Electrical GPS speedo and Cruise Control

DemonGT

Founding Member
May 24, 2002
855
49
49
Sparta,WI
My speedo has never worked in my car even after new cable and sender ect. Was looking to upgrade to a Florida 5.0 cluster
with a GPS speedo.

My question is, how dose the factory cruise control work? If i eliminate the factory speedo/cable ect will i loose the factory
cruise control function?
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Factory cruise control does not use the speedo cable. It has it's own cable & actuator in the driver's side fender in front of the door hinges, nearly impossible to access. The sensor is the VSS at the transmission. The controller is above the brake/clutch pedals.

Mine no longer functions, I think the cable is broken at the actuator.
 
The speedometer setup is a pretty simple system.
Speedo itself (which you can test by removing it and spinning it with your hand or a cordless drill on the trans end of the cable.
Speedometer cable (which you say is new)
Speedo gear on the cable side to the transmission
And internal gear inside the trans that mates to the speedo gear.

IMO, fix it right.
It may take some effort, but it will probably cost nearly nothing in parts.
Changing the whole cluster with new gauges at $600 and all the wiring is kinda nuts to solve what is probably a fairly simple problem.
I never liked the florida 5.0 clusters, they just don't seem to look right.
 
Factory cruise control does not use the speedo cable. It has it's own cable & actuator in the driver's side fender in front of the door hinges, nearly impossible to access. The sensor is the VSS at the transmission. The controller is above the brake/clutch pedals.

Mine no longer functions, I think the cable is broken at the actuator.

So as long as the wires are hooked up to the VSS that is in the tranny the cruise should work, the cable dosnt matter?
 
The speedometer setup is a pretty simple system.
Speedo itself (which you can test by removing it and spinning it with your hand or a cordless drill on the trans end of the cable.
Speedometer cable (which you say is new)
Speedo gear on the cable side to the transmission
And internal gear inside the trans that mates to the speedo gear.

IMO, fix it right.
It may take some effort, but it will probably cost nearly nothing in parts.
Changing the whole cluster with new gauges at $600 and all the wiring is kinda nuts to solve what is probably a fairly simple problem.
I never liked the florida 5.0 clusters, they just don't seem to look right.

To each there own i guess. I went through all that before and i know the issue is the speedo itself which is why
im planning to replace it.
 
To each there own i guess. I went through all that before and i know the issue is the speedo itself which is why
im planning to replace it.
Then replacing it with a used one will take 30 mins and cost very little. That's your goal right? To fix a non working speedo?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Then replacing it with a used one will take 30 mins and cost very little. That's your goal right? To fix a non working speedo?

Yes, but the stock speedos seem to stop functioning sooner or later and i question there accuracy. If i ever change rear gears or tire sizes
i dont have to worry about changing speedo gears to keep the speedo in line with whatever drive line changes i might make.
 
Yes, but the stock speedos seem to stop functioning sooner or later and i question there accuracy. If i ever change rear gears or tire sizes
i dont have to worry about changing speedo gears to keep the speedo in line with whatever drive line changes i might make.
Mines ONLY been working for 31 years and just shy of 400,000 miles. It's also spot on Ulysses Speedometer GPS app I have. Yes I had to put the correct speedo gear in for 3.55's bus that's just a simple 5 minute change. Just giving you info. Do as you wish.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
So from what iv read the cable itself has nothing to do with the cruise functioning and i can do as was suggested to me on another site
to just get a VSS from a mid 90's mustang and not run a cable. As long as the VSS has the connector plugged in the cruise should function.
What i dont get is if Ford set it up that way why not just use a electric speedo with no cable in the first place?
 
So from what iv read the cable itself has nothing to do with the cruise functioning and i can do as was suggested to me on another site
to just get a VSS from a mid 90's mustang and not run a cable. As long as the VSS has the connector plugged in the cruise should function.
What i dont get is if Ford set it up that way why not just use a electric speedo with no cable in the first place?
There's a reason the VSS has an O-ring to seal the cable. I had to run with no cable while a company jerked me around with the shipping of the new one. It does leak fluid that way. You are correct though that the cable has nothing to do with the cruise working or not.
 
There's a reason the VSS has an O-ring to seal the cable. I had to run with no cable while a company jerked me around with the shipping of the new one. It does leak fluid that way. You are correct though that the cable has nothing to do with the cruise working or not.

I was told the VSS from a 95ish would be the same but the hole for the cable is plugged.
 
...What i dont get is if Ford set it up that way why not just use a electric speedo with no cable in the first place?
Electronics was not widely used in the 80's & cost a lot more than a simple, reliable mechanical system.
They also didn't understand it & employeed few electrical engineers.
Ford was still living the '60's when the only electronics was in the AM radio.
Other than the ECU, the most complex electronics was in the AM/FM/cassette unit which was sourced outside.
They didn't even design the fuel injection system, which was done by Hitachi.
It was needed to meet emission requirements & a side benefit was easier cold starting, i.e. no choke.
 
'94-'95 engine & drivetrain are mostly the same. I have FRP headers from a '94-95. Only needed to plug a port on the passenger side unit because Ford changed the plumbing of the EGR system. One short SS bolt did the trick. $500 ceramic coated headers for $100.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user