Ok soooo i have a 1st gen N/a 5 speed legacy wagon. And i need to replace the VSS. Problem is there's 2 plugs side by side in the LHS of the trans that the wires of both run back to the main VSS plug for the ECU. Which one is it?? Left or right? They're positioned parallel to each other and both directly into the ECU plug. The last thing i want to do is unnecessarily take out my transmission speed sensor. If anyone could help. Id appreciate it.

Neither. The speedo is cable driven and the "sensor" is the gauge cluster itself. Check the drive cable.

 

GD

What GD said

 

Check your speedo cable.  

 

The VSS that the ECU uses is in the speedo head.

 

Assuming by "first Gen" legacy you mean 90-94

Likely the 'tab' on the end of the sensor Edit: Mechanical device. This is screwed into the pass. side of the trans.

see attached.

Edited March 19, 20188 yr by wtdash

Likely the 'tab' on the end of the sensor. This is screwed into the pass. side of the trans.

see attached.

 

Nope.  They didn't use this type in the first Gen legacies.  90-94

 

VSS is built into speedo head and relies on the speedo cable.  The cable screws into the spot on the side of the trans.

 

VSS trouble in those years is almost always a broken or disconnected cable.

I'm just going to disagree w/the above, w/an edit. Sensor is the wrong word.

It's a mechanical device that is used on the '90-'98 (?) transmissions. However the cable was replaced in '95-'96-ish w/an electronic connector. The mech piece remained the same.

I'm just going to disagree w/the above, w/an edit. Sensor is the wrong word.

It's a mechanical device that is used on the '90-'98 (?) transmissions. However the cable was replaced in '95-'96-ish w/an electronic connector. The mech piece remained the same.

 

Ahhh......My mistake.

 

Small pic looked like the entire electronic VSS unit used in 95+

 

I see now it is a replacement end for the cable setup.

 

It should be apparent if the cable or end is a problem, does the Speedometer work?  If the speedo display works, but the car throws VSS code, then the issue is with the VSS in the dash.  If the speedo is inop, then it's clearly a cable issue.  

 

Seen cables break in the middle too, so it isn't always the tab in the part pictured.

It is the cable type. Yes by 1st gen i meant 90-94, mine is a 94, no abs. No tcs, cable clutch, 2.2 N/a The reason i could not find is as follows. Found the connector wrapped in electrical tape in the main harness. Vss is completely absent from the ps of trans. I did my research and Vehicle speed sensor 1 is gear operated and is on the ps of trans, vehicle speed sensor 2, is built into the cluster itself both of which throw trouble code 33 "vss" and everytime i look up the part its not for my n/a 5 speed non-abs.... Part #??? Speedo has been inop since 147k and was a daily driver for 10 years at 70m commutes so i estimated the motor has about 300k maybe more.

Edited March 22, 20188 yr by 94LegacyWgn

your 5 spd only has the one VSS in the cluster.

 

Your speed o cable is broken. 

 

Fix that.  The cable drives the VSS. Once you fix the cable, the VSS will work

your 5 spd only has the one VSS in the cluster.

 

Your speed o cable is broken.

 

Fix that. The cable drives the VSS. Once you fix the cable, the VSS will work

So the speedo cable is the mech device that threads into my trans correct?. Thats what ive been looking for. The actual"sensor" part of it looks like a "T"

But I cant seem to find it cause i dont know what the part name or # is lol. Thank you guys for the help. Will be posting more when i go to start my suspension applications.

Edited March 23, 20188 yr by 94LegacyWgn