1988 Ranger 1998 5.0 Explorer wireing help!!

Hi guys, Chris from AZ.
I have a 1988 Ranger STX that I have put Explorer difs front and rear, 3.73 gears and Electric lockers front and rear.Rear disc axle.
Now,,,, I am ready for the 1998 Explorer 5.0 swap, 4R70W trans,Strong box underdrive box and a NP205 transfer case. It is all ready to set in,,,, But I am wondering if anyone would have a wiring diagram for the Main harness plug by the firewall. The pins and what they do? I have been told there are only a few I would need to power the motor and run.. Any help would be great!!

Just so you know this Ranger is a running driving truck with the V6 auto in it. The doner 5.0 was a running driving motor, I got all the eng and trans harness. It is setting on the floor with 1 square plug next to the computer, that is the plug I am needing the wire diagram for, what the pins go to. All my lights, dash, work in the truck. My V6 has a seperate eng harness that will come out with the eng. And the 5.0 has it own also. If anyone knows the pin# what each one goes to please post the it for me.
Thanks for your time,
Chris AZ

For the 1998 Explorer 42 pin connector:

Pin Circuit Color Purpose
1 16 Red Light Green PCM Power to relay
2 11 Tan/Yellow tachometer data link
3 915 Pink/Light Blue Data Link Connector pin 10
4 810 Red/Light Green Cruise Ctrl
5 238 Dark Green/Yellow Power From Fuel Pump Relay (Fuel pump on signal)
6 658 Pink/Light Green Malfunction Indicator (CEL)
7 679 Gray/Black Speed output from VSS
8 37 Yellow Continuous Power
9 361 Red Fuel Pump relay coil
10 29 Yellow/White Fuel level sender
11 914 Tan/Orange Data Link Connector pin 2
12 224 Tan/White Instrument Cluster
13 676 Pink/Orange VSS and PCM Ground
14 91 Purple/White Canister Vent Solenoid coil
15 926 Light Blue/Orange Fuel Pump relay coil
16 39 Red/White Engine temp gauge
17 791 Red/Pink Fuel Tank Pressure Transducer (Signal)
18 359 Gray/Red Sensor reference voltage
19 351 Brown/White Fuel Tank Pressure Transducer (Power supply)
20 199 Light Blue/Yellow Transmission Controls/Clutch Pedal Position Jumper
21 140 Black/Pink reversing lamps at transmission range sensor
22 107 Purple Data Link Connector Pin 13
23
24 329 Pink starter system at transmission range sensor
25 298 Purple/Orange reversing lamps at transmission range sensor
26 253 Dark Green/White oil pressure gauge
27 305 Light Blue/Pink Message Center pin 5
28 394 Orange/Black Automatic ride control module pin 6
29 784 Light Blue/Black 4WD Low Range indicator
30 331 Pink/Yellow WOT A/C relay coil
31 1093 Tan/Red Starter Ctrl via NSS
32
33 463 Red/White Neutral switch for GEM
34 570 Black/White Ground
35 347 Black/Yellow A/C compressor control
36 34 Light Blue/Orange PCM Power from relay
37 348 Pink A/C on signal from switch panel
38 357 Yellow/White GEM Connection
39 191 Light Green/Black Vapor Management Valve coil
40 911 White/Light Green Transmission Control Indicator in dash (overdrive off lamp)
41 904 Light Green/Red Alternator "Excite/Fault light"
42 36 Yellow/White Continuous Power

OMG!!!
Thanks so much!!! I have asked around on several sites,, and NO one has this!!! Where did you get this info??
Thanks so much again!!!! Will post pictures when done!!
Chris AZ

ALLDATA has it.

longboss351 said:

OMG!!!
Thanks so much!!! I have asked around on several sites,, and NO one has this!!! Where did you get this info??
Thanks so much again!!!! Will post pictures when done!!
Chris AZ

Click to expand...

I'd already waded through the EVTM for my '96 powered conversion for my '02, simply had to compare the '96 vs the '98 and track down the handful of differences.

Been meaning to get that done across all the years my EVTM covers.

FYI, the '98 is a PATS ECU, uses the data link communications as it's interface.

