speed signal effect on engine idle

[mikem]

Hey guys - my 94 liberty (NA) has had a longstanding problem with the speedo reading dropping out from time to time. When this happens the cruise control becomes inoperative and the engine struggles to idle without cutting out. I can live with that - just about as the speedo cuts back in after a few minutes (usually after things have warmed up). However, it has now started playing a new game where even with the speedo working, it wont always idle. Playing with the cruise power switch seems to sort it out - but I am just not sure what the problem is. Could it be a weak speed sensor signal, and if so what can I do to sort it? Please help!

[scuzzy]

Hey guys - my 94 liberty (NA) has had a longstanding problem with the speedo reading dropping out from time to time. When this happens the cruise control becomes inoperative and the engine struggles to idle without cutting out. I can live with that - just about as the speedo cuts back in after a few minutes (usually after things have warmed up). However, it has now started playing a new game where even with the speedo working, it wont always idle. Playing with the cruise power switch seems to sort it out - but I am just not sure what the problem is. Could it be a weak speed sensor signal, and if so what can I do to sort it? Please help!

you're going to screw us with the liberty, we don't have our hands on enough of them to have good information, but subarus are legos, so going on previous experience.. try this: when your speedo works, does the needle bounce up and down at low speeds? If so, it's cable driven, you can pull the cable and add lube to sort that out, but just completly cutting out and coming back sounds like it's an electronic sensor.

in which case, pull the sensor (same spot as the cable in the transmission) check for wire breaks and the like.

[Subaru_Nation555]

I just had my 4EAT replaced with a lower mileage model and as of now the speedo does not work which is something I can live with for now. However when I drive for more than 5 mintues the car throws code 33-vechicle speed sensor. I also noticed that the car idles really low and sometimes stalls if I don't keep the revs up. So it appears there is some correlation. I'm bringing the car in for a new speedo cable as well as the VSS issue.

[Bheinen74]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bheinen/d ... pg&.src=ph

if it is a bad cable, easy fix. If it is internal, then you got screwed with your lower mileage tranny, that will cost you an arm and leg.
check my pic link out above, and you will see.

[Subaru_Nation555]

Ugg, lets hope its the cable then. The shop was pretty clear they would take care of the issue so I'm not worried.

[Legacy777]

You need to fix the speedo. The ECU does a lot of weird things if the speedo is out. The rad fans run all the time, idle gets weird, torque converter doesn't lock up, etc.....