midge54

So I bought an 86 trans am lg4 t5. Over the weekend I was working to get it ready for the road and I've noticed some issues I need you guys help on

1. I have no speedometer or odometer. I have checked the buffer box and vss at the transmission and both are plugged in. I have also swapped clusters from another dash I kept when I parted my 87 t top, but none of those things give me speedometer read out.

2. The dash lights do not work in the car, I have swapped the headlight switch from same extra Dash and again with both clusters there are no dash lights. Every other light and gauge works on the dash as well as my exterior lights minus the fog lights.

3. The car has an edelbrock carb on it and if you lightly hit the gas sometimes it sticks at a higher idle. If you smack the gas when this happens it will usually return to about a 600-700rpm idle. Also if you go to pull out sometimes it will hesitate a little if you are easy on the gas

I hope you guys can help me out with these issues so I can soon drive this thing when it's nice out

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

1. It's possible you have a stripped speedometer gear in the transmission. Basically nothing is spinning the VSS to give a signal to the dash. It's also possible the cable in between is physically broken and needs replaced.

2. Possible your dash lights are burned out. Best way is to pull them and check.

3. Sounds like your choke is sticking. Have you ever rebuilt the carb? Also, since you have a carb and not the factory set up, do you have the correct vacuum advance distributor?

midge54

Thanks for your reply
1. I'm going to pull the speed sensor off tonight but my speedometer is electronic so no physical cable

2. Bulbs are fine I checked when I swapped gauges. Where would the remote dimmer switch be located cause my suspicion is it's either mia or burnt out

3. I have rebuilt numerous small engine carbs and a few motorcycle carbs but never a v8 carb

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

some models had the VSS on the back of the speedometer but, if there's no cable there's no cable. That would lead me to think the gears in the tailshaft are broken/stripped.

The only dimmer switch I'm aware of is the one that's built into the headlight switch.

Not hard, just time consuming to tinker with to get tuned right once it's all put back together.

midias

Edelbrock carbs are super easy to rebuild and the kits are cheap. just clean EVERY gasket surface 100%

If it is sticking check the linkage and the return spring

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

That edelbrock carb is probably one of the easiest carbs to rebuild. No gaskets below the fuel level, really simple.
Tools needed.... T15, T20 torx bits, screwdriver, needle noses, steel rule/tape measure or even a couple of drill bits in the correct size (to measure and set floats back right)

midge54

I bought a new dual spring return spring so that's brand new and linkage is fine. The pedal returns to original position but it's like the carb is hung open a little

midge54

So I fixed the dash lights I swapped out the remote dimmer from the other dash I had laying around and now my dash lights work. I pulled the vehicle speed sensor and while the gear wasn't chewed up it was slide back against the body so it wouldn't spin, I put it back in and cleaned the connection but that didn't fix it, I think I might just change it out if I can find an autoparts that sells it. What fluid should I use in the transmission, the fluid that came out was kind of pinkish and smelled kind of like atf. I was thinking of using synchromesh

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

Pink fluid is good and fine. If it smells sour and looks dark red/brown then it's burnt.

Did you pull the gears out of the transmission tail shaft housing and look at those? are those the ones you're talking about?

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

The T5 uses dextron/mercon ATF

TylerSteez

iTrader: (3)

As for the dash lights there is something under the driver side dash above the convenience center called a remote dimmer switch. It's pretty much a heat sink with a transistor on top and It's a $40 part at oreillys. The dash lights were out on my 86 trans am and that was the part that got them working again. It can be a pretty big PITA to remove the old one, you'll be using a wrench with your finger tips to loosen the bolt holding it down.

http://www.carpartkings.com/acdelco-instrument-panel-dimmer-switch-d-1509b.html

Also another possibility is when people install aftermarket stereos they clip a wire and run it to the radio that will turn off the dash lights, if it's a stock radio in your car then I'm 99% certain it's the dimmer switch in the link I posted above. Good luck

midge54

I pulled the speed sensor from the tailshaft, however I didn't look at the gear mounted in the tail shaft itself