheel size. The other is to eliminate the speedo cable. I'm not a big fan of putting a sending unit on the end of a speedo cable. It rather defeats the purpose.

I don't think the guy at Sailes understood I was talking about a BMC/BL/Rover Mini. I suspect he thought I was talking about a BMW Mini. Therefore, I'm not anxious to pass along their information.

For your own benefit, feel free to visit the Sailes web site and send an email to them. I'm sure if you're clearer than I was that this is for a classic Mini that they'll be able to make a suggestion. If you want to reference my previous email exchanges, please do so. The guy who wrote me back was "Matthew".

I'm hoping V8Mini will post back with the model number of the sending unit he purchased.

Edited by dklawson, 21 August 2007 - 05:11 PM.

[dklawson]

OK... last post on this for a while.

I exchanged one more email with Matthew at Sailes. The FX4H sender does have a rectangular key and therefore won't screw onto the Mini gearbox. He said they will make a custom one with the 3mm square key that the Mini needs. However, that unit would NOT be returnable since it's a special. In other words, measure twice, cut once.

I'll make some measurements for you regarding this. However, if there is ANY chance you can send the folks at Sailes a speedo drive flange off a Mini gearbox (complete with the drive gear with the square hole), this would give them hard-parts to insure that the components will fit together.

I told Matthew that you would contact him directly. In his last email he started talking about there being no distributor "in my area" and that I could purchase from them directly. Well... I'd be surprised if there was a distributor in the USA.

For your reference, he quoted me about 40 GBP for the sender. That may sound like a lot, but it's not out of line with what comparable parts go for over here... parts that aren't custom.

[v8mini]

when i can get to it i will look for a part number, and get some pics. might not be until the weekend, but will try on evening this week

it fits on the speedo end of the cable, no thread, has the same type of socket as on original mini speedo.

it also had an extra part with it that i didn't use. this could have gone straight onto the gearbox, but i didnt want the sensor down near the drive shaft and dirt.
i got the gauges and sensor on Ebay, so have no other details on the sensor, just a label where wires go as you have mentioned.

out of all the ones on the site, mine it more like the 67HC

Edited by v8mini, 21 August 2007 - 07:54 PM.

[dklawson]

You guys are going to have to educate me on the best way to upload pictures and create links like V8Mini did. I can cut and paste... but I'm not smart enough to do the computer stuff you guys do.

Anyway, I went to my attic tonight looking through the parts. I can confirm that the gearbox connection on the Mini is threaded M19x1 I also checked with thread gauges and 26 threads/inch is so close over the length of thread engagement that I see no reason that an FX4H sending unit with a square post shouldn't fit.

I also measured the drive key on the electronic senders I have. The key is 1/8" square but the corners of the square have to be broken/rounded to fit down in the drive hole on the gearbox. I figure about a 0.010" radius (.25mm rad) on the corners of the square key. The drive key needs to extend about 15mm up from the bottom, inside surface of the nut that will screw on the gearbox.

The picture below shows a series of sending units I've adapted for use with BMC/BL cars. The dark grey senders are commercial parts. I forget the manufacturer's name, but they make the senders sold by VDO and AutoMeter. The one in the foreground has an adapter that allows it to screw onto the speedo end of a standard center binnacle speedo cable. Below that sending unit is a cylindrical looking chunk of aluminum. That's a homemade sender that I machined. It's made from a heavily modified reverse lockout switch from a Leycock overdrive unit. It also threads onto the end of the speedo cable. I use those units for bench calibration.

In the back of the picture are two other senders and you'll notice they have larger knurled and nickel plated nuts on them. The dark grey one is as before, a VDO type sender but the nut is one I machined to adapt it to the M19x1 thread on the Mini and my Triumph. The light grey sender on the right is a Stewart-Warner unit. It has a knurled nut made from a junk Smiths speedo cable. The drive keys for these senders can be seen near the main housings. The keys are small on one end to fit inside the sender, the other end is 1/8" square to fit the Mini gearbox. The collar on the middle of the shaft prevents them from going too deep in the Mini gearbox.

On the right side of the picture is the speedo drive end of a Mini gearbox. The Stewart-Warner sender is shown attached to it.

Lastly, the binnacle in the back of the picture is a used unit I picked up off eBay just to have. The speedometer in it is a hybrid. It's a Smiths housing but I've transplanted a VDO speedometer with custom face behind the glass. You'll notice the odometer window is an LCD screen. My intention is to install that gauge in my next Mini project.

Attached Files

•  Senders2.jpg   275.94K   60 downloads

Edited by dklawson, 22 August 2007 - 01:15 AM.

