86 Speed Sensor *Help*
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Southern New Jersey
86 Speed Sensor *Help*
Hi all,
Lately I've been having a small issue with my 86 Pacer. Occasionally, when I take a corner spiritedly or get on the throttle a bit, the car's speedometer will go to 0. After a 30 seconds to a minute of backing off and allowing the car to "catch up" with itself, the speedometer will pick back up to the current speed. It's annoying, if I'm on the highway and it goes to 0, the car locks itself out of overdrive and my service light comes on. Was curious if this is indeed an issue with the sensor, and where/how to service & fix. Car is an 86 with original 700r4.
Thanks,
Angelo
Lately I've been having a small issue with my 86 Pacer. Occasionally, when I take a corner spiritedly or get on the throttle a bit, the car's speedometer will go to 0. After a 30 seconds to a minute of backing off and allowing the car to "catch up" with itself, the speedometer will pick back up to the current speed. It's annoying, if I'm on the highway and it goes to 0, the car locks itself out of overdrive and my service light comes on. Was curious if this is indeed an issue with the sensor, and where/how to service & fix. Car is an 86 with original 700r4.
Thanks,
Angelo
Racer
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 429
Likes: 29
From: Brooklyn, MI
The speed sensor mounts on the side of the trans and has a connector that will deteriorate, get oil soaked. Remove the connector check pins and wires if in bad shape you can replace the connector with a wiring pig-tale and splice it. Also I have seen wiring touch the exhaust and burn thru the insulation.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,393
Likes: 2,741
Does it become erratic while being intermittent or to 0 and then returns immediately to accurate speed? Is it fine when COLD/COOL and only becomes erratic when HOT?
I'd do the connector check since it's an early style with the Weather-Pack, clean the VSS and the connector with appropriate cleaner. It's not uncommon for early VSS to weep through the connector. You can replace the Weather-Pack shell for cheap using the existing pins. The shell would be a local buy. No cut/splice required.
It's very possible if it occurs only after up to TEMP/HOT that the retainer has failed on the output-shaft that holds the drive gear. You'll need to remove the VSS rotate the output-shaft and observe. That's also a cheap fix and not difficult.
This thread might be an interesting read, yours is A4 but same drive/driven scheme. Pay no attention to gear tooth counts and VSS part # for the time being - post #8 and the OP's last entry.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1592293740
You might check a local dealer for these 2 part #'s 15552872 (VSS O-ring, I'd buy now) and 6261781 (you only want to know if it's in stock or close).
I'd do the connector check since it's an early style with the Weather-Pack, clean the VSS and the connector with appropriate cleaner. It's not uncommon for early VSS to weep through the connector. You can replace the Weather-Pack shell for cheap using the existing pins. The shell would be a local buy. No cut/splice required.
It's very possible if it occurs only after up to TEMP/HOT that the retainer has failed on the output-shaft that holds the drive gear. You'll need to remove the VSS rotate the output-shaft and observe. That's also a cheap fix and not difficult.
This thread might be an interesting read, yours is A4 but same drive/driven scheme. Pay no attention to gear tooth counts and VSS part # for the time being - post #8 and the OP's last entry.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1592293740
You might check a local dealer for these 2 part #'s 15552872 (VSS O-ring, I'd buy now) and 6261781 (you only want to know if it's in stock or close).
Last edited by WVZR-1; Oct 25, 2016 at 03:39 AM.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Southern New Jersey
Does it become erratic while being intermittent or to 0 and then returns immediately to accurate speed? Is it fine when COLD/COOL and only becomes erratic when HOT?
I'd do the connector check since it's an early style with the Weather-Pack, clean the VSS and the connector with appropriate cleaner. It's not uncommon for early VSS to weep through the connector. You can replace the Weather-Pack shell for cheap using the existing pins. The shell would be a local buy. No cut/splice required.
It's very possible if it occurs only after up to TEMP/HOT that the retainer has failed on the output-shaft that holds the drive gear. You'll need to remove the VSS rotate the output-shaft and observe. That's also a cheap fix and not difficult.
This thread might be an interesting read, yours is A4 but same drive/driven scheme. Pay no attention to gear tooth counts and VSS part # for the time being - post #8 and the OP's last entry.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1592293740
You might check a local dealer for these 2 part #'s 15552872 (VSS O-ring, I'd buy now) and 6261781 (you only want to know if it's in stock or close).
I'd do the connector check since it's an early style with the Weather-Pack, clean the VSS and the connector with appropriate cleaner. It's not uncommon for early VSS to weep through the connector. You can replace the Weather-Pack shell for cheap using the existing pins. The shell would be a local buy. No cut/splice required.
It's very possible if it occurs only after up to TEMP/HOT that the retainer has failed on the output-shaft that holds the drive gear. You'll need to remove the VSS rotate the output-shaft and observe. That's also a cheap fix and not difficult.
This thread might be an interesting read, yours is A4 but same drive/driven scheme. Pay no attention to gear tooth counts and VSS part # for the time being - post #8 and the OP's last entry.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1592293740
You might check a local dealer for these 2 part #'s 15552872 (VSS O-ring, I'd buy now) and 6261781 (you only want to know if it's in stock or close).
