Need help with wiring 94 explorer dash to 86 b2

I've hit a snag in the wiring for the dash. When turn the key to the on position the dash doesn't light up. Some of the gauges work but nothing else comes on.

I haven't installed the motor yet which is where the rest of the engine harness is. I'm not sure if it all has to be connected first if so I can wait to solve this til it's in.

Lol let me know if I'm getting ahead of myself.

The "engine harness" on an 86 is a vital part of the main "power distribution"
of the '83-88 RBV.

So if you've removed the "engine harness" you also "pulled the plug" on basically everything else...

And to be blunt there is no simple answer to your question beyond what I've said above...


I swapped a 1993 Explorer 4.0 into my 1987 Super-cab. the wiring took me a month
and frankly I'm an experienced prototype wireman that once held 60% of the wiring of an F/A-18 in my head...(my head is very cluttered with such useless information)

But when I did my 4.0 swap I kept the 1987 dashboard and instrument cluster...
I like my 140mph Ford Motorsport speedometer too much to be willing to give it up.

For another thing switching to an '89-up dashboard would have greatly complicated my job, because I have dual fuel tanks, '83-88 already have the dash wiring for the tank selector switch, '89-up do not.

One thing that makes it all easier is that there is a "Check Engine Lamp" position in the 1985-1/2 instrument cluster, though actually UNUSED until the 1988 California emissions Rangers... but the lamp socket must be cut out of the plastic "flex-circuit" to allow insertion of the twist-socket bulb holder and of course the wire must be added to the connector to the instrument cluster.


AD

thx for the reply AllanD. its not the 2.9 engine harness im putting in.

im doing the 4.0 and dash swap. i have a 94 4.0 automatic explorer as my donor.

and my b2 in a 86 manual

so basically without the rest of the harness in nothing will work. yet.

ok sounds like ill just keep truckin and get the rest of it put together and see what happens.

I know you are putting in a 4.0...

What I'm saying is that in REMOVING the 2.9 harness you "pulled the plug" for everything powered from the dashboard.


This is largely because of the goofy, mentally RETARDED way that ford did the power-distribution on the '83-88 Rangers.

I personally have no hesitation in calling the original engineers on the ranger a flock of "phark-tards".

I will happily provide other examples to anyone who asks...

But here is one for free... Why is the engine cross-member different between 2wd and 4x4 Rangers?

Because a group of phark-tards "painted themselves into a corner" in designing the 1982 Ranger so as not to allow for a 4x4 front axle.
The 1983 Bronco2 reveals the monumental nature of their screw up as the Bronco2 was designed with 4x4 in mind and the wider cross-member to accommodate it.
and even later the 2wd Bronco2 showed how they should have done it in the first place....

I'll say it this way: "Excellence is never making the mistake in the first place"

The engineers/executives who designed the frame for the original Ranger that necessitated a redesign to allow for 4x4, shouldn't have been fired, they should have been executed by IMPALEMENT...

Example #2
You really don't want to know what I think should have be done to the engineering team responsible for the 1998-ish Taurus/Sable.

These are the idiots that designed a car where DROPPING The SUBFRAME (or disassembling the engine and removing the rear cylinder head) is necessary to replace the Alternator!

Add to that instituting a corporate requirement for all engineers employed by Ford to have worked for a minimum of two years as a service technician (I.E. Mechanic).

ok better question how do i get power back to the dash. i have the donor. and ive pulled everything that went with it. all the grounds are hooked up and the distribution box has power. i got the head light to come on. just not the dash. most of the gauges work. just illumination doesnt work. i didnt see any dash grounds