(Wish this guy would get his OWN internet access!)

Does anybody know anything about this one? 1. Because the speedo drive on the gearbox is broken, the CHECK ENGINE light comes on.

2. Beacuse the light is on, the engine won't rev past 4500 revs. I assume it tells the ECU to cut boost or some such.

Is there any way of fooling the system? Obviously it now requires a (very expensive) gearbox rebuild to make the engine work!

God bless all these electronics huh?

Russ
(obo the mate without the computer!)

 

Friend of mine had a similar problem, I think he ended up replacing the dash, got one for £200 from a scrapyard.

 

Ended up replacing the dah huh! Hmmm i bet he did! Tell him to go to whoever prescribed that and smack em in the eye!

Now Russ, or Alias!

Its dead easy from what you say (or your mate says)

Open the bonnet
Look at turbo.
Look at wire going from bulkhead (near the top of the supsension mount)
Follow that wire down beside the turbo towards the gearbox and you will see that the wire enters a small aluminuim block. This is the sender unit for the speedo.

Now, is it missing from that block (flapping about) if so, reconnect the wire into the block (do this when engine is cold and not been run for a good couple of hours-scalding on turbos is dead easy! :eek

Now, if its not missing from the alloy square block (about the same size as a zippo lighter only wider-you can tell this as it has rubber bungs on either end) then checj the sender wire is not loose on the gearbox...that may be the other bit that is causing the problem.

If either re-connect with ignition off. Start car and drive for 5 mins, light goes out, speedo working again and saved your mate £200.00.

If thats not the right prescription then go and apologise for smacking the bloke who sold that dodgy dashboard!!!

Some people. Hope this solves it, if not pop it to a dealer.

Regards
Ronnie

 

Cem, I hope I ain't been rinsed

[This message has been edited by Fullonloon (edited 23 January 2001).]

 

I don't think that this is exactly the same problem at least I hope not.

Same symtoms but:

Found that the speedo unit was broken, the part in the speedo was very expensive so bought a 2nd hand dash unit (all the dials.) t wasn't just the wire had come out. Also a sensor in the gearbox was dead so it needed a new one.

 

The box in question is called a "Road Speed Transducer" - basically tells ECU whether cars moving as well as giving the speedo its electrical impulses. Just bought a new one from Land Rover (not for the Scoob!) and only cost £38 all inc.

 

What MY vehicle ?
Pre 96 (or is it 97 models) have a mechanical speedo using a speedo cable rather than the the electronic version.

If a WRX import then it probably also has a reduction gearbox in the speedo cable
(close to the clutch reservoir and Turbo on mine, but can also be further down close to the vehicle gearbox.

If a mechanical speedo (cable version) then more than likely the cable had broken, or an end come off
(actually it comprises several cables with several*2 ends to worry about)

See an older posting / comment of mine for details of the speedo cabling

Rather fiddly to get off and check but not too difficult with patience

Good luck

 

Wouldnt worry about it Q, important thing is you now have your car back on the road.

Cem

 

Russ,

Can't help with a permanant fix, but I do know that Harj had his system 'bypassed' for a while. I think Pat did it for him (guys ?).

Harj was very unlucky in that the cable went on his first flying lap on a track day at Donington. Not funny.

Cheers

Ian

 

Thanks folks.

The car's an Sti 4 - i take it its an electronic speedo tho?

It's going to be a "system bypass" job i think. After a dead turbo, melted piston (his own fault - import on 95 RON!), and a "mere" £8k on other bits (22b bodykit, AP Brakes, Blitz/Trust filter/exhaust, 18" OZ's etc etc.) it's going to be sold soon.

Now there's a man who's going to learn all about depreciation!

Thanks for the advice, looks like we've found a way to fool the ENGINE CHECK lite.

Russ

 

Cheers Ron

I needed thoose directions same things just happened to me this moring drive along small bang type noise, check light on and no speedo reading.

Si