Getting the Mechanical Speedo to work
#1
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: East Moline, IL
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 85 Z28
Engine: LS
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9inch/3.50 gears
Getting the Mechanical Speedo to work
I posted this in the tranny section, but no one has answered so I'm wondering if anyone here has any idea of what I'm talking about:
Anyone ever have any luck getting your mechanical speedo working with the modified tailhousing and reluctor ring setup for your 4L60E or T-56 from Stealth Conversions? It's all availible on jagsthatrun.com I guess you have a few different options, All can be done without having to remove the output shaft from the tranny. but there's one where you tap your tranny case for the vss sensor and relocate your reluctor ring. Then you buy a clamp assembly that holds your speedo gear in place. I'm assuming you can use a stock 700R4 tailhousing with this application so the speedo cable has somwhere to go.. They say its the least costly of the 2 options. The other is a bit more costly, but you buy an already modified tailhousing for your vss sensor, no drilling involved, then you relocate your reluctor ring and it connects to the speedo gear. I believe it also has a place for your speedo cable to plug into or they wouldn't even sell it. correct me if I'm wrong anyone.. or give me your input on if this worked for you or what you did to get your mechanical speedo to work?
thanks
Anyone ever have any luck getting your mechanical speedo working with the modified tailhousing and reluctor ring setup for your 4L60E or T-56 from Stealth Conversions? It's all availible on jagsthatrun.com I guess you have a few different options, All can be done without having to remove the output shaft from the tranny. but there's one where you tap your tranny case for the vss sensor and relocate your reluctor ring. Then you buy a clamp assembly that holds your speedo gear in place. I'm assuming you can use a stock 700R4 tailhousing with this application so the speedo cable has somwhere to go.. They say its the least costly of the 2 options. The other is a bit more costly, but you buy an already modified tailhousing for your vss sensor, no drilling involved, then you relocate your reluctor ring and it connects to the speedo gear. I believe it also has a place for your speedo cable to plug into or they wouldn't even sell it. correct me if I'm wrong anyone.. or give me your input on if this worked for you or what you did to get your mechanical speedo to work?
thanks
#2
Supreme Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Kingston, Tn
Posts: 2,924
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 1987 GTA
Engine: LT1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3.70 posi
I believe that Firebat did his himself by using a 4L60E tailshaft and putting the reluctor wheel on the output shaft of the 700R4.
However if you are referring to your setup, the '91 should have an electric speedo already and the VSS output from the PCM should work just fine.
However if you are referring to your setup, the '91 should have an electric speedo already and the VSS output from the PCM should work just fine.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: East Moline, IL
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 85 Z28
Engine: LS
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9inch/3.50 gears
Originally Posted by Klortho
I believe that Firebat did his himself by using a 4L60E tailshaft and putting the reluctor wheel on the output shaft of the 700R4.
Originally Posted by Klortho
However if you are referring to your setup, the '91 should have an electric speedo already and the VSS output from the PCM should work just fine.
yeah.. the '91 is good to go... This is for an 88 iroc I picked up that we put an LT1/4L60E in.. I'm just curious if anyone has done the tail shaft housing swap or done the drilling and reluctor ring relocation.. I wondered how smooth the process was. I looked into auto meter gauges, but that electronic speedo alone was too crazy expensive for a car I'm just gonna sell.
#5
Supreme Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Kingston, Tn
Posts: 2,924
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 1987 GTA
Engine: LT1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3.70 posi
I keep forgetting Firebat has a Trans Am with an electric speedo. Pontiac started using Electric speedo's late '86 and Chevy didn't get with the program until '91 in the Camaro.
The only two options you have is swapping the entire cluster for a '91-'92 or using a cable-x box.
The only two options you have is swapping the entire cluster for a '91-'92 or using a cable-x box.
#7
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Hinesville, GA USA
Posts: 938
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: '86 IROC-Z/'94 Z28
Engine: 350 LT1/382 LT1
Transmission: 4L60-E/T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.45/3.42 (soon 4.10)
I did the stealth conversions thing. Relocated the reluctor ring and have a mechanical drive in the tailshaft. Fairly easy. The 3/4-16 tap can get expensive if you dont have one so I borrowed one. Came out pretty clean.
