Hi, I have a 1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula 350 with a bad 700r4 transmission. It has an electric speedometer. I am probably going to do a 5 speed swap. My question is, if i get a T-5 out of an 85 camaro for example, it will have mechanical speedometer drive, Correct? Will I just be able to remove the mechanical speedometer drive from the tailhousing and install the electric speedometer drive from my 700r4? Or is it not that simple?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

Yes, the 85 will be mechanical. I'm unsure if the VSS from your 700R4 will fit the T-5 or not. An electronic VSS from 90-92 T-5, however, should do the trick. BTW, 88+ would net you the so-called world class T-5.

JamesC

 

Ok, thanks for the reply, Does anyone else know for sure?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

the '85 used a VSS in the dash, behind the speedometer. Yours has the VSS on the trans. On everything else, I agree with JamesC

 

Hey, Atilla, your first sentence confuses me a bit (I'm that way a lot these days ). If I understand his intensions correctly, 89 will simply swap the 85 trans in along with the correct electronic VSS in the tail shaft. Where the 85's VSS once was won't matter.

JamesC

 

oh. Okay, sorry I'm not awake.

 

Automatic and T5 VSS' are not the same

 

no, the parts are not the same, but the signals are. And that's what the computer is looking for.

 

Ok, so will I have to get a electric speedometer drive for the transmission from the 85 camaro, or will it already have it?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

From a 90+ Camaro (89- were still cable driven). 'Birds' went electric earlier.

JamesC

 

Ok,
So I got a t5 the other day and it had this broken speedometer drive in it:


and here is the drive from the 700r4



And I also got a whole bunch of t5 parts from a guy, which included the attached not broken speedometer drive:

I plugged the good t5 speedometer drive into the connector on the car, spun it, and got the speedo to go up to 5-10 MPH.

So my questions are,
What pulse per mile is the 700r4?
What pulse per mile is the broken t5 one?
What pulse per mile is the good(attached pic) one?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

Both of the above are correct. Firebirds went to electric in 1986 models.

I know the 90-92 TPI VSS's are 4000 pulse on both T5's and 700R4's, but again they're not physically interchangable. I dont know what pulse the 86-89 Firebird VSS's are, they could be 2000 or 4000 pulse. I am fairly sure the TBI engines have 2000 pulse VSS's.

 

Ok My question similar, I have a 86 TA auto, I'm swapping put tranny cause I lost third on a long trip, and in city driving i was high rpm-ing(is that a word) bottom line when I got home I had thick chocolate tranny fluid. I have been using red 37 tooth drvn gear weith red 17 tooth drive gear and the drvn gear was always ground down.(pic 0753) I was told that I have the VSS of a corvette(white center socket) and that I needed the one for my tranny+car (black off center socket, VSS pic) which is just a tad shorter, thus gently resting the drvn gear on the drive gear.

What is the part number that I need for the correct VSS?
If I go u-pull-it hunting, what kind of car would have the compatible VSS that I can pull from?
Last but not least, I'm a broke dude so who sells for less?

thanks in advance

 

Use your original VSS or one that looks like it. It should be the one Firebin is holding in his hand

 

Well, after a lenthy discussion with the Speedo tech at http://www.transmissioncenter.net/sp...n_______va.htm

I was told that the reason the drvn gear were geting chewed up fast (3 this year) is because the right speedo for my 1986 TA is the black socket one, in 2006 I put in a tranny (not me) fron a 1985 Camaro I picked up in the younk yard for $250 since day 1 the in car speedo has been bouncin around and after 3 years it got worse then died, (how fast was I going officer, I don't know) and the guy with the speedo in hand also has a 85 camaro (not Iroc, maybe it's different for a 86 TA) the red drvn gear (left) was only installed for 1 month the right for 4 month. So I just want 1986 TA clarification. I don't have much funds anymore, tranny swap is expensive($151 for tranny and 300 for jack and miscellaneous crap for car) I jus wanna be 100%, cause I want my cruise control back.

Thanks

 

Ok I have a 700r4 that has a elctronic speedo hookup, I want to switch it to a cable drive. It is in my 82 berlanetta, I know now that it is from a late 90's camaro I just dont know what model. So, do I have to change the whole tail shaft housing and tailshaft, or just the part were the gear goes. I did ask attila and he said I may have to get the whole trans redone. If thats the case it might be better for me to just find 1 from an early model 3rd gen, right?

 

I have been searching for awhile.
I know this is an old post.
Does anyone know what it would take to put a Electronic speedometer head into a 3rd gen?
I don't need anything to drive the electric speedo, am going to be running a 4L60E.
What I need is a Factory Electronic Speedometer Head that will fit into the 3rd Gen Dash.
Would a Firebird speedo work?

 

I think Dakota Digital has a device that will go from cable drive to electronic speedo.