[ckneller321]

Dear Chris,



For the old style Mini we list one of the following parts: 69H gearbox fitting, or 67H or 71H speedo head fitting. It is always advisable for customers to check the type of fitting on the vehicle to ensure that one of these will actually fit.



Kind regards

Matthew

[dklawson]

As I stated earlier, I don't think the 69H will fit the Mini's gearbox. The threads are WAY big. Measure them yourself and you'll see what I mean. The 69H link ( http://www.sailesmar...tails.asp?ID=17 ) says it's threaded M22x1.5 Go measure the threaded cable connection boss on the Mini gearbox. You'll find its 19mm in diameter. That's why I mentioned earlier that he may have thought I meant BINI, not Mini.

[ckneller321]

yeah i specified an old style rover mini in my e-mail so not quite what hes up to there!
what do you think of the 67H one? this would be ok for using on the end of the later speedo cable wouldnt it?

[dklawson]

what do you think of the 67H one? this would be ok for using on the end of the later speedo cable wouldnt it?

Sorry, once you talk about cars that don't have a center binnacle I'm not familiar with the instruments. This is where you need to talk to V8Mini and see what he says.

If you want to retain the cable and put the sending unit on the end... I'd go a different route. Contact Sailes one more time and ask Matthew what the pitch is on their 71H sender. It says 12mm... but not the pitch. If it's 12x1, buy a NEW speedo cable for a center binnacle car and install the male threaded end of the 71H sender in the cable. If you're going to put this on the end of a speedo cable I'd buy a new cable (regardless of whether you buy the cable type you have now or buy one for an early car). Speedo cables wear out and stick. Why put all this money into a new electronic gauge and sending unit only to put it on a worn out cable?

Matthew at Sailes said that they already have a working relationship with Speedy Cables. You may want to contact Speedy Cables and get their recommendations on what sender to select for use with your existing speedo cable. Again, I only know about the center binnacle gauges.

[v8mini]

i've had a look at the transducer on my mini, no sign of a part number on it just the name Hunter.

here are a few pics, was in an arkward place, so these are the best i could get.

it did come with some kind of adaptor that i havent used, on the threaded end i've put a cover over, and the later type cable end just clips on like it does on the back of the origional speedo.

like i said earlier, out of all the ones on the site, mine looks more like the 67HC

[dklawson]

Well there you go.

If you want to install this on the end of a speedo cable it sounds like you've identified one that's compatible for later Minis. Likewise, in a previous post I pointed out that Sailes had one with M12x1 threads that would go on the earlier speedo cables for center binnacle cars.

I still think doing it this way defeats one purpose of using a programmable electronic speedometer, namely getting rid of the problem prone cable. To each his own.

I have had a friend measure one of the late model, alloy, gearbox-end, speedo fittings. He confirmed that the threads on the gearbox are M19x1. Sailes doesn't have an off the shelf sender that will bolt to that but it sure sounds like they'd make one for you if you're interested.

Don't forget the earlier information I posted about the sensors for Jags. Those should screw right on the Mini gearbox.

[ckneller321]

been a while i know but i've finally got round to buying this.

so just incase someone else has the question here's the answer!

if you get in contact with speedy cables they can sell you a sender unit and a cable to link the gearbox to the sender unit.

hope it helps someone!

[phil hill]

I'm interested to know what SpeedyCables have done for you, as I'm trying to hook up a Stack speedo to my gearbox cable drive. I had just about run out of ideas and was going to make a bracket to point the existing sensor at some metal strips glued onto the back of a pot joint......... but if the solution you've come up with is better then I'm interested !! Do you know what the signal out of these sensors is ?? I've measured the output of the Stack sensor so I know what that is but not what the output from these cable sensors is.

Any help would be useful, thanks !!

Phil.

[ckneller321]

Sorry don't know what output signal it produces. I just told them what model speedo i had and what car and asked if they could help.

Just let them know that and they will probably advise you. I found them very helpful and pretty quick.

Almost sounds like i work for them!

[phil hill]

Just a quick update, I've taken the plunge and ordered a customised FX4H transducer from Sailes today with a 3mm drive pin instead of the slot drive as fitted standard.

I spoke to Mathew, who was very helpful, and he said it shouldn't cost much more than the standard transduser, maybe a pound more or something.......... and it should be ready to ship on Tuesday !!

So hopefully I'll have a fully working Stack tacho/speedo after the holiday, which is one step closer to being road legal !!

Phil.

[phil hill]

Well things are looking good......... so far. Yes the FX4 transducer threads onto the mini speedo drive housing on the gearbox, and yes the transducer feeds pulses to my Stack, so all's good so far. I've managed to make the correct plug off on the transducer wiring to mate up with the Stack harness, so when it warm's up outside I can have a go at fitting it to the car and attempting to calibrate it !!

More soon hopefully.

Phil.