89 bronco 2 - 4.0 conversion. Wiring Harness question

[kslemmon]

Hello all,
I am about to buy a complete 4.0 with harness to drop in my 89 bronco 2.
Does anyone know what would be the easiest swap pertaining to the wiring harness. I am defiantly getting a pre 1995.
I was thinking 90’ ranger. Or would the 90’ explorer be easier or would it be the same harness? Is the Harness the same up until 1994 on explores and rangers?
thanks
Kasey Slemmon

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Ranger harness, ideally 90-92 would be the one to get. You may still have to splice a few wires, but that’s the closest to plug n play. I got a 91 Ranger harness and a 91 Explorer harness when I did mine and the Ranger harness matched the closest. For whatever reason, the Explorer harnesses are different from Ranger. Still can be used, but requires a lot more splicing.

Both can be used, any harness that still puts the computer in the passenger footwell will work, and ones that have it in the cowl you can always modify the cowl but that’s more work. But unless that’s your only option, I’d go for the easier route.

 

[kslemmon]

Thanks!

 

[RonD]

Manual or automatic matters, Explorers were mostly Automatics

Calif 4.0l's had EGR wiring in harness also Cam sensor wiring
4.0l Calif computer would look for these and set codes if they were not hooked up and working

 

[kslemmon]

I didn’t think obd1 ecu s communicated with the transmission???
I have a c4 with an adapter (advanced adapters) for the transfer case. As of now I have 1350 transfer case manual shift but going to swap it for a 1354 with flanges on both sides to ge rid of the slip yoke also have it with a electronic shift. The b2 is a Eddie Bauer with push button 4x4. Was hoping to use the same switch to engage the 4x4 and just adapt the connections.

I forgot to mention I plan on using the computer out of the 4.0 as well. Shouldn’t this take of the egr and cam sensor issue?

 

[kslemmon]

Trans makes a difference because of the neutral safety switch?

 

[RonD]

A4LD was first transmission with a solenoid that used/needed OBD1 computer control
1985 thru 1994, 1988/89 added a 2nd solenoid

Previous C-series transmissions didn't

 

[Shran]

I forgot to mention I plan on using the computer out of the 4.0 as well. Shouldn’t this take of the egr and cam sensor issue?

Not all 4.0s had cam sensors and not all 4.0s had EGR. 90-92 had neither, 93 Explorer could have had a cam sensor, Ranger did not, and no EGR on either. '94 Explorer has a cam sensor AND EGR, Ranger may or may not. California emissions might be different on any of those.

It's only a problem if you use a computer and harness that is looking for something that's not there - '94 ECM with a '90-92 engine...for example... EGR and cam sensor can be added to an older engine but it's easier to start with matching parts. '93 up 4.0 had better heads but '90-92 harness is easier to work with.

 

[RonD]

Yes, Calif at the time required EGR and cam sensors, other states used Federal emissions so did not, until 1995, then 4.0ls needed them and downstream O2s as well, lol

1990-1992 could have been different in Calif, 1993/94 for sure needed EGR and cam sensors

 

[bobbywalter]

the bad thing about the 4.0..... you want to make sur you have a matched setup. explorer wiring has some serious options over a ranger the way climate control and keyless entry etc....power roof.....stereos. ideally, you want to drive the donor or at least run it.....checking for codes and oil psi and temp.

 

[kslemmon]

I’m going to fully rebuild the engine.
I ran esslinger engineering for 20 years so engine building comes easy… Everything else, not so much.

called around and found a engine, harness and ecu out of a 91 Ranger for 900 bucks.

seems like the c5 bell housing is going to be hard To come by though. Had a couple wrecking yards tell me “good luck with that”.
anyone know where I can source a bell housing for my C4?

 

[bobbywalter]

I’m going to fully rebuild the engine.
I ran esslinger engineering for 20 years so engine building comes easy… Everything else, not so much.

called around and found a engine, harness and ecu out of a 91 Ranger for 900 bucks.

seems like the c5 bell housing is going to be hard To come by though. Had a couple wrecking yards tell me “good luck with that”.
anyone know where I can source a bell housing for my C4?

summit.



errr... ummmm..... ... you ran esslinger?


hell i have probably talked to you on the phone and ordered stuff from you for pinto/stang and ranger projects in michigan..and a futura and a maverick.



why dont you build a 4 whizzer?



and...i have to ask...you paid 900 for a system that may be older then half the posters here....over buying a ms3? man....i would do a speedway 22 circuit and a ms3 and have a totally new system of wiring....and full control of that 4.0.

 

[kslemmon]

Haha, we might have spoke before.
I mainly dealt with the open wheel guys though.

I was looking into to the ms but I want to make this as simple as possible.
And… the smog nazis in CA will not allow it. I was planning on taking the truck to the smog ref and getting it legalized. You can’t do that with a stand alone.
I was going to do a 2.5 eco boost but the
smog ref made it a nightmare of a project.

i didn’t think 900 was THAT bad for a complete engine with computer and harness. We were paying 250 for 2.3 turbo block cores.

what’s going rate?

 

[bobbywalter]

Haha, we might have spoke before.
I mainly dealt with the open wheel guys though.

I was looking into to the ms but I want to make this as simple as possible.
And… the smog nazis in CA will not allow it. I was planning on taking the truck to the smog ref and getting it legalized. You can’t do that with a stand alone.
I was going to do a 2.5 eco boost but the
smog ref made it a nightmare of a project.

i didn’t think 900 was THAT bad for a complete engine with computer and harness. We were paying 250 for 2.3 turbo block cores.

what’s going rate?

toledo/detroit 350 to 450. i thought you paid that for just pcm and wiring....

 

[kslemmon]

A4LD was first transmission with a solenoid that used/needed OBD1 computer control
1985 thru 1994, 1988/89 added a 2nd solenoid

Previous C-series transmissions didn't

Thanks for all the great info Ron,
For the tranny-
Using a 91 ecu and harness will I just be able to pull the wires to the shift solenoid since my C4 dosent require it? Will it throw a light or create any other issues?

Thanks again for everyone’s help. Much appreciated