Newbie question about VSS (?) for '95 4Runner

[brandydan]

Hi everyone - this is my first post though I have been lurking for a while. I already checked through the archives, did various searches, and hope that I can have some input.

We have a '95 4Runner SR5, AT, 6 cyl, 4wd, with 'offically' 253k+ miles (unofficially, I would add 20K more, see below). For about 6 months, this vehicle was used solely by my husband (hence the extra 20K), who only told me that the speedometer 'petered out' after he went out to sea and I needed the vehicle as a backup, but he kept driving it, using the tach as a speed guide. To him, it ran fine. We took the vehicle to the local shop, they diagnosed a faulty speed sensor, replaced it, and it ran okay for about 200 miles, before the speedometer again 'petered out'. Took it to ANOTHER shop who replaced the speed sensor, and again, it lasted about 200 miles before once again failing. We took it back to the second shop (part of a national chain), who insisted that the speed sensor for the '95 year was no longer manufactured, and they had added in another year's model.

At this point, my husband and I are looking to replace the sensor ourselves, but the problem is that we have NO idea which speed sensor is needed. When the second shop replaced the first shop's dead sensor, they showed it to us, and it looked very similar to this: , and the second shop said that the plastic cog/teeth (sorry, I'm not fluent in car parts) kept wearing out.

But when I search online, I am not sure WHAT type of speed sensor we need. According to several sites, there are speed sensors for the ABS/brake system, as well as a speed sensor on the transmission and/or the vehicle speed sensor. My husband tells me that he saw the shop mechanic show him the faulty speed sensor on the transaxle(?).

Please help; I'm at wit's end. We really like this vehicle, and instead of selling it for a newer 4Runner, we want to update this one, and the speed sensor is very important.

Any ideas of what type of speed sensor this is similar to, and where we can find it? Checking on sites like OReilleys or AutoZone just shows speed sensors that look nothing like the one the shop mechanic showed us, which makes us think that the shop really did a whopper of a jerry-rigged job, or the actual sensor we need isn't really a sensor (have sympathy for me; I'm trying my best to learn how to work on this car).

[fourwd1]

That is the sending unit for the electronic speedometer. It is located in the transfer case, pass side towards the back.

The teeth on the plastic gear do wear out. The dealer should be able to order a new unit, maybe even just the gear.
But before you go that route, check MarlinCrawler.com, they sell them.
I'd link you to it but their website is down right now.
Now that you know what it is you may be able to find it online elsewhere too.

[brandydan]

Thank you so much for clarifying exactly WHAT this part is. I can manage my way around engines, but to me, it's all doohickies and thingamajigs (yet I was able to singlehandedly re-wire an entire '70 Datsun 240Z by myself) - yet this vehicle is a mystery to me, since it NEVER has any problems....

I just wonder if both shops did put in a wrong part since the sensor failed at the same mileage (+/- 200 miles), but knowing exactly what the part is called will make it easier for my husband and I to get the right part and work on the vehicle ourselves. If I'm not mistaken, I recall the 'replacement parts' to have a shorter 'toothed' area, and when I look at Ebay (invaluable for at least seeing what the parts might be), there was a unit with the shorter toothed area, but it was for a 4Runner that has standard transmission and would also be a 4cyl...I know that at leats now my husband can get this vehicle working perfect as his home-from-sea project. He's a maritime engineer 'ship's mechanic', so for him, he will work on the vehicle, but it's up to me to do the research to get the right part...)

Thanks again!!

[fourwd1]

You also have to make sure you get one for a 4WD, the 2WD ones look similar but are different.
Another thing is the tooth count of the plastic gear, it needs to be correct.