OK, so I had intermittent speedo on my '91. Did the requisite search here on Prime, did some investigation on which part I needed (thanks, Larry B and other Prime posters!), ordered the speed sensor, found some threads here that said "5 minute fix".
Not for me. Not EVER for me. I dunno, I used to be good. I've replaced the head on a '74 Pinto, rebuild Holley carbs, did timing chain and removed the heads on Ford 302 , often change the brakes on the Track Rat Miata, did my own Leatherseats.com install on my NSX, re-adjusted the window regulators on my NSX, rewired all lights on a travel trailer, etc., etc. I'm not completely unfamiliar with a wrench. But every once in a while a seemingly simple endeavor absolutely kicks my ass. This is one of those.
(Yeah, I know. The older I get the [multi-select from the drop-down list of values: faster; smarter; better looking; thinner] I was.)
Tools/items needed:
1. 10mm socket
2. Short extension
3. Ratchet
4. Jack and stand
5. Patience
6. Curse words when run out of (5)
7. Thick bearing grease
8. Optionally, circuit tester
9. Optionally, drill-driver
10. Fender cover
11. Flashlight
OK, removing the old sensor is easy-peasy.
1. Disconnect the harness up near the fender so when you stick your left arm down to the speed sensor you don't tear up the fleshy part of your forearm. You'll know which one when you try this repair.
2. Disconnect the speed sensor harness
3. Remove the two 10mm bolts on either side of the sensor
4. Remove the sensor. Take care of where the small orange o-ring gasket and the sensor drive shaft end up. They are awfully small parts.
5. Pick up the sensor cover from the garage floor after it invariably falls
So far, so friggin' good.
The manual is so, how shall we say it, full of bull. Or, as in the title, I am the world's worst backyard mechanic.
See, the manual says to reverse the steps to re-install. Yeah, right. What the manual doesn't say is that the cover goes between the tranny and the sensor, its center of gravity is such that it doesn't want to stay lined up, and that you probably need two hands down there but only one fits. And don't forget about trying to get the tiny drive shaft to engage.
After an interval of time that I will only admit to being "more than 5 minutes", the sensor, including cover, was in. Finagle, cajole, use up 90% of patience, consume a few of the curse words I had in reserve, and it's in. Test drive the car. Speedo does not move. Consume some of the more robust curse words.
I broke out the manual. Did the tests on the harness. Black to ground, continuity, uh-huh. Yellow-red and Yellow-black, with ignition on, showed 12v and 5v, per the manual. So, what is the problem? Per the manual, if electrical tests pass, the sensor is bad. But I just installed the new sensor.
OK, removed the sensor, and connected the harness. This is I got creative and where the drill-driver comes in. Turned on the ignition, hooked up the drill to the drive shaft of the sensor, inserted the shaft in the sensor (which is in my hand, not on the car), and spin it clockwise with the drill. Hmm, speedo registers all the way to 100MPH. Use another of the more interesting curse words, sorta along the lines of "well, [insert very blue action verb here] me." Must not have engaged the shaft properly when installed it in the car.
OK, opened a new can of patience and analyzed what I had done. Here's what NOT to do:
- Don't leave the shaft in the transmission
- Don't try to install the sensor, cover, and bolts all at once
What ultimately worked for me:
- Put a dab of thick wheel bearing grease on the drive shaft and inserted it into the sensor. The thick grease, besides lubing, helps hold the shaft in place since the shaft hangs down and is prone to fall out. Before you do this, put the shaft in the tranny to see how it is oriented so when you put it in the sensor the tabs on the sensor line up in the tranny.
- Put the orange o-ring on the shaft. (OK, c'mon guys, get your minds outta the gutter!!!)
- Install the sensor WITHOUT the cover. This will ensure you have lined up the shaft and the bolts, and have truly engaged the shaft between the sensor and the tranny.
- Optionally, drive the car to interim test it. (Don't forget to re-hook up the harness you had removed to give your arm room.) Don't drive too far, just a few feet; don't want to get the engine compartment hot.
- OK, here's the tricky part, at least for me: the cover. Loosen the bolts holding the sensor in place JUST A LITTLE BIT, just enough to be able to float the sensor, enough so that the cover tabs fit under the sensor. Completely remove the sensor bolt toward the back of the car. Leave the other bolt in place to maintain engagement of the drive shaft.
- Jack up the car (with jack stand of course!)
- From underneath, cajole, finagle, slide the cover in between the tranny and the sensor on the side that doesn't have the bolt.
- Go back up-top and install the bolt. Leave it a little loose.
- Remove the other bolt.
- Go back underneath and slide the other side of the cover between the tranny and the sensor.
- Go back up-top and install the other bolt.
- If the stars are aligned, and you have been good all year, and the shade tree mechanic gods are in a good mood and are done screwing with you, the shaft will still be engaged with the tranny.
- Tighten the bolts
- Hook up the sensor harness
- Hook up harness you had removed to give your arm room
- Remove jack and jack stand
- Test it. Celebrate, smile, consume some of remaining curse words you had set aside, something like "[insert appropriate gerund here]-right, man!!! It's [gerund]-fixed!"
