Tach cable question

[Mobetter]

I bought a 1980 GS1000L and the tach doesn't work and oil leaks
around where the cable enters the engine.
I'm putting a new cam cover gasket and adjusting valve clearance right
now and decided to fix the leak around the tach cable.
I've removed the retainer screw and have used pliers to turn the
cable (about 1/10th of a turn per attempt because of the location )
I've made about 3 complete revolutions but it doesn't seem to be screwing out.
Is this threaded? Or does it just pull out?
If it's threaded it may be stripped, I don't want to pull too hard
without knowing for sure it supposed to be removed like this.
Please Help
Thanks
Mo

[Anonymous]

Usually once you have the cap unscrewed, the cable just pulls out.

[Mobetter]

Actually it was the cap I was talking about.
It doesn't seem to be unscrewing.
Any guess to how many turns?
Thanks Mo

[mcconnell]

Re: Tach drive; at least on the 1983 GS1100G, the cable unscrews from the housing you removed the retaining screw from; and 1/10th of a turn at a time is about right. Since you have the retaining screw out, the housing just pulls out, though, with some difficulty as it has an o-ring keeping oil from sneaking around it. There is a replaceable seal inside this housing that keeps the oil from leaking around the tach driveshaft.

By the way, you do not have to remove that retaining screw to remove just the cable.

When you put it back together and you are reconnecting the tach cable, be careful lining up the tang on the tach driveshaft and the slot in the tach cable (at least that's the way the '83 is). I just barely snug them together, then bump the motor over with the starter to let the slot and tang line themselves up, then screw in the tach cable the rest of the way.

[Mobetter]

Thanks McConnell
Just what I needed to know.
Mo