how to tell what type of transmission 4.0 l ranger engine was mated to from factory

[piedrarock]

the 8901 photo is the connector with the two colored wires ( purple and orange)that in the context of the wiring harness itself , is closest to the power distribution box, which is up front , therefore closest to the transmission, so i figured this or a connector would link this to the transmission .
( the 8905 pic with bulb connector is way farther down the line ) at the back of vehicle in the tail light region .
i would like to apologize for not checking photos and making sure that they show the best image of the problem that we are trying to solve , especially the first batch of pictures !I dont want you to think Im tooo much of an idiot. lol?
But alas , I have unfortunately deduced that for sure this harness is from an automatic. I called a wrecker regarding this same subject , and with the serial numbers off of ecu, he went into his system and went to section re. ecu s and harnesses, and read back the EXACT same serial number that i had written down to figure out wtf .He then corralated the ecu that he has with the info that they take down when they buy a vehicle to wreck , and it was (the ecu) from a 91 4.0 L explorer ,automatic.
But knowledge is king, and knowing that , we talked about how existing ecu would react to first of all not being hooked up to a ford tranny , secondly not auto , and thirdly how to connect some type of circuit with this section of harness.
this led to further discussion regarding swapping out the existing ecu with a bonafied manual tranny ecu.
what would you guys think , get going with existing ecu and harness and have the manual ecu in my back pocket in case of a stonewall?
thanks for everything thus far and the knowledge and opinions to come as well .

 

[RonD]

The automatic harness can be used, for sure, and with a manual PCM(ecu)

Manual PCM here, from a 1990: https://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-EXPLORER-ECM-ECU-4-0-MANUAL-SHIFT-FO7F-12A650-VA-ENGINE-COMPUTER-BRAIN-1991/164557721816?hash=item26506790d8:g:4fgAAOSwHVVfykw0

You will need to add Reverse light wiring for manual trans, and jumper the START wires on the automatic plug in, these are all found on the NSS wiring plug

Using Auto PCM without automatic trans will just cause Check engine light to stay on, and a bit higher idle for now

 

[piedrarock]

Thanks RonD , you fellow canuck you , as im not up to on speed on your lingo , can I ask for more detail on jumping the start wires on the automatic plugin , and to let me know what a NSS wiring plug is ? is it part of existing harness ( that big fkr white round one with 60some odd wires coming out of it) it sounds like you have done something like this before ,engine swap to another make of car ) or are you an electrical type teck?
thank you for your input
dean

 

[RonD]

I like wires..................its so COOL when they heat up and melt, magic smoke is the key

Is this 4.0l going back into a Ranger?

The starting circuit is not "technically" part of computer harness

In most vehicles there will be an ignition switch and when its put in the START position it will send out 12volts on one wire
And that wire just ran thru firewall to the Starter Relay(starter solenoid) on the inner fender
This 12volts activated the starter relay and it then sent 12volts directly from the positive battery terminal to the Starter Motor
(before this, there was just a button on the dash you pushed to activate the starter relay, we HAVE come full circle, lol)

In the 1970's "starting in gear" became a Public safety hazard, idiots at work, lol
So a "neutral switch" was added to the START circuit

The wire from the ignition switch ran to a switch on the clutch pedal or a switch on the automatic shifter on the side of transmission
Clutch pedal down closed the switch so the 12volts could pass thru to the Starter Relay
Having automatics shifter in Park or Neutral allowed that switch to pass the 12volts to the starter relay

Either is called Neutral switch but Clutch switch is often just called clutch switch, lol

Look for Red/light blue stripe wire or Pink wire in 1991 harness, but as said you don't NEED to use those wires, its a pretty simple setup to just run a wire from ignition switch to starter relay, and its done
Just don't be an idiot and start engine "in gear", lol

 

[Dirtman]

 

[piedrarock]

Thanks again RonD for your explanations , no, its not going into a ranger , its IN a karmann ghia .mated to a volkwagen bus tranny, via kennedy engineered engine adapter , suported by 2, 2 by 3 in metal tubing that runs from front of car ( where rad will be installed )to back of car where motor is supported by said tubes , bolted struts going up to factory motor mount ..tubes will be vessel for transporting water from eng. to rad .
I might have to plumb a pump of some sort just after rad to help coolant on return journey , but that is a ways ahead still .
With regards to ecu and existing factory working still electrical system in ghia , is it possible to use both systems in the car?it is 12 v .
Obviously ecu and harness to a point in starting and running of engine , but will headlights , turnsignals etc still work or will they fight each other electrically speaking?
i look fwd to yours and any other replies on this
thanks

 

[RonD]

1994 and earlier Ranger/explorer computer just runs the fuel system, calculates injector open time
It also calculates "Engine Load" spark advance, in this case for the EDIS-6 spark module, used on the 4.0l OHVs up thru 1994
i.e. the computer is the "vacuum advance" for distributorless spark system

EDIS-6 module is connected to crank sensor and coil pack
Crank sensor is the "timing pulse" used for EDIS-6's RPM based spark timing, which then starts grounding and ungrounding the coil pack
EDIS-6 with crank sensor and coil pack are an autonomous spark system, just add 12v and ground and you have timed spark, very popular system for hotrodders because it is reliable and easy to install
But it has no "Load" spark advance

So this timing pulse is also sent to the computer(and tachometer), this times the fuel injectors
Since computer has a Throttle sensor(TPS) and Air flow sensor(MAF) it can also calculate engine "load", which changes the air/fuel mix, and when that changes Spark Timing also needs to change thats what "vacuum advance" was for
Computer sends "load" timing to EDIS-6 so it can compensate for load at any RPM

None of this has anything to do with cranking the engine over to start it
Computer/EDIS-6 doesn't even know you want to start the engine UNTIL............the crank sensor starts to send a timing pulse to the EDIS-6 module, i.e. crank spins and crank sensor starts to pulse AC voltage

So with your build you just need a 12volt signal from the dash/key to activate starter relay and starter motor
When engine/crankshaft starts to turn EDIS-6 will start spark and computer will start fuel injectors

 

[piedrarock]

I have read I dont know where , about somethings that possibly that might throw a wrench into system , one is built in security system in wiring harness ( only allows factory type key would be recognized by system ) and allow engine to turn over , also this vertigo vehicle rollover switch component of system would have to stay in wiring scheme .
What about the running of two 12v elec. systems, would I just cap off wires and pathways that are in harness( signals , headlights ,power windows, heater , radio etc and use the ones already in use , and just use branches and wires to starting and revving etc?
PS what about getting rid of or inorporating o2 sensors into exhaust system that is only factory manifolds and short (12 to 16 in total length) length of tube to dual mufflers ?,

 

[RonD]

Ford calls it PATS(passive anti-theft system), V6 Rangers got this in 1999, option in 1998, all Rangers got it in 2002

So you are fine with 1991

 

[piedrarock]

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay