transmission/speedometer

[RobertNol]

I have a 97 5.4 4x4 and i just got it running. But the speedometer does not work and the transmissions is not shifting correctly at all... I read some where on the internet that those problems are linked together but it didn't have a fix..

Help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Thermo]

RObert, yes, the tranny uses the vehicle speed to look up a graph to see what gear it needs to be in based on engine loading, RPMs, and speed. You don't have the speed and the truck gets a little confused.

As for your issue, it can be a number of things. You can try pulling out the VSS Gear and seeing what that looks like. Crawl under the truck on the driver's side and find the tail shaft piece on the transfer case for the rear drive shaft. You will see a little piece sticking out the side of the tailshaft with a 2 wire plug on it. That is your VSS speed sensor. You can pull it out, look at the gear to make sure the teeth look good and then you can have the truck on and give it a spin and see if the speedo moves. After that, I would be betting you have a wire issue between the VSS sensor and the computer.

 

[RobertNol]

Thermo you are my favorite person right now! I missed that plug.... Plugged er in and the speedometer works and the transmission runs a lot better... Still need to buy that fuel thing on the side of the throttlebody but thanks very much thermo!!!!!

 

[Thermo]

Robert, not a problem. that is why we are here. A lot of problems can be solved through the simple checks.

 

[azexpedition]

why does the 1999 not have the vss on the trans extension?

i have had a nightmare of a time finding a vss. there are two sensors on top of the tranny. a cluster of sensors all connected on the torque converter. an abs on the differential. but i cannot find a VSS. the one that looks like a kind of spark plug. i have looked everywhere. i am told i have a 20 bolt pan e4od-4r100. the ford dealer gave me an exploded diagram showing that the vss was on the extension cowl about the middle on drivers side. it is not. replaced the output shaft sensor on top back of the tranny but no difference. do i need to take the neg battery side off and reset. what am i missing??? i am thinking i need to start another thread, but i don't know how.

 

[FordandPolaris]

i have had a nightmare of a time finding a vss. there are two sensors on top of the tranny. a cluster of sensors all connected on the torque converter. an abs on the differential. but i cannot find a VSS. the one that looks like a kind of spark plug. i have looked everywhere. i am told i have a 20 bolt pan e4od-4r100. the ford dealer gave me an exploded diagram showing that the vss was on the extension cowl about the middle on drivers side. it is not. replaced the output shaft sensor on top back of the tranny but no difference. do i need to take the neg battery side off and reset. what am i missing??? i am thinking i need to start another thread, but i don't know how.

A couple of posts up, Thermo says that it is located on the tailshaft behind the transfer case. Have you checked there...?

Thermo:
As for your issue, it can be a number of things. You can try pulling out the VSS Gear and seeing what that looks like. Crawl under the truck on the driver's side and find the tail shaft piece on the transfer case for the rear drive shaft. You will see a little piece sticking out the side of the tailshaft with a 2 wire plug on it. That is your VSS speed sensor. You can pull it out, look at the gear to make sure the teeth look good and then you can have the truck on and give it a spin and see if the speedo moves. After that, I would be betting you have a wire issue between the VSS sensor and the computer.

 

[azexpedition]

as it turns out, i replaced the solonoid at the back of the tranny. i think it is call the tran. speed shaft sensor. my problem is that i think i hit the 4x4 knob in the cab and since i have disconnected the 4x4 front shaft prior. i was getting an odd reading on the speedo. all said and done i put the truck in reverse going about 20, dropped into nuetral for 40-50 ft and it dropped back to awd. feeling kinda stupid but all in all it worked.

 

[azexpedition]

there is not a plug in on the tranny extension. i went to the dealer an had them pull an exploded diagram. they showed me where it was supposed to be but there is not a vss on the drivers side extension.