Speed sensor- walks like a duck, quacks like a duck...
 

My speed sensor is slowly dying on my 94 A/t 4x4 4runner. I'm currently down in Mexico and the only auto parts store here that has the VSS1 is asking almost $500 for one. Gah! I found this sensor on ebay for a crazy low price and am wondering if you guys think it could work for me. I know rockauto carries it but wow do I not even have $200 to spend on a part.

The part number is the same as I've seen on yota tech for the VSS1 I need. AND it looks exactly the same as the one on my rig (I pulled it out this morning to check). Can they be calibrated differently or something so that this one would not work on my truck? Any opinions? Thanks guys.

whoops, bet you'd like to see the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94-95...ht_1846wt_1165

does it have the big body or the little body. what size is the hole going into the transfer case. if it the bigger one i have one here.

Go buy a cheap GPS. Problem solved.

WOW! That's some price.

The "calibration" comes from the gear, which you don't get with a replacement VSS1 (you reuse the gear on the one you take out). The sensor itself just switches the sense line from +12v to ground once per revolution (of the gear).

The trick for this sensor is that there are different sizes. But I think there are only about 3 sizes, and they all look different enough that matching the picture should work.

GPS is a solution for the speedometer, but it doesn't help with cruise control. Which I was willing to pay to keep.

@INFINITY - thanks but i ended up buying this one
@peow- see scope's response. Also screwing up my shifting , odometer, trip mileage, general running condition.

@Scope-
I know, crazy price right? Crossing my fingers that all goes well.
Thanks for the input. Actually I think that you weighed in on most of the speed sensor posts that I've read on here. When I first took it to a mechanic down here because it was slipping from 3rd to 2nd and had no power, he said it was the fuel pump. $250 later, same problems. I ran across something on here about the speedometer being related to gear slippage and finally found my answer. I didn't know that connection between speedometer and transmission existed.So thanks!

Two questions though, Scope- I mistakenly though it would be as easy as pulling the old VSS1 out and sticking the new one in! What's the gear that I have to switch from the old to the new? (Please pardon my total ignorance, I've had to learn about fixing all these things out of necessity, ie being broke, and I'm still learning.) Is that the kind of turning fan thing that sits inside the transmission and looks like it turns with the transmission fluid?

Second question- could this speed sensor failure also be giving me erratic idle speeds? Did you have that when your went out? Sometimes I start her up and she's at a fine 750 rpm at idle, sometimes she's at 250 and then dies, unless I put the gas on and drive her a mile to get back up to normal, or wait ten minutes and try to turn it on again. I already replaced the TPS and cleaned the throttle body so hopefully it's just this stinking speed sensor?

Thanks again everyone!

Speed sensor affects your engines running condition?

what im doing perfectly accurate

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/...1e552daae6.jpg
VSS1 is held on by a single bolt (and the electrical connector). When you pull out the unit, a nylon helical gear, about 15mm, comes out with it. It is held to the electrical part of the VSS1 by a simple spring clip around the hollow "shaft" of the electrical part. Pull out the spring clip, and the gear-and-shaft come out. Reverse with the new part.

The inside of the electrical part is a hall-effect sensor and amplifier, so the end of the gear-shaft is just a magnet. It only has to get close to the sensor, which is why you only need a spring clip. No alignment, and no power transfer.

And even though the helical gear may remind you of the distributor, you don't need to worry about aligning the gear when you put it back in. Just be gentle; it wants to mesh on it's own but if you're reckless you can break it (and there is a big O-ring around the body - which you will replace with a new one - and you don't want to wreck the o-ring either.)

No. The truck can idle without the transmission turning; VSS1 has nothing to do with idle.

Thanks scope. When the part arrives I'll post an update.

After posting this I did a little research on the idle/startup problem. Long story short, the damn mechanic who replaced my fuel pump put in a pump that doesn't belong in my car. He cut the wires and put in a new electronic adapter to fit the new pump. Which of course is not jibing with the rest of my system. Rig is at another mechanic right now, getting a quote on replacing the wiring. Oh the joys of getting work done in Mexico. :P