:biggrin:
Not for me. Not EVER for me. I dunno, I used to be good. I've replaced the head on a '74 Pinto, rebuild Holley carbs, did timing chain and removed the heads on Ford 302 , often change the brakes on the Track Rat Miata, did my own Leatherseats.com install on my NSX, re-adjusted the window regulators on my NSX, rewired all lights on a travel trailer, etc., etc. I'm not completely unfamiliar with a wrench. But every once in a while a seemingly simple endeavor absolutely kicks my ass. This is one of those.
(Yeah, I know. The older I get the [multi-select from the drop-down list of values: faster; smarter; better looking; thinner] I was.)
Tools/items needed:
1. 10mm socket
2. Short extension
3. Ratchet
4. Jack and stand
5. Patience
6. Curse words when run out of (5)
7. Thick bearing grease
8. Optionally, circuit tester
9. Optionally, drill-driver
10. Fender cover
11. Flashlight
OK, removing the old sensor is easy-peasy.
1. Disconnect the harness up near the fender so when you stick your left arm down to the speed sensor you don't tear up the fleshy part of your forearm. You'll know which one when you try this repair.
2. Disconnect the speed sensor harness
3. Remove the two 10mm bolts on either side of the sensor
4. Remove the sensor. Take care of where the small orange o-ring gasket and the sensor drive shaft end up. They are awfully small parts.
5. Pick up the sensor cover from the garage floor after it invariably falls
So far, so friggin' good.
The manual is so, how shall we say it, full of bull. Or, as in the title, I am the world's worst backyard mechanic.
See, the manual says to reverse the steps to re-install. Yeah, right. What the manual doesn't say is that the cover goes between the tranny and the sensor, its center of gravity is such that it doesn't want to stay lined up, and that you probably need two hands down there but only one fits. And don't forget about trying to get the tiny drive shaft to engage.
After an interval of time that I will only admit to being "more than 5 minutes", the sensor, including cover, was in. Finagle, cajole, use up 90% of patience, consume a few of the curse words I had in reserve, and it's in. Test drive the car. Speedo does not move. Consume some of the more robust curse words.
I broke out the manual. Did the tests on the harness. Black to ground, continuity, uh-huh. Yellow-red and Yellow-black, with ignition on, showed 12v and 5v, per the manual. So, what is the problem? Per the manual, if electrical tests pass, the sensor is bad. But I just installed the new sensor.
OK, removed the sensor, and connected the harness. This is I got creative and where the drill-driver comes in. Turned on the ignition, hooked up the drill to the drive shaft of the sensor, inserted the shaft in the sensor (which is in my hand, not on the car), and spin it clockwise with the drill. Hmm, speedo registers all the way to 100MPH. Use another of the more interesting curse words, sorta along the lines of "well, [insert very blue action verb here] me." Must not have engaged the shaft properly when installed it in the car.
OK, opened a new can of patience and analyzed what I had done. Here's what NOT to do:
- Don't leave the shaft in the transmission
- Don't try to install the sensor, cover, and bolts all at once
What ultimately worked for me:
- Put a dab of thick wheel bearing grease on the drive shaft and inserted it into the sensor. The thick grease, besides lubing, helps hold the shaft in place since the shaft hangs down and is prone to fall out. Before you do this, put the shaft in the tranny to see how it is oriented so when you put it in the sensor the tabs on the sensor line up in the tranny.
- Put the orange o-ring on the shaft. (OK, c'mon guys, get your minds outta the gutter!!!)
- Install the sensor WITHOUT the cover. This will ensure you have lined up the shaft and the bolts, and have truly engaged the shaft between the sensor and the tranny.
- Optionally, drive the car to interim test it. (Don't forget to re-hook up the harness you had removed to give your arm room.) Don't drive too far, just a few feet; don't want to get the engine compartment hot.
- OK, here's the tricky part, at least for me: the cover. Loosen the bolts holding the sensor in place JUST A LITTLE BIT, just enough to be able to float the sensor, enough so that the cover tabs fit under the sensor. Completely remove the sensor bolt toward the back of the car. Leave the other bolt in place to maintain engagement of the drive shaft.
- Jack up the car (with jack stand of course!)
- From underneath, cajole, finagle, slide the cover in between the tranny and the sensor on the side that doesn't have the bolt.
- Go back up-top and install the bolt. Leave it a little loose.
- Remove the other bolt.
- Go back underneath and slide the other side of the cover between the tranny and the sensor.
- Go back up-top and install the other bolt.
- If the stars are aligned, and you have been good all year, and the shade tree mechanic gods are in a good mood and are done screwing with you, the shaft will still be engaged with the tranny.
- Tighten the bolts
- Hook up the sensor harness
- Hook up harness you had removed to give your arm room
- Remove jack and jack stand
- Test it. Celebrate, smile, consume some of remaining curse words you had set aside, something like "[insert appropriate gerund here]-right, man!!! It's [gerund]-fixed!"
:biggrin:
.
