95 4runner broken speedometer,effect on transmission?

[kcndc]

The speedometer cable on my 95 4Runner has stopped working completely. Will it have any effect on my transmission, especially when driving long distances at higher speeds?

I've been getting conflicting info....that'll burn out my transmission because the cable controls some sensor in the transmission, and that it has no effect. As I said it's a 1995. Any experts out there on this???

 

[Mike C]

Being that it is a 95, it is a electronic speedo. You could trace the wires and see if you can repair it. Check the connection at the transfer case and go from there.

 

[dgangle]

I know it's not exact but my 87 4WD mini broke a cable and all it did was throw an OBDI code for the speed sensor. Ask Marlin Crawler as they're very knowledgeable.

Drive it and see how it's shifting and note any appreciable difference in mileage.

 

[Downey]

Your 1995 should do the same thing dgangle's 1987 did. Your electronic spedo receives a signal from the transfer-case, then the spedo's printed circuit board creates a VSS signal for the ECU. Without a VSS signal the ECU should be throwing a speed signal trouble code.

 

[NorCalBorn]

Being that it is a 95, it is a electronic speedo. You could trace the wires and see if you can repair it. Check the connection at the transfer case and go from there.

*Guys, keep in mind sometime in late '94 Toyota switched back to the mechanical speedometers for a bit. FWIW mine's a July '95 production 2nd Gen "1995" 4Runner, with mechanical speedometer and post 3vz-e recall heads using MLS gaskets. Not all post 1993/4's are electrical speedometer, remember that.

O/P thanks for putting "cable" in your post but be sure to always clarify whether mechanical or electrical send and whether automatic or manual transmission..

Automatic with electrical feed, yes issues with ECM.

Automatic or Manual with mechanical, no issues, except with your local law enforcement when pulled over for speeding.

 

[KLF]

*Guys, keep in mind sometime in late '94 Toyota switched back to the mechanical speedometers for a bit.

Thanks for posting this. I was gonna say something, but figured "nah... nobody will believe me".

I did a clutch job in a '95 4Runner with V6/R150F, and it had an old-fashioned cable driven speedometer. Likewise, the speedo in my ex's '94 xcab has a mechanical cable.

 

[Mike C]

Thanks for posting this. I was gonna say something, but figured "nah... nobody will believe me".

I did a clutch job in a '95 4Runner with V6/R150F, and it had an old-fashioned cable driven speedometer. Likewise, the speedo in my ex's '94 xcab has a mechanical cable.

Give me a 6 pack of beer and I will believe just about anything

Thats the first time I've heard of it my self, always learning something new

 

[kcndc]

Thanks for the replies. To clarify: It's a mechanical speedometer cable, and an automatic, V6, 2-wheel drive.

The way I understand it .... the mechanical speedometer cable controls something called "lock-up" in the transmission that allows the transmission to get extra cooling at highway speeds.
Do I understand that correctly??

There's a whole long story behind this...the short version is we had to have 2 transmissions installed in our 4Runner, one right after the the other.

 

[NorCalBorn]

Thanks for the replies. To clarify: It's a mechanical speedometer cable, and an automatic, V6, 2-wheel drive.

The way I understand it .... the mechanical speedometer cable controls something called "lock-up" in the transmission that allows the transmission to get extra cooling at highway speeds.
Do I understand that correctly??...

Perhaps you meant to say your electric speed sensor that's on the left side of the transmission is broken, not your speedometer cable itself? Then yes, this picks up how fast things are turning and communicates with the ECM so the solenoids activate. Take a pic of the specific item you're referring to before we go any further so we can clarify what is exactly broken. No offense, I just don't want to give bad or misdirected advise.

At any rate though IIRC the downshift's also controlled by the downshift cable..let me get you a pic in a minute of the cable points on the block..

re: http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1990-199...oypdf/95rmsour/1995/954runne/at1/operatio.pdf

• Control of Lock–Up System
The ECM has programmed in its memory a lock–up clutch operation pattern for each driving mode
(Normal and Power).
Based on this lock–up pattern, the ECM turns lock–up solenoid valve on or off in accordance with the
vehicle speed signals received from the vehicle speed sensor and the throttle opening signals from the
throttle position sensor.
Depending on whether lock–up solenoid valve is on or off, the lock–up relay valve performs changeover
of the fluid passages for the converter pressure acting on the torque converter clutch to engage or
disengage the lock–up clutch.
Mandatory Cancellation of Lock–Up System:
If any of the following conditions exist, the ECM turns off lock–up solenoid valve to disengage the lock–
up clutch.
(1) The stop light switch comes on (during braking).
(2) The IDL points of the throttle position sensor close (throttle valve fully closed).
(3) The vehicle drops 4 km/h (2 mph) or more below the set speed while the cruise control system is operat-
ing.
(4) The engine coolant temperature falls below 70° C (158° F).
The purpose of (1) and (2) above is to prevent the engine from stalling if the rear wheels lock up.
The purpose of (3) and (4) is both to improve general driveability, and to speed up transmission warm –
up.
Also, while the lock–up system is in operation, the ECM will temporarily turn it off during upshift or
down–shift in order to decrease shifting shock.

