Question
Roland,
I check a Chiltons manual and it says for an intermittent speedometer, which is what I have, check the speed sensor pick up. Do you know where this is on the van & how I need to check it?
Thanks,
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Hi Roland,
I contacted you approx December 20, 2004 regarding the speedometer not working on my 1996 Chrysler Town & Country. After the 19 degree weather, the problem went away. The problem has returned and I am not sure I can find the speed sensor on the transaxle.
I am going to do the key check to see if I have a code. Assuming I do not, I want to check the correct sensor with an ohm meter.
The dealer parts person has an Output sensor and an Input sensor for the speedometer on the Transaxle. Which of those is the one I want to check the gear on? Any hints on how to identify this on the Transaxle? What is the bolt size for the part? From inside the drivers seat, do I just jack up the right rear of the car and check for this part? I know I jack up the right front tire & turn and check for pulses.
Regards,
Arnie
Answer -
Hi Arnie,
I am glad that you wrote back because I have learned something more about the speed sensor on the electronic transaxles of the mid '90's. In the '96 Cirrus/Stratus (which doesn't use the 3.0 V-6 but using the 41TE (4 speed electronic trans) it now no longer has a dedicated sensor for the speedo but rather the speed of the transmission parking sprag (before the output shafts) is measured with a sensor mounted on the side of the trans that faces the front of the car. Its output goes to the 60-pin trans controller on the data bus, then to the body computer, then to the speedo cluster and the engine controller. So instead of looking for a sensor on the transaxle extension behind the engine, you will find the output sensor just to the right (looking from the front of the car) of the base of gear shift "tower", i.e. near the rear of the the trans. There is a similar (turbine input) sensor at about the same level far forward of that location. it appears to be a single bolt type of device, but I don't know the size. The wire colors are light green/white and dark blue/black going to pins 14 and 13 of the 60-way trans controller. It is symbolized as a coil, so it may putout a voltage proportionate to the vehicle speed.
I suspect this is also the situation for your van, particularly if the parts person said there were only 2 such speed sensors. Let me know if you can't locate the output sensor or the the wire colors don't match, etc.* I suspect you can put a voltmeter across the output pins of that sensor and read a voltage proportionate to the wheel spin rate if you lift the front end of the ground and let the engine drive both the front wheels.
Roland
*My '94 manual for the 3.0 V-6 used in cars shows the sensor to have 3 wires, so let me know if that is what you find and I'll tell you more about that set up. Sorry to not have a van manual for '96.
AnswerHi Arnie,
My last reply summarized the matter as best as I can. The Chilton's covers a broad range of years and is non-specific as to location of the sender. Please review what I wrote yesterday. You either have the older style mounted on the tansaxle housing extension (as I described in December) or you have the style mounted on the side of the transmission that faces the front of the van, at the very far right end of that side of the trans as you look at it from the front of the van. I don't believe that you will have both, so there should be no ambiguity. And from what I can tell by looking at the other two manuals I have for '94 and '96 (but not for the van) I believe you will not have the older type.
I gave you the wire colors, and between using the voltmeter or the ohmmeter function placed across the output terminals of whichever type you have you should get a signal when the van is in motion. So you may be able to attach the leads of the meter and put the meter itself on the hood or in the cab with you and drive forward at slow speed, or you can jack up both front wheels with the van at rest, but the engine idling and the trans in drive so the wheels are turning, and observe the meter for output pulsing (either voltage or resistance). Of course you would want to do this check when the speedo wasn't working so you could tell if the fault is the speedo or the sender. Also, shen the speedo stops working you might try shaking some of the harnesses nearby and then driving it again to see if that solves the problem, in which case you will need to find a poor connection or broken wire between the sender connector and the transcontoller mounted on the right inner fender.
Let me know if this still isn't responsive to your question.
Roland
