Wire diagram source

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I think optical drives are available with a USB cord.

 

[JoshT]

They are, and I'd recommend for anyone without an optical drive to get one. I prefer having it built in though.

I do have one or two USB DVD drives to use with laptops and a USB 3 conversion housing for the 5.5" optical drives, but I still prefer an internal. Especially on a desktop.

 

[Josh B]

I dealt with computers for years, bought most of mine from GSA auctions(started during a lay-off, and never looked back) and most of those were from Huntsville NASA, nasa headquarters basically. I always kept an older system to use with older computer parts. I never found it that hard to set up a system for diagnosing older boards and such.
I had the time of a lifetime dealing with that stuff, and NASA Huntsville was the primary NASA base, and it was only about 120 miles from Nashville where I lived. I still have some old SGA systems, one I'll soon scrap has a flight simulator on it but it's of no use to me anymore.

 

[franklin2]

Compatibility mode will not work.

An old XP machine will work.

I do not want to mess up my computer making a virtual operating system in part of it.

I know what a optical drive is I have a usb unit and also a newer computer with it built in, but it's getting a little over my head to install a virtual machine operating system. I seem to remember the problem is the way the data is stored on the old CD's. Something like it was stored in 32 bit format and the newer systems use 64bit or something like that.

 

[JoshT]

I know what a optical drive is...

I was yanking you chain about that part. I'm not sure about the 32 vs 64 bit things you're talking about and would have to do some studying on that. If I have encountered it it was so long ago that I don't remember it. I'm better at diagnosing problems in person rather than remote, that's one reason I'm kind of moving away from the idea of going into IT. I'd really need to see everything to even have a starting point for diagnosing.

Virtual machines are easy once you figure them out, and no real risk to the host system. Install Oracle Virtual box, and install the needed OS inside of virtual box. Give virtual opertain system (VM) access to needed drives. VM only runs when you need it, all other times it's just a file sitting there on the hard disk. Hardest part is probably making sure that you host system has enough resources available to give the VM resources it needs to use the applications.

I do understand the hesitation to jump into using them. Until a few years ago I only used them on rare ocasion. I did a couple of college courses in the last few years that required setting up several VMs, both windows and linux, to use and network. Still don't use them much, but very comfortable with the idea and my host system (my desktop gaming rig) definitely has the resources.

 

[JoshT]

The Explorer service manual CD came in today. I'm glad that I ordered the wire diagram manual as well. The listing for the CD says wiring diagrams. There may be a couple of little ones in there somewhere, but not like what I was looking for. It does appear to have a good section on diagnosing and troubleshooting wiring though. Seems to be legitimate factory service manuals in PDF format on CD. Not upset that I bought it since it will be a good resource of a lit of other parts of the swap, just glad that I ordered the wiring diagram manual as well.

The wiring diagram manual arrived today too, now I'm just waiting on the one for the '99 Ranger to arrive.

 

[franklin2]

The Explorer service manual CD came in today. I'm glad that I ordered the wire diagram manual as well. The listing for the CD says wiring diagrams. There may be a couple of little ones in there somewhere, but not like what I was looking for. It does appear to have a good section on diagnosing and troubleshooting wiring though. Seems to be legitimate factory service manuals in PDF format on CD. Not upset that I bought it since it will be a good resource of a lit of other parts of the swap, just glad that I ordered the wiring diagram manual as well.

The wiring diagram manual arrived today too, now I'm just waiting on the one for the '99 Ranger to arrive.

If you get the real Ford CD's, or the later DVD's, they can't be beat. Once you find the diagram section you need (they have them all) they have icons in the diagram that you can click that reference THAT part of the circuit. They have harness locations, and connector view icons. No more flipping pages from one section to another for plug references and wire routing. It does require some time to figure it out, since there is so much info in them, especially the DVD's.

By the way,, the DVD's do seem to still work, though even they can be balky. The diagrams on the DVD's are in pdf format and there is something going on with Acrobat on those. They must have used a ancient version when they made the DVD's. Sometimes when you first pull it up you are presented with a blank white screen for a picture. But if you start clicking around and then go back the picture will be there.

 

[Josh B]

I learned that on my first CD in 2006. It was for a 93 Ranger and was issued before Windows 95 was yet to be heard of

 

[JoshT]

Ranger wire diagram manual arrived today, well technically yesterday here.

Looks like this will be pretty easy if I don't blow it out of proportion. The articles in the tech library said as much, but helps seeing the diagrams for myself.

There are two main connectors I'll need to interact with on each vehicle. They have different connector numbers in the manuals, but are practically the same. The connectors for the explorer have a few extra wires, but they won't be used in the swap anyway. Most of them are for the info center built into the Explorer center console. I will not be swapping that.

I'll know more once I have both harnesses in one place and cleaned up. Right now it looks like I'm going to combine and extend the spare start/charge harnesses I have rather than making a jumper harness. I have the spares and if I mess it up I've got more to work with.