E4OD, Stand-alone Controller, and Speed Sensor Questions

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Mar 14, 2023 | 09:22 PM

Christian3144

Thread Starter

4wd Low

Joined: Nov 2021

Posts: 14

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E4OD, Stand-alone Controller, and Speed Sensor Questions

So I bought a 1987 F150 4x4 with a carbureted 351 and a C6. I’m putting a carbureted 460 in it with a E4OD. The E4OD was a 2wd but I am in the process of rebuilding it and converting it to 4wd with the shorter tail shaft. I’m not certain of the year of the E4OD, it came out of a 97 but Im pretty sure it’s an older model transmission. I’m looking at the U.S. Shift Cruise 4 but the speed sensor is my concern. On my E4OD the location on the tail shaft was plugged with a bolt. I assumed it got the information out of something else as I think the later 97 trucks had digitally ran gauge clusters. How should I handle this? Do all output shafts have places for speed sensors? How do I get my mechanical speedometer to work with it as well as the standalone computer? Can I get a speed sensor off the differential or something else?

Mar 15, 2023 | 11:38 AM

rla2005

Fleet Owner

Joined: Oct 2005

Posts: 20,786

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From: Kentucky

I am not certain the 1992 and up E4ODs have the output shaft machined to accept a speedometer drive gear. They may have for the first year or two but beyond that I doubt it. On the other hand 1991 and earlier 4x4 trucks used the transfer case output shaft to mount the drive gear so it is a moot point. Use the VSS mounted there, used for speed control and E4OD control if equipped, as the signal source for the transmission controller.

If you do not have that VSS sensor on your 1987 it can be added. It is sandwiched between the speedometer driven gear and drive cable.