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ford 5.0 c4 trans + volvo 240 electronic speedo question

Derek66

Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2011
I have the c4 transmission with cable drive in an 87 240 wagon which has an electronic speedo, what is necessary to get the speedometer in the original cluster speedo to work correctly.
 
I believe the electronic speedo runs off of a tone wheel/sensor in the rear end....if so, the 5.0/C4 shouldn't have any impact on the speedo's function. If it's not working - diagnose. Sensor, wiring, speedo issue. Be sure to cap off cable drive on the C4 if atf leak is possible.
 
Michael I forgot to mention the differential is a Salsibury 10 bolt with volvo axle tubes - so I dont have the original Volvo diff. I had tried replacing the electric speedo with an earlier volvo cable speedo, but I encountered some problems there.
 
Michael I forgot to mention the differential is a Salsibury 10 bolt with volvo axle tubes - so I dont have the original Volvo diff. I had tried replacing the electric speedo with an earlier volvo cable speedo, but I encountered some problems there.

What problems did you encounter with the cable?

Beyond that I think you'll either have to go the GPS sender route (and those are not very reliable), or add a tone ring and sensor somewhere to read an electronic speed signal.
 
I run this box -- just because I grew weary of accuracy/recalibration issues every time I had a driveline/tire size change. https://www.classicautoinnovations.com/classic It uses a GPS signal and spins a small electric motor to drive the speedo cable. So I retained my analog/cable speedo, but it's driven by, essentially, a GPS signal. I've been very pleased with the performance. And now my speedo accuracy is divorced from driveline changes.
 
Thank you all for your replies and responses.
Ford c4 is cable driven and I have an electronic cluster.

I had seen the cable into cable speedo option as shown on "Test Point"s posts - and that was the method I have used previously on another vehicle that had the Volvo cable driven speedo - will explain that later.


I pulled the electronic cluster apart and modified the white backing plate to allow the fitment of a cable driven speedo from a 1985 wagon that I had. At that time I thought I would go with the cable drive from the C4 to an older cable driven speedo fitted into ( replacing 87 electronic) cluster. Firstly after putting it all back together my fuel and temperature gauges weren't working. I sat down with a wiring diagram and used MSExcel to make a spreadsheet with the 87 wiring pins and the 85 Wiring pins to ensure that it matched (the moon and half moon) it did.

Double checked still no gauges and only the oil light working. I decided to test the speedo anyway cable from gearbox to older cable speedo in cluster - as soon as I drove off the gauge moved and then bounced right up and went right around and broke the speedo indicator. Right that option is not going to work.

I have got hold of another electronic cluster (which I will not modify) - in addition to the cable drive out of the gear box I have an electronic sensor that bolts right into the C4 box. It is a Ford item that came off a Ford C4 box from a 1980 Falcon ( in Australia) and I am at the point of trying to work out how to identify the pulses from that and what is required for the Volvo speedo.

Originally the motor/trans/diff were in a 76 Volvo Wagon with an Rallye dash - that was cable from the box and cable to the speedo and it worked perfectly. Just like Test Point had set up.

I have an absolutely standard looking Volvo with this running gear in it, and I want the interior to look absolutely stock, which is why I am persevering. I may have to take some time and see if some of these modern gps options may work out to be a better solution.

I kept thinking that surely someone has cracked this because there are so many more SBF conversions in the US.

I have taken the opportunity whilst the US was asleep to review all the information you have all given me - I think that the Ford C4 Electronic Hall Sensor speedometer fitment + the Dakota SGI-5 E - through to the Volvo 3 wire electronic speedometer should work. It seems Summit Racing are the place to get these items.

I would welcome any constructive criticism or advice at all.

Like to thank you all for your assistance to date and any ongoing advice.
 
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The cable arrangement probably had the wrong gear ratio so was turning much too fast for the Volvo speedometer.

I have taken the opportunity whilst the US was asleep to review all the information you have all given me - I think that the Ford C4 Electronic Hall Sensor speedometer fitment + the Dakota SGI-5 E - through to the Volvo 3 wire electronic speedometer should work. It seems Summit Racing are the place to get these items.

This seems like the best route. It's a gear driven sensor, correct? If it's like this one - should work no problem. The ratio will be off but the Dakota box will adapt it fine.

That said, I had one alternate idea - I believe ABS 240s came with tone rings and sensors on all four wheels. Should it be, for whatever strange reason, impossible to get an electronic signal off your driveline, you could bodge in the front-end ABS parts and read the speed off one of the front wheels.
 
The cable arrangement probably had the wrong gear ratio.
AND
That said, I had one alternate idea - I believe ABS 240s came with tone rings and sensors on all four wheels. Should it be, for whatever strange reason, impossible to get an electronic signal off your driveline, you could bodge in the front-end ABS parts and read the speed off one of the front wheels.

Probably correct on the gear ratios.
I really like the front ABS sensor driving a signal. Accurate speed regardless of rear wheel spin. Good stuff!
 
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