Thanks for the info!!!
Ok, one more question,,,,, you said, "FYI, the '98 is a PATS ECU, uses the data link communications as it's interface"

I have everything to do this conversion,, but the computer, I have axcess to a 96 computer for the motor, which looks the same.. Can I use the 96 in place of the 98?? Or should I use the correct 98??
Rember it is going in a 88, so I have been told by a few friends that only about 5-10 wires are used to make this motor run???
Thanks again for your time.
Chris AZ

I would for sure take the time to buy and wade through the evtm and use the '96 ECU.

Just not having to deal with the PATS system and the wiring/modules/dealer programming makes it nearly a no-brainer.

There are a half dozen or so wiring differences between the '96 and '98, I'll have to double check my notes on those but for sure, at least half are non-issues for your application.

With the '96 ECU, I think you'll find only a handful of power, relay and ground connections are needed, but having the OBDII port and MIL would be good ideas.

I have a local guy just reprogram the ecm to defeat things like pats. He charges $90. He did moabb2's explorer 5.0 ecm reprogram too.

I'm sure there's a similar guy in your locale as well. Or you could send it to 150tunes.com too

i agree with win....

and...well, i probably should not say this because i am going off of memory, but iirc.....the 96-99 engine sides are all the same.


as a baseline install which i have only done a dozen or so theres the normal basics, essentially the same as the eec4 save for the pats systems. ((i despise the pats setup and only suggest to have it tuned out.)) the current stuff even needs hardpart work to get around it........i really dislike the engineering at ford these days because of retarded pointless crap like that, but it is what it is. if they liked their customers they would open it up and ecoboost swaps would be happening in mass....

anyway, the last setup i dealt with i run the crank/run power to the back side of the diode...sometimes that wire was brown, sometimes red/light green like normal... make sure it ties into the ignition setup, its the same color red / light green

the o2 heater power was the same color as well lt blue and orange which is typical of the 90's eec4....you want those hot when its running. on a gen 1 truck its the fat grey/yellow wire. sometimes they have a inline fuse link and often blow leaving the trucks getting shitty mpg etc....

they have a brake switch....its green as typical dont know the pin...my gen 1 had it crossed twice...

the line out to the fuel pump from the pdb relay is typical dark green/yellow to the trip with pink/blk on the motor side. i always do that seperate but its a easy tie in to your existing....pink black pump wires.

when you go from the main battery feed into the pdb and look at the fuse layout for the pump/o2 etc its easy to seperate out what you dont want...but just laying it in the system intact is possible as well from the dash out...


the obd port is different of course but the cel light is the same as normal...its pink and light green but in a gen one its usually tan or tan/red

the obd port is basically universal with the 104 pins....three main wires from the pcm are 13 purple 16 tan/orange 15 pink/light blue so matching it up is not bad.... i zassume you want it in the cab so you can tune on the fly


basically they are a 1 wire start up really if you leave the system in tact....charging system on memory is typical as well....the green red goes to the dash and the fat bastards feed the battery


i am sure i am leaving out something but i can start one of these on the ground with what i stated so i cant see it something out of your hands.

just sux because the gen 1 has a few different colors but its easy enough if your not wanting cruise and ac and stuff.

one thing at a time



thanks for posting the data win

to clarify....."baseline" is typical offroad buggy...it is pcm with turned off emmissions pats etc....and usually only the front o2 sensors...


if you run system complete.....it wil suk hooking up all of the evap/pressure transducer stuff but if you have to have it its all doable...

win said:

I would for sure take the time to buy and wade through the evtm and use the '96 ECU.

Just not having to deal with the PATS system and the wiring/modules/dealer programming makes it nearly a no-brainer.

There are a half dozen or so wiring differences between the '96 and '98, I'll have to double check my notes on those but for sure, at least half are non-issues for your application.

With the '96 ECU, I think you'll find only a handful of power, relay and ground connections are needed, but having the OBDII port and MIL would be good ideas.

Click to expand...