[Edit]Here ya go, let me know if you want to know what's involved in making yours into a 4wd R150F Just finished mine and why I know so much about this specific vehicle..

*Downshift's the frontmost one, throttle behind that, and cruise is over to the driver's side at the throttle body (in case the picture notes don't reproduce well enough).

 

[NorCalBorn]

Here are some more "Read-Me's", scroll down to the transmission stuff..

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1990-1995_4Rnr/Toyota.4Runner.1990.1995/files/repair.html

 

[kcndc]

1995 Toyota 4runner It's a mechanical speedometer cable, and an automatic, 3.0 V6, 2-wheel drive....My wife was posting earlier, so she might have left some information out. I somehow broke my speedometer cable on my 95 4runner...the dealer didn't have a cable in stock, so I told him that I'll get it later....The next day I went on a 400 mi trip...200 miles done the road the check engine light came on an I'm blowing white smoke and transmission fluid on the freeway..I got towed to another dealer and he said that I burned up my transmission.....2 days later he replaced the tranny late on a Saturday and I jumped on freeway to finish my trip, a 200 mile drive. The check engine light came on again. I thought that the guys just didn't fix what they were suppose to fix....making a very long story short, I burned up a second transmission in less than three days........The dealers didn't have a clue to my surprise......I consulted the transmission person who told me that on the 95 4runner with the mechanical speedometer cable, the cable has to be installed because If it isn't installed the speed sensor won't get the information needs to send a signal to the transmission to go into or take away lockup. I think that lockup has something to do with tranmission cooling.......As it turned out I got the original toyota rebuilt transmission put back in the truck........The dealers didn't seem to know anything about lockup or it's relationship with the speedometer cable. I dealt with the transmission guy after that. My question to you all is do I have my information straight? Have any of you heard of this.

 

[NorCalBorn]

Yes, I've seen this on more than just a 2wd..this is a lot to process though..

Do you really want to even read all of this... sigh..

Ok, A 2wd auto with either original 28's and 3.90 gear doesn't like to go above 65mph for too long. How do i know this, because I had this issue on mine, coupled with overheating. My first thing to do was watch when/how i was using the PWR setting on the ECT switch and when I kept O/D on versus off. Next thing I did was since I wanted to run 31's was switch to 4.56 gears with a speedometer gear reduction unit to correct the speed readout, then I used a transmission cooler plumbed into the return line off of the radiator.

Anyone bother to see if you're even getting proper cooling is the first thing, why..because you may have a plugged cooling setup or possibly be risking blowing your lower radiator because this is where the transmission gets it's initial warmup heat from and cooling later on, though not always the best of cooling.

Did they fill the transmission, put it into neutral then check the fluid level or do it in park? If done in anything but neutral you'll have an overfill condition that will cause overheating.

Did you see if you might have fluid dripping from the bellhousing weephole? *Sign of blowby.

Did you check that FIPG was use for the transmission oil pan or cheap cork? Sign of blowby as the cork won't hold the pressure.

Basically you need to see what is the cause of the overheating, and the transmission oil blowby.

..or do like I did and do a manual transmission swap and be done with it for good. The cost of a rebuilt auto is almost the same to swap to 4wd for me, a "Duh" decision. I get 16.5mph town and 18.5 highway versus 12-13 town and 14-15hwy.

[EDIT] I saw you chimed in in another thread so let me be sure you understand this info here...

*Again, a mechanical speedo does not have any affect on an automatic transmission. As jerrod re-stated in this thread, the speed sensor is what talks to the ECM and Transmission ECU. Trust me here, unless the right side tailshaft of your truck has an electrical output for your speedometer, it doesn't talk, it spins a cable going up to your speedometer. The speed sensor is a completely different unit in and of itself.

Simply put (*minus the speedometer gear reduction/correction box) this is what a 2wd mechanical speedometer out put looks like..obviously a 4wd will be at a different angle and off of the right upper on a transfer case..this is what you see immediately in this picture on the right side.

*Barely in the pic, over on the left side, is the speed sensor unit, black plastic housing, got it?!

 

[Bogo]

Thanks for posting this. I was gonna say something, but figured "nah... nobody will believe me".

I did a clutch job in a '95 4Runner with V6/R150F, and it had an old-fashioned cable driven speedometer. Likewise, the speedo in my ex's '94 xcab has a mechanical cable.

Is this run of mechanical speedometer cable vehicles specific to the V6 vehicles?

I have a feb or march built '94 22RE Deluxe Regular cab pickup with W56 transmission that has an electronic speedometer sensor.