2006 FX Level II 5.0L AWD swap, and the lessons I'm currently learning during this project...

[2Krngr]

The newer ranger cluster is boring, kinda ugly and is missing actual gauges for Oil Pressure and Battery Voltage. So I wanted to convert back to the Older gauges, I am using a 2002 Explorer Sport cluster and matching silver face AC control gauge face as well.

I cut the pigtails from the explorer and just matched up the functions wire for wire to 2006 Ranger Canbus cluster. And it works fine.

Explorer Cluster Plugs:

Below is the 2006 cluster plugs:

Explorer Cluster Plugs converted to the 2006 Ranger harness:

 

[RobbieD]

Very nice work.

 

[2Krngr]

Just a side note, there is so much talk about the newer rangers with the Canbus Cluster being so complicated, intergrating with the ECU, GEM, PATS, SPEEDO, ETC... But all that is just misinformation. Now that I have DONE IT. That cluster isn't doing anything but holding the mileage and the CANBUS connection just reads and/or programs the mileage from/to it with a scan tool. The ECU is still OBDII, and the PATS DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CLUSTER WHATSOEVER.

Yes the GEM module is different and works a little differently, but I did not swap it out, it is still stock.

My speedometer just works, there was nothing I had to do. As there is already a VSS wire path in the truck that goes to the cluster, gem, abs, and rear end, I'm not sure why all the confusion on this. Maybe someone else did a swap that did not work, I don't know, but it works on mine. Oil, Voltage, Fuel, Temp, RPM, Speedo, and All dummy lights work properly on the cluster.

However there are two minor things that do not currently work.

1) The door chime does not work as the chime speaker is inside the 2006 Canbus Cluster, previous Ranger/Explorer the Chime is inside the GEM module.

2) The 2006 Cluster has 2 individual door ajar inputs and the older Ranger/Explorer had one input and they were on the same circuit in series. I initially put the single 2002 Explorer Cluster wire to Both Door wires that went to the 2006 Cluster, and the Door Ajar light worked fine when either door opened, but the roof dome light would not cut off when you shut the door (it would time out after 10 minutes or so as when the truck battery saver function kicked in), this was annoying, but by disconnecting one of the two door wires it worked fine, so it was getting some sort of feedback to the GEM module causing that.

So it seems if I converted the 2006 GEM module to the 2000 Explorer GEM it would probably fix the Chime and the Dome Light. But I personally don't care about either function that much, so it's not a priority. But one day I may mess with trying it, but it is just like the Cluster swap, the connectors are way different on both trucks, so I need to sit down and research the functions for all the wires on both trucks and make another spreadsheet.

So at the end of the day, the entire swap is done, it's kinda involved but really not that bad at all, I spent more time researching the wiring diagrams and making spreadsheets than I did in actual physical labor of the entire mechanical swap and wiring.

Don't be scared to swap a newer truck, there are just a few extra things to do, and you don't have to swap the cluster, I just did it because I wanted to.

 

[Ranger850]

Awesome job. You dared to go where few have traveled and even came out the other side to share your adventures. Thanks for that. I plan on a similar swap. 2000 v8 EB awd explorer into my single cab 01 Ranger Edge. I want it to be an awd street truck/sleeper. This is motivation

 

[2Krngr]

Awesome job. You dared to go where few have traveled and even came out the other side to share your adventures. Thanks for that. I plan on a similar swap. 2000 v8 EB awd explorer into my single cab 01 Ranger Edge. I want it to be an awd street truck/sleeper. This is motivation

Thanks! an 01 edge won't be too bad, you already have the older cluster, the older fuel line connector, (the front braided fuel feed I grabbed at the junkyard was from am 03 Edge), and Torsion frame, which you can bolt the front diff housing onto, you would need to grab the spindles, cv shafts, and upper control arms from the explorer. And an 01 should still have the older steering rack threaded port connections, not the quick release oring style.

If you are trying to stay manual with the AWD though, that is a whole different set of issues to overcome, I know people do the 4wd/manaul v8 conversion with some f150 t-case, but haven't seen the AWD manual conversion??

 

[2Krngr]

Forgot to show the PATS, so I just added PATS from the explorer just like you would do with any other non-pats ranger, you just add the key transponder ring, the control module, and tap it anywhere into the OBD II wires. Then add ground, hot in start, and hook up the theft LED (could be to the theft light in the cluster or any other LED you wanted to add anywhere).

