Yesterday the speedometer quit working and the check engine light has come on my 86 2.8l Camaro.
This is a car my daughter uses when she is home from school so it doesn't get run alot.
Any help you can give me will be apprecciated, more specically where does the cable connect to the engine? and could this be enough to throw a code? Thanks in advance.

 

Probably set a code 24. The cable is driven by a gear on the output shaft of the transmission.

 

It could be the VSS I know mine went on my 91 camaro but mine is an electric VSS not cable

 

Code 24? Not sure what that is (my book is in my car). I don't see how the speedo could throw a code though. Maybe you just need to replace the speedo cable.

 

I remeber when i worked at autozone and a girl came in in a 88 camaro and the SES light was on i checked it got the code looked it up and it said it was the VSS. She said her speedo was not working as well.

 

Since the check engine light is not on all the time, but comes on at some point while the car is being driven I am assuming that it is probably the speed sensor. The speedometer does not work at all and the car does not have cruise control.
I have no way of checking the VSS other then just swapping it out and seeing what happens or have a mechanic take a look at it.
Thanks for the help.

 

I have the part to replace my VSS I hope thats the problem on mine i have read about people replaceing there VSS and it still not work.

 

On the '86, the VSS will be behind the speedometer. It's a bright yellow box, you can see it if you remove the dashpad and look "down" from outside of the windshield.

 

What exactly is the VSS on a car that uses a speedo cable? Is it a gear box that goes between the cable and the speedometer and also sends speed information to the ECM?

 

Thanks Tom for pointing me in the right direction to try to find this thing, I'll take all the help I can get.

 

VSS isn't the problem if the speedo doesn't work on an 86, though. The speedo is *purely* mechanical (save the magnetic coupling between the needle and the speedometer input shaft). If it doesn't work, the cable's snapped, sheared, or otherwise in need of replacement. The code is being set because the VSS gets its signal from the speedometer, or in this case, isn't, because the speedometer isn't operating.

camaro_junkie, no, the vss isn't directly coupled to anything. It's set up on a magnetic or optical (not sure which) trigger on the back of the speedometer. The trigger wheel is directly driven by the speedometer input shaft.

 

Speedo spun off at the tranny connection.
19 bucks at Parts-plus for a new cable.
You guys rock, thanks again.