I just got a 96 dodge ram 1500 with a 5.9l V8 4x2 the transmission was swaped with a rebuilt transmission by the previous owner do to no overdrive in the old transmission. I also have the old transmission. Both transmissions are the same except the new one dont have the vss in the tail shaft not even a hole for it. From what i am reading this is a from a newer truck like a 98 or 99. now here is the issue i have no speedometer. There is a wire under the truck for the vss in the til shaft. The transmission shift fine this is the only issue. thwe old one has a vss in the tail how do i fix this. so i can get the speedo back. can i just swap a computer from a 98 with the same motor and tranny.

 

I dont have this hole on my new tranny but it is on the old one. i do have the wire.

I guess my questions are what can i do to get my speedo working and is there any predicted problems without this sensor? i still have the output sensor on the trany just not this one.

 

Indeed newer trucks have the vss in the rear axle.

I always thought the speed sensor was I'm the t case on the older trucks.

Edit: this is a 2wd duh

There were quite a lot of changes to harnesses and the dash and computer systems when they updated the trucks.

 

You can't just swap in a 98+ computer, too much changed. You *might* be able to swap the tailshaft housing, but, I am going to wager that the trans output shaft won't have the gear for the VSS either. I suspect, that the only *real* way to fix it, would be to replace the trans with one from a 96-97 model year truck, or, get the original rebuilt, and install it.

 

So if you have a 46re visa the vss tailshaft - do you still need to mate it with a 5.9 engine, harness, and computer from a 96 or 97?
Or can you use a newer 5.9 engine, harness, and computer as long as you have the vss tailshft feature on the 46re?

Thanks!!

 

Looks like the tail housing in the picture is from an RH transmission 1990 to 1992. They had a speedo gear. What you need to do is replace just the tail housing with the correct one. And also get a get a output sensor for the tail housing. You will need to switch the direct clutches to the new housing. You don't need to remove the transmission to make these repairs.

 

No, the 98 and up PCM/wiring harness doesn't use the VSS, at all. The 98 and up instrument cluster also gets its information on what to display completely differently than the 96-97 models. (96-97 works pretty much the same way as the 94-95 does....) So, unless you want to change out the entire dash as well, stick with the 96-97 OBDII stuff.