The 2006 type-E key transponder is different and the plug is different as show in my other posts. I just removed the the entire harness form the Explorer put it in the Ranger, tapped the 2 OBD wires to the OBD port, and got the ground and hot-in-start feed from the old connector that the 2006 transponder ring connected to. I just did everything right under the steering column, it only takes a few minutes to install the complete system right there without running any additional wiring anywhere or adding any non-factory wiring. (you could run the wires behind the dash to install the control box in the factory location behind the passenger airbag if you like, but there is room to bolt it perfectly under the column).

 

[rubydist]

Thank you for documenting all of that! It will save the rest of us a lot of time in doing that swap. Now, if only I didn't have to pass emissions tests every 2 years....

 

[Ranger850]

Thanks! an 01 edge won't be too bad, you already have the older cluster, the older fuel line connector, (the front braided fuel feed I grabbed at the junkyard was from am 03 Edge), and Torsion frame, which you can bolt the front diff housing onto, you would need to grab the spindles, cv shafts, and upper control arms from the explorer. And an 01 should still have the older steering rack threaded port connections, not the quick release oring style.

If you are trying to stay manual with the AWD though, that is a whole different set of issues to overcome, I know people do the 4wd/manaul v8 conversion with some f150 t-case, but haven't seen the AWD manual conversion??

I plan on keeping the automatic transmission. I have the whole explorer as a donor. PO stripped the interior but all wires are there, complete drivetrain minus the rear end. Just need the time, some tools, and the space to do it all now. LoL

 

[Profive.oh]

Below is the spreadsheet first draft, do not consider this final, but it was enough to get truck started.

The items in GREY are the pins that require no changes, they are the same function and the same pin position on both plugs.

You will notice it has the same pin 42 Yellow/White Alternator Sense wire issue that other year have, so that fix is the same as any other swap guide for getting the alternator to charge.

But the only change that is stopping it from starting is the Pin 1 Power to ignition coils. The 4.0 powers it's 1 coil from the PCM power, but the 5.0 has 2 coils on dedicated 25amp fuse, so I wouldn't want to just tap power for that pin from the Red Pin 9 like the 4.0 uses. So I had jumped a wire to the battery for the startup test and will loom in a feed for it.

The circuit number column allows you to search alldata, identifix, or the oem service manual/EWD books for the full diagram of that particular function. Maybe this will be helpful to others in the future doing this swap.

View attachment 77483

Hi, I am new to this form I registered because of this thread. This is the exact swap that I am doing a 2006 FX4 level ll Ranger except I went ahead and used a 99 Ford explore engine. wow this is a lot of information. Very good information! This is too much information for me to take in all at once. So sorry for my questions that you have already probably answered. One of my questions is on the 42 pin connector. Did you have to splice any wires together? I see that all the gray ones are the same and both connectors but the white ones did you have to splice any of them besides the number 42 pin and running a new power wire for the coils?

Did you use the number nine pin on the Ranger side to power one of the coils for the explorer 5.0 or did you just run new wires altogether to power the coils? Also, I see that in the fuse box, where them fuses are that you added there is already one spade sticking up is it hot already when key is on as to where all I need to do is put the other one in and run it to the 42 pin connector?

 

[Profive.oh]

The next issue is the charge harness body connector. The 4.0 has a bunch of wires my 5.0 did not, although the wiring diagrams showed more functions in the connector for 5.0 mine didn't have.

In the column on the left the 3 grey lines are the only populated pins in my 5.0, which were Starter trigger and AC Clutch +/-

View attachment 77475

Another question I have, so on that plug-in there on the fender well I will only have The starting solenoid wire, and the AC clutch positive and negative wires. So just three wires that’s it then I run the other two wires the oil pressure light and the battery light wires to inside in the cockpit of this missile

 

[bobbywalter]

i am amazed.. i would have taken the opportunity to get rid of pats and simplify all of the systems.


never seen this till now. very impressed.

 

[Profive.oh]

i am amazed.. i would have taken the opportunity to get rid of pats and simplify all of the systems.


never seen this till now. very impressed.

From what I understand there’s no way around pats. If there is enlighten me, it would be so much easier to finish this build.

 

[rubydist]

You can eliminate the pats with Forscan. Keep in mind that makes it easier to steal. (Think of all the Hyundai/KIA thefts lately...)

 

[Profive.oh]

You can eliminate the pats with Forscan. Keep in mind that makes it easier to steal. (Think of all the Hyundai/KIA thefts lately...)

Is that a programmer or something?

 

[bobbywalter]

From what I understand there’s no way around pats. If there is enlighten me, it would be so much easier to finish this build.

yup.... i would start with a 6.0 and an ar5. swap in my own gauging.... with it as simple as possible.

no pats.