Which speed sensor?

[digitalferg]

I've just swapped in a tranny and tcase into my 02 Tacoma from what I think was a 97 4runner (It was def a 4runner but have forgotten which year it was for sure...) Edit: BTW, I've got the 3.4 V6 with the auto tranny.

Question is this: How do I figure out which VSS (speed sensor) to use at the tcase since the 4runner tcase doesn't have one? (It has the spot, just has a cover bolted in it.)

At first, I thought just the same year Tacoma VSS as the 4runner tcase is from, but then after more reading, it sounds like the 96-97 4runners might take a mechanical style speed sensor in the tcase...but this supposedly changed in late '97 and I don't know what date mine is from....

Here's some pics if it helps....

(Pic of my wiring connector)

 

[digitalferg]

So after making a thread on this on several sites, I didn't find any exact info on how to tell other than peak through the hole and count the teeth, which is a difficult task when the case is already on the truck... And which still didn't tell me whether or not mine took a mechanical one or an electric one, but in a few helpful threads, most seemed to think mine should take the electric one.

Soooo.... I made a crazy decision and just bought a random speed sensor on ebay. I found one marked as from a 98 4x4 4cyl A/T. It was marked as 11/32.

When I got it, first step was to see if it fit into the case--miraculously, it fit perfectly. Next step was to extend the wiring ~12 inches or so.

Once done and connected, I fired up the truck and took her for a spin and--Voila! I have a working speedo again!

Now just gotta figure out how close to actual speed it is getting me....

-Ferg

 

[Singtoe]

Not to sound condescending but why didn't you use the old senders from the Tacoma?


BTW, Any host vehicle that had ABS won't have a mechanical VSS, they will use the wheel hall generators.

 

[digitalferg]

Not to sound condescending but why didn't you use the old senders from the Tacoma?

Haha. Whoops. Just realized I left out a tiny (HUGE) detail in my original post... My Tacoma was a 2WD Prerunner that I swapped to 4WD. The Prerunner 2WD VSS are different and won't work.

 

[derekwilliams345]

Haha. Whoops. Just realized I left out a tiny (HUGE) detail in my original post... My Tacoma was a 2WD Prerunner that I swapped to 4WD. The Prerunner 2WD VSS are different and won't work.

which wires did you use? your truck harness had 2 wire plug and your new vss had 3 wires... correct?

 

[digitalferg]

I def had the same number of wires vs what the new sensor needed. And the same connector. All I did was lengthen all the wires. Sadly, I no longer have this truck and do not remember if it was 2 or 3 wires...

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[kolelt]

So how do you know how many teeth gear you need? I have 4.30 ratio with r150f on 285/75/16

 

[kolelt]

Bump

 

[habanero]

On the '96 I've got 4.30 with 285/75r16 and a 32 tooth. Not bad, but not spot on, either. It came out of the same Taco I got the manual hubs from.

Reads a little tad low...

32 teeth...

Starting post 1934 is how I wired it up...
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f200/habaneros-1996-4runner-build-up-thread-201751/index97.html

 

[kolelt]

On the '96 I've got 4.30 with 285/75r16 and a 32 tooth. Not bad, but not spot on, either. It came out of the same Taco I got the manual hubs from.

Reads a little tad low...

32 teeth...

Starting post 1934 is how I wired it up...
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f200/habaneros-1996-4runner-build-up-thread-201751/index97.html

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/speedometer-correction-by-t-case-gear-change.480939/page-2
According to this. Biggest size you can get is 33tooth. Although I’m not understanding how to properly choose the right tooth count. If less teeth what speedo reading you get vs more teeth.

This is what I order. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079R16ZZJ

 

[habanero]

If I am understanding correctly (and I'm not sure I am) more teeth = slower speed reading and less teeth = faster reading.

Based on that the gear with fewer teeth would put my speedo either on target (currently reads slightly less than actual speed) or slightly more than actual speed.
So if I put a 33 tooth in rather than my 32 my speedo would show an even slower than actual speed than it does now.

 

[kolelt]

If I am understanding correctly (and I'm not sure I am) more teeth = slower speed reading and less teeth = faster reading.

Based on that the gear with fewer teeth would put my speedo either on target (currently reads slightly less than actual speed) or slightly more than actual speed.
So if I put a 33 tooth in rather than my 32 my speedo would show an even slower than actual speed than it does now.

So what your saying. Is I would actually need a lower tooth gear. Lower then 32

 

[habanero]

So what your saying. Is I would actually need a lower tooth gear. Lower then 32

IF I am understanding correctly. It all began when I read the 1st post from the link you posted

I just regeared from 4.30 to 4.10, so obviously my speedometer is 2mph off. What I do know is, I have a 20 teeth speedometer gear and I will need a 19 teeth one to match my axle ratio and tires. I looked through the parts catalog and see that the VZN85 uses a 19 teeth speedo gear. Does this fit on all the other runners (that has an automatic) of the same era regardless of engine? I thought about using a 18 teeth also, but that'll make the speedo slightly fast.

And then doing a little more interwebbing seems to confirm. Since I don't have experience beyond my own 97ish Taco VSS I'm really not much help.

I never did count the receiving end, but the 10/32 has been in for over 4 years now in my 12/1995 4Runner without a hitch.
My truck originally had 4.10 before I swapped axles, m/t is original, 265/70r16 original tire size.

 

[kolelt]

He’s not specifying if it’s 2 lower or higher.

 

[habanero]

I'm gonna stick this right here so the question doesn't get lost. I wouldn't mind hearing the answer....

So how do you know how many teeth gear you need? I have 4.30 ratio with r150f on 285/75/16

He’s not specifying if it’s 2 lower or higher.

True, but he does say he's going to go from the 20 to the 19 to correct it and that if he goes to the 18 the speedo will read too fast. That makes me think it was reading 2mph slower (20) and he was trying to bring it up from that (19) but not too far up (18).
Caveat: The above scenario is going from 4.3 to 4.1.
There is likely a formula for all this but my math brain is currently out of order.

Again, that's what I took from reading that. Wish I could be of more help. Maybe all these bumps will net someone who can.

EDIT: Curiosity got me poking around, found this fun little calculator...
http://gtsparkplugs.com/SpeedoGearCalc.html
Don't know that it's useful, but it's kinda fun.