HELP Speedo/Mileage not working, SES light on. Speedcal to blame?

[BigChiefSmokem]

Hey guys, my speedo isnt working and my mileage indicator shows all dashes and my SES light just came on. Heres whats been happening.

When i got my gears in about 7 months back I had a speedcal also installed. About 5 months ago, at low speeds, less than 10 mph, the speedo would spike up and down randomly. Past 10 mph it read accurately and fine. Shortly after I had my gears installed I got a new red top optima battery because my old battery was going dead on me and I had to jump start my car if it sat for even as little as a week. I read that these are great batteries for people who have non daily drivers. Now, as of a about 2 months ago my optima battery has been going dead when i let my car sit for a week or so and I have to jump it too every time i want to drive the car. I kinda attributed this to the speedcal, as I think that it is always on, so it drains batter power, right?.

Now, i went out, jump started my car and drove it for a bit. The speedo isnt working and my mileage reads all dashes and my SES light came on too.

Is this all the speedcal's fault? Think it finally just crapped out on me? Or is there something more sinister going on?

 

[mity2]

sound like speedcal has gone the way of dodo bird...

 

[BigChiefSmokem]

So..... Time for an xcal?

 

[aroo]

Sorry, this is a little off topic, but about 4 months ago I also installed an Optima red top. I also only drive my mustang on the weekend, long story short, the red died. I traded it in on a yellow top, the problem seems to have been solved. In speaking to the shop owner, he told me that if you only use the car on weekends, the yellow top would be the better bet. In their literature, Optima also states that replacement due to this (non-use) would not be covered under the warranty.

 

[mity2]

I've heard similer thing befor. Redtop don't handle non-use too well, where as yellow top can sit dermint for month befor shows any sign of drain.
with that being said, my Yellow top started the car 6 month after sitting in garage this past spring

 

[Mike97gt]

any way you can pull the code for us? It does sound like a speedcal problem but I am curous about what codes you got.

 

[d98gt]

Wouldn't the vss cause the speedo to jump around like that aswell? It did in my case.

I got a check engine light and the speedometer would work at times, and then I could be cruising at 60 and it'd just drop down to 0

 

[Mike97gt]

Wouldn't the vss cause the speedo to jump around like that aswell? It did in my case.

I got a check engine light and the speedometer would work at times, and then I could be cruising at 60 and it'd just drop down to 0

99+ cars use a output shaft speed sensor but yeah if that sensor was bad it could cause that. This is why I would like to see the codes.

 

[BigChiefSmokem]

where can i go to pull codes, and what is VSS?

 

[d98gt]

Autozone pulls codes for free and gives you a printout.

VSS = Vehicle Speed Sensor, though Mike says that you have the output shaft sensor.

Get the codes ran and it'll help

 

[Pennywise2]

Yes get the codes ran for sure.
What brand Speedcal do you have?
If you have a Brothers Performance Speedcal I wouldn't
be surprized if it failed.

 

[BigChiefSmokem]

I believe its a brothers speedcal...

 

[Give Me TP]

Their's is the same as the one from Dallas Mustang. If you can find a really good friend with a flash tuner maybe he/she will let you use it to find out if the SpeedCal is the culprit.

 

[COramprat]

Their's is the same as the one from Dallas Mustang.

Zactly...they are the same with a different name.

Make sure it still has a hot connection. Those clip splices that come with the kit are crap sometimes. You may just need to resplice the wires if it isn't making good contact anymore.

 

[BooWFO]

I ran a speedcal for over a year with no issues. Sounds like something is worng with the install. Double check all wiring.