So I picked up the 96 computer, now what do you think about the 98 harness being the same color wires at the big plug? You said there may be a hand full of differances?? Would I wire it like the 98 main plug? or the 96?
Thanks again for everyones help.
Chris AZ 480-228-2833

42 Pin 1996 plug is different at pins 4,31,35,37,38,41 and 42 from the 1998 list I posted earlier:

Pin...Circuit..Color.................Purpose
1.....16......Red/Lt Green.......PCM Power to relay
2.....11......Tan/Yellow..........tachometer data link
3.....915.....Pink/Lt Blue........Data Link Connector pin 10
4.....511.....Lt Green............Brake On/Off switch
5.....238.....Dk Green/Yellow..Power From Fuel Pump Relay (Fuel pump on signal)
6.....658.....Pink/Lt Green......Malfunction Indicator (CEL)
7.....679.....Gray/Black.........Speed output from VSS
8.....37......Yellow...............Continuous Power
9.....361.....Red..................Fuel Pump relay coil
10.....29.....Yellow/White......Fuel level sender
11....914.....Tan/Orange.......Data Link Connector pin 2
12....224.....Tan/White.........Instrument Cluster
13....676.....Pink/Orange......VSS and PCM Ground
14....91......Purple/White......Canister Vent Solenoid coil
15....926.....Lt Blue/Orange...Fuel Pump relay coil
16....39......Red/White..........Engine temp gauge
17....791.....Red/Pink............Fuel Tank Pressure Transducer (Signal)
18....359.....Gray/Red...........Sensor reference voltage
19....351.....Brown/White......Fuel Tank Pressure Transducer (Power supply)
20....199.....Lt Blue/Yellow....Transmission Controls/Clutch Pedal Position Jumper
21....140.....Black/Pink.........reversing lamps at transmission range sensor
22....107.....Purple..............Data Link Connector Pin 13
23
24....329.....Pink.................starter system at transmission range sensor
25....298.....Purple/Orange....reversing lamps at transmission range sensor
26....253.....Dk Green/White..oil pressure gauge
27....305.....Lt Blue/Pink.......Message Center pin 5
28....394.....Orange/Black.....Automatic ride control module pin 6
29....784.....Lt Blue/Black......4WD Low Range indicator
30....331.....Pink/Yellow........WOT A/C relay coil
31....32......Red/Lt Blue........starter system at transmission range sensor
32
33....463.....Red/White..........Neutral switch for GEM
34....570.....Black/White........Ground
35
36....34......Lt Blue/Orange.....PCM Power from relay
37....198.....Dk Green/Orange..Power to Pin 30 WOT A/C relay
38
39....191.....Lt Green/Black.....Vapor Management Valve coil
40....911.....White/Lt Green....Transmission Control Indicator in dash (overdrive off lamp)
41
42....570.....Black/White.........Ground

WIN,
Thank you SO much for the info and help!!!! Ill keep you guys updated!!!
Thanks, Chris AZ

88 Ranger UPDATE!!!!

WIN and Forum,
Well,,, 8 months later,,,I now have the 5.0 motor,trans,underdrive unit and the NP205 in place. Drive lines done and in. As I live in AZ,, we all know Fords run HOT!! So,, I cut out my radiator support and grafted in the 1998 Explorer support and used the huge radiator and A/C condenser. A/C lines have been converted so I can use R12 with the 98 compressor and installed. P/S line figured out for 88 gear box and 98 pump. ALL fluids in and holding!!!! There was so much welding,fabrication,,, make this fit,, oil pan fit,,, linkage,,,,... I will have the full update when done!! So,,, I did get off a running 1996 Explorer wiring harness and PC.. So did not use the 98 harness and 96 PC.. All 96 stuff!! I am literally ready to drive the truck,,, but I have no spark at the plugs! I have hooked up all the wires "I" think I need???? "HELP"LOL
Off what WIN posted, Pin #1,pcm power to relay to +. pin # 8 continuous power to +. Pin # 36 pcm power from relay to +. Pin # 35 &42 to ground-. Pin # 13 vss and pcm ground to -......
Am I missing something?? I "shouldn't need oil psi,temp,trans stuff to start???? I have fuel psi and turn key start through old 88 wiring.. "will fix later"
But what am I missing???? I am a carb guy,, dont know FI stuff,,, I do have power at coil packs but nothing at plugs,,.. Any ideas what I am missing??
Thanks,
Chris 480-227-2833
P.S, how do I post pictures on here????

Pictures??