Trending Topics
#8
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: East Moline, IL
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 85 Z28
Engine: LS
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9inch/3.50 gears
hey cool, thanks for the info.. That is what i ended up going with and the parts should be on the way.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 RS
Engine: 3.1L + .060" overbore
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 4.11, Auburn LSD
I'm in the same boat but I'm confused by this thread. Could I get some more information as to how to modify the 4L60E tailhousing to run a mechanical speedo? It sounds like you could take out the electronic output and thread in a fitting to mount the gear in the tailshaft?
#10
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: East Moline, IL
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 85 Z28
Engine: LS
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9inch/3.50 gears
There are a few different ways you can do this. I contacted the guys from JTR.com and ordered what i needed. I bolted a tailshaft housing from a 700R4 to my 4L60E and then the mechanical speedo cable had somewhere to connect to. But then i ordered the right ratio speedo gears and reluctor ring to fit onto the tail shaft of my 4L60E. There is a special retainter that keeps them in place on the actual tailshaft. Then with the tailshaft housing off. I drilled a hole into the side the of the tranny case and tapped some threads and thats where my vss lined up with my reluctor ring on the tailshaft. They show pictures of all this stuff on their site better than i could ever explain it. but hey.. I tried. good luck! It is possible and it worked great for me!
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 RS
Engine: 3.1L + .060" overbore
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 4.11, Auburn LSD
Can't you just use a 700r4 tailhousing and slide the speedo drive gear onto the 4L60E tailshaft? Or are the tailshafts different on the two trannies?
I just don't see why you would want both. The JTR site shows stuff to add the reluctor ring as well as a mechanical speedo, but I don't need the reluctor ring.
What applications would require both?
I just don't see why you would want both. The JTR site shows stuff to add the reluctor ring as well as a mechanical speedo, but I don't need the reluctor ring.
What applications would require both?
Last edited by Blue1989RS; 12-19-2006 at 11:31 PM.
#12
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: East Moline, IL
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 85 Z28
Engine: LS
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9inch/3.50 gears
hrm... your situation sounds different from mine.. But you need both reluctor ring and speedo gears on a 4L60E because it requires the vss signal for the car to even move. Then I wanted my original speedo to work. So I had to get the speedo gears too. The gears from a 700R4 may go on to the tailshaft of your 4L60E, but will they stay there? its going to have to be on there pretty snug so it has no chances of moving around while that tailshaft is spinning like crazy at 6000 RPM. the reason I had to get that reluctor ring also is you have to relocate it. So i had to cut the old one off and then the new one is up farther on the tailshaft. then I drilled and tapped my hole for my vss sesnor.. Not sure what your application is... but your going to need that vss sensor with the LT1. If anything.. just go with the auto meter stuff.. its costly.. but cool. If I had to do it all over again. I'd go with auto meter. but thats me
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 RS
Engine: 3.1L + .060" overbore
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 4.11, Auburn LSD
Crazy. I don't think I have anything plugged into the sensor and it works just fine. Up/down shifts perfect. I'll check when I go out to the car at lunch. Is there any way to leave it unplugged? Just program the PCM to ignore it? I don't like it downshifting by itself anyway.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 RS
Engine: 3.1L + .060" overbore
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 4.11, Auburn LSD
#15
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: East Moline, IL
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 85 Z28
Engine: LS
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9inch/3.50 gears
Yeah.. Its a pretty cool little task to accomplish. When it was all done and over I was like.. uh.. what the heck did i just do?? hahaha! but it sounds like you have a pretty good idea of what you need to do.. I don't know about gettin rid of the vss all together.. I was under the impression that the 4L60E depends on that vss signal.. but i could be way wrong.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 RS
Engine: 3.1L + .060" overbore
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 4.11, Auburn LSD
The more I read into it, the more I think you are correct. I probably plugged into it and forgot. I'm going to go Autometer like you suggested. It would end up being the same price, plus I could change gear ratio's and recalibrate the speedo without having to think about it too hard.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
beachrodder
Transmissions and Drivetrain
3
08-07-2015 04:27 PM
4l60e, a4l60e, cable, connect, jagsthatrun, make, mecanacle, mechanical, omiter, relocation, reluctor, speed, speedo, speedometer, work