vehicle speed sensor problem

[dadofcontourowner]

My daughter's car started switching gears violently and then the speedometer stopped working and the car would not shift out of 1st gear. When I pulled the speed senor out of the top of the transmission, the pin/cable did not come out with the senor. It had broken off from the sensor housing and is still stuck in the transmission port.
I have tried a magnet, but the part is not magnetic. I tried vacuuming the pin out, but that didn't work. It is broken off about an 1/8" inside, so I can't get pliers on it. I can't really see down in thru the top because there is a motor mount directly above the port.
Does anybody have a suggestion on how to get the pin out without dropping the transmission?

The car is a 96 Ford Contour GL with a 4 cylinder engine. Automatic transmission.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Tank2]

don't know if this will help but maybe a small nail with a dab of qwik set glue on the end??? Just a suggestion

 

[cetroutt]

if i recall from when i changed my VSS, when you took the VSS out there is a housing that it threads into. that housing comes out also. there should be a 10mm bolt (at least i think it's a 10mm) that holds a U shaped clamp, which is what holds the housing for the VSS in place. if you take that off the housing should slide right out. and then you have better access to the gear inside the trans. just be very careful that you don't let any crude fall down into the trans.