Evening folks! Recently bought a 1989 XLT with manual 4.9l and 4x4. Seems to have a Mitsubishi transmission as well.
While i drove it home, it did have a few minor problems I'm hoping to sort out before doing any long trips. Right now the big one is (hopefully) obvious. The cruise doesn't work, the speedometer doesn't work, the odometer doesn't work, and the trip counter doesn't spin. The check engine light is also on but i presume its a symptom of these.

I have already pulled the sensor out of the rear differential, and while it looks fine I assume its the problem (or a frayed wire i haven't found) and have it in hand. I have been unable to find a replacement using the part number on it (E7TF-9E731-AB) and was wondering if theres a newer one with a different part number i could use. While looking, every search seems to bring up one for newer models with p# F85Z-9E731-AB. Just don't want to see if this would actually work.

I've attempted to test this one and get 1400 ohm of resistance which seems to be ij the good range, but having a spare might be a good option anyway.
Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forum

Did you try hooking up a drill to the gear and seeing if speedometer works with drill on, can't remember if it spins clockwise or counter-clockwise, doesn't hurt to spin it backwards, you do that every time you back up

If speedo/odo AND electronic cruise are not working then the Driven gear is not turning, it turns the cable and VSS

There is a worm gear(drive gear) on the shaft inside the trans/transfer case housing see if it looks OK, push it with screw driver to make sure its tight to the shaft

The speedo cable and VSS unit are on the transfer case output shaft on 4x4s, Ford used the same setup until 1997 on Ranger 4x4s
Looks like this: https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/atta...xle-speedo.jpg

These were used on many Fords 1988 thru 1997, try this part number: E9TZ-9E731-A

Wrecking yards are best bet for best price, same unit was on 2WD trans or 4x4 transfer cases, on most Ford models during those years

 

Hmm did i take out something else then? This came out of the rear diff. I'm not sure what you mean by spin the gear with a drill, for the worm driven ones you spin it with a drill and see if the gauges move? I might have to dig deeper to find the correct one then.
I might need to find a better manual, my owners manual is only half working, a mouse ate half of it.

 

That's the ABS sensor from the rear differential, it WAS used as an ABS AND "speed" sensor but only on 1998 thru 2000 Rangers, before that it was only for Rear ABS


1983 to 1994 Rangers used a speedometer cable, and a VSS was added to that setup around 1987/8, and used thru 1997, but no cable hooked up 1995 and up

Look on the rear of transfer case for speedometer cable, its next to the rear drive line hook up on drivers side of case

You 1989 should look like the 3rd/4th picture here: https://therangerstation.com/tech_li...edometer.shtml

 

I found it! And i do believe this might solve the problem. The cable felt fine, i lost sunlight so i didn't bother hooking a drill to it, but it spun and felt fine. I will double check in the morning when i can see.
But the VSS itself seems pretty busted. Nothing was holding the cable itself into the sensor, i was able to gently pull it out of the housing with zero resistance. the body itself was broke off from the metal sensor housing. Judging by the missing plastic exposing little metal fingers, it took a serious rock to the face. Gear itself looks fine. I will put the gear to the side as a backup should i need it. The plug might need replaced at some point also. There were no locking fingers holding the sensor in place. But it still took some force to detach it. I'm not seeing a part number yet, might need to clean it some more to expose it.

Thanks so much for the help!

 

Yup, that's the part, and yes, casualty of road debris is often their demise

The gear comes off, the number of teeth on this gear is used to calibrate the speedometer, for rear axle ratio and tire size

Often color coded, examples here: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...3Z6TxlRfQ_zA&s

 

Yup got the replacement in place and everything seems to work. Speedo works, the tripmeter works, and i'll check the odometer and cruise when i take it down the highway!
Could't figure out how to put that silly clip on that holds the cable to the sensor. I mangled it enough i gave up and grabbed some fencing wire, just threaded it through the hole and twisted it together. rock solid.

 

Good work

Odometer works off the speedometer cable, 1994 and earlier, but has a worm gear in the dash that can wear out