No real response in the retrofit forum (not quite up to "retrofit" status) so I'm posting it here so more people might see it.

 

I currently have a '97 Impreza with 5MT and a cable driven speedometer. Since I occasionally run TSD rallies with the car, I'm considering swapping the speedometer out with the later LCD version and adding the transmission mounted VSS found on the later Imprezas. Primary reason being that the old VSS in the speedometer head is a reed switch/magnet arrangement which TSD rally computers don't like.

 

Has anyone done this in the past and what issues had to be overcome to make the system work properly?

I can't anwser your question but I saw a JDM version of an older gauge setup looked like it might of been converted over to LCD it was pretty pricey

are you sure your speedo is cable driven or are you just using that as a ''generic'' term. legacys went to a non-cable speedo in 95. i know the 95 impreza was cable driven, but i thought they changed after that. i'm not to sure why i though that, i guess i just thought speed sensor / wire driven was better.

are you sure your speedo is cable driven or are you just using that as a ''generic'' term. legacys went to a non-cable speedo in 95. i know the 95 impreza was cable driven, but i thought they changed after that. i'm not to sure why i though that, i guess i just thought speed sensor / wire driven was better.

Since I'm on my third transmission with this car and I thoroughly investigated the source of the VSS in my Impreza when I installed the wiring for my rally computer, yes I'm sure that my speedo is cable driven. Yes, speed sensor and wire driven is better for what I have in mind which is why I'm trying to switch to that.

http://opposedforces.com/parts/impreza/us_g10/type_99/manipulation/speedometer_cable/

 

Cable

 

This car is OBDII. Easiest thing to do is get a scan gauge. The electronic dash is a messey conversion as this year did not have one, and they require a VSS. Since you car picks up vehical speed from the cable driven spedo, this can be an issue.

PS people ralley these thigs, so there has to be a kit outhere someplace.

http://opposedforces.com/parts/impreza/us_g10/type_99/manipulation/speedometer_cable/

 

Cable

 

This car is OBDII. Easiest thing to do is get a scan gauge. The electronic dash is a messey conversion as this year did not have one, and they require a VSS. Since you car picks up vehical speed from the cable driven spedo, this can be an issue.

I already have a scan guage. I use it to keep an eye on alternator output as well as water temp. It shows me lots of other stuff if I want it, but I leave the other two slots open for rpm and corrected mph.

Edited July 20, 201114 yr by edrach

http://opposedforces.com/parts/impreza/us_g10/type_99/manipulation/speedometer_cable/

 

Cable

 

Interesting url; I didn't know the speedo was two piece. I'll have to grab one at PAP and see if I can connect an impulse sensor between the two pieces of the cable.

PS people ralley these thigs, so there has to be a kit outhere someplace.

Trust me I've looked. Most of the current crop of TSD rally people are driving newer cars with an electronic VSS. If I had a '98 Impreza instead of '97 I'd be one of those.

 

There are ways around this. I have two magnets epoxied to the inner hub of my rear axle on the passenger side along with a hall effect sensor (i.e. magnetic pickup). Gets me thru most events, but I'd rather have pulses off the transmission since it will average wheelspin/lockup better. In the past, I used a impulse unit that went between the speedometer and cable at the speedo end. Unfortunately I haven't found cable fittings that are workable in my Impreza (besides there may not be enough room back there for such an impulse unit).

this may not help, it may not even be acurate for the cable driven speedo.

 

but the VSS and wire driven speedos (late 90s w/ auto trans at least) output to the ECU with a pulse or a signal that is 1/4 of the speedo input. or so i've read. it may be easier to grab that signal than the one between the speedo and the trans.

 

you would have to find the pinout for your ECU and which pin is the ''speed'' input but the signal would already be electrical.

My '97 Impreza with 5MT has a two piece speedo cable. I'm looking for damaged, broken cables for the two metal portions where the two part cable is joined. Just the two fittings is all I need. No need for the rest of the cable or the inner portion. I'm trying to fab a pulse generator for the rally computer. Glad to pay postage and a small fee for your trouble if you have a cable you're planning to throw out anyway.

They do have the pulse generators that are used with cruise controls for cars with no VSS

They do have the pulse generators that are used with cruise controls for cars with no VSS

Thanks, I'll have to look around for that. So far everything I've found doesn't have compatible fittings. That's why I'm thinking of fabbing my own.