Speedo not working, how do I test before I replace VSS or new cluster

[R3b]

So this is my first post and have been lurking for around a year now and this weekend im picking up my first car! Its a 1992 240sx s13 with 160k with orginal ka thats been rebuilt and newly painted with a red similar to the stock cherry pearl color but a bit darker.

Been looking on craglist and found a pretty clean one and at a reasonable price, car runs perfect but has a weird idle sound. It could be the open downpipe or just the KA itself but ill ask about that another time.

The guy says the speed is not working and didn't bother doing anything about it since hes had the car and I want to know are there any specific ways to check my current cluster for anything specific I should look out for and fix myself. I'd rather not replacing anything right now but having a speedo is kinda important lol. My dad has an obd sensor for his phone so will probably check that first for anything but hopefully I can just solider some stuff on the cluster and not have to replace the unit and VSS

I literally went through around 20 threads and every answer was to replace the cluster and swap out the VSS and most of the time OP never responded if it was a fix or not.

The car has an RS- emthalpy ecu and a SAFC 2 so im not sure if that would have to do with anything. The taco and rest of the gauges works afaik.

I do not have the car with me right now but Im looking up issues before I get it this weekend. I might make a post about it later this week since its also my spring break and list all his mods and what I want to do in the future. The mods he has on the car right now are
-Stock internal ka24det
-Rs-Enthalp Ecu
-Aem Wideband
-s14 intake manifold
-3in downpipe
-Thick gauge turbo manifold
-720cc injectors
-z32maf
-Brake booster
-isis adjustable arms
-solid frame bushings
-j30 diff
-energy suspension rack
-SAFC 2
-Ebay turbo kit and manual boost controller

http://i.imgur.com/Q9ifQbr.jpg

Thanks ahead of time for the help and in the future, glad to now be a proud owner of 240sx!

[juhd]

Had the same problem but changed the cluster and it fixed it. Its not that hard and takes like 20 minutes. If that doesnt work then changing the speed sensor isnt that hard either. Probably easier than soldering things that might not even fix the problem. Oh and theres a "Small question" thread for questions like these.

[R3b]

Thanks man, yeah I agree its easier but all the extra money adds up. 150 for a new sensor and then a decent cluster for another 100 so if I can cheap out on some soldering till my wallet fills up more then ill swap in those stuff.

Also didn't know there was a small question thread, mabye a mod will move it over to there lol

[S14DB]

It would be hard to test unless you have access to a oscilloscope to see the wave form. If the ECU is wired correctly you could see if the ECU is getting proper speed thru the consult port(nissan datascan, ect).

[cotbu]

Check the wiring at the ecu, the speed cut trick works for the ka iirc, but one of the drawbacks were no speedometer.
I also forget which pin it is I want to say 32? Don't quote me, lol.

And yes, consult would be the easiest way to verify a speed signal when the signal is not reaching cluster.

From a Highly Tuned Note 4.5!!!

[R3b]

Whats the speed cut trick? Im looking now at consult threads and it just dawned on me that the car doesn't have an ob2 port. Are there any ob1 scan tools out there?? Or would I need to get a proper datascan.

I found the pin numbers to a 89-90 240sx but cant dig up anything for a 91-93

[cotbu]

The speed cut trick, is so you can break the 180kmh speed limiter.
It consist of disconnecting the fifth gear sensor and the speed signal. Iirc.

Consult would be the proper tool, but if you have a consult cable, you could use any of the free or trial programs, conzult, nds, nistune and or ecutalk etc.

I don't know if there are any cheap consult scan tools available. They used to be expensive and you needed cards for them...oem units.

Anyway, I think the path is vss -->cluster -->ecu. You could still confirm a working speed sensor though.

From a Highly Tuned Note 4.5!!!

[R3b]

Alright sounds good, ill check this car this weekend and probably get this adapter
http://www.amazon.com/OBD2-Connector-Diagnostic-Adapter-NISSAN/dp/B0053NS0CY

Connect it to my dads bluetooth obd2 scanner and then use something like this on my phone
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=BlueFRom.Consult&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.trackelectronics.consultbtscan&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grigon&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en

It should work right since the adapter would read it into my dads scanner and then the apps can read the old consult obd1 codes correct? Pretty cheap solution to an expensive nissan consult.

I was going to get some type of diagnostic system anywasy its just didnt dawn on me that older cars didnt have obd2 :facepalm:

[wither48]

Alright sounds good, ill check this car this weekend and probably get this adapter

http://www.amazon.com/OBD2-Connector-Diagnostic-Adapter-NISSAN/dp/B0053NS0CY



Connect it to my dads bluetooth obd2 scanner and then use something like this on my phone

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=BlueFRom.Consult&hl=en



https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.trackelectronics.consultbtscan&hl=en



https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grigon&hl=en



https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en



It should work right since the adapter would read it into my dads scanner and then the apps can read the old consult obd1 codes correct? Pretty cheap solution to an expensive nissan consult.



I was going to get some type of diagnostic system anywasy its just didnt dawn on me that older cars didnt have obd2 :facepalm:Any luck with that? I hate to revive an old thread but I'm having some intermittent issues with my speedo and I'm not sure how to determine where the problem is

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

[collegekid]

First thing I would do is download the factory service manual for your year 240sx (multiple sites have it)

Tell me what tools/skills you have available. Do you have a soldering iron/multimeter/laptop/consult cable?

There are some cheap consult cables out there that would work (I will link my ebay one when i get home). download the software ( I think I used ECUtalk), again ill check when I'm home. plug it in, launch program, find the option to display gauges, display vehicle speed (while driving, so you need a partner)

This verifies sensor and ecu functionality for a $25 cable.
Then you can check the cluster side. If any connectors/wiring are damaged or if the pins for the speedo on the back of the cluster need to be reflow soldered.

This solves most problems besides having a burned out speedo motor.

[wither48]

I've got a soldering iron (not the best at soldering though), a laptop, multimeter, and a scan tool that does obd2 (not sure about obd1). I was planning on getting a Nissan consult port to obd2 cable and then a scanner that can for sure do obd1. Would that be better or worse than using the computer program?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

[S14rebuild]

Any luck with that? I hate to revive an old thread but I'm having some intermittent issues with my speedo and I'm not sure how to determine where the problem is

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk


Again....thread is 4 yrs old

Scanner- driver car, verify signal isnt being dropped...if good signal teplace cluster

Signal drops, check wiring and/or/ speedo unit

[Ichi-Go]

Again....thread is 4 yrs old

Scanner- driver car, verify signal isnt being dropped...if good signal teplace cluster

Signal drops, check wiring and/or/ speedo unit

Some actually useful info! Thanks S14rebuild.