91 8 plug in a 88 4 plug wiring help

[ibdalovely1]

ok ok so ive got a 88 2.3 ranger and put a 91 2.3 8 plug in it i found the tft to dis printout but the 88 dosnt have a crank position sensor sooooooo ive ben hunting in my book and online for the pin outs for the cps and trying to figure out where they go i know their is 5 wires 1 is the shielding so thats not the issue but this is what ive got

red/lt green v bat

grey is for cid

blue is pip

black\orange shows going to the dis and the eca

so the question is this i understand the basics of where they go but dose anyone know exactly where it all goes or a diagram im real tempted to just but the 4 plug head back on it but this engine only has 75k miles and the other one has over 200k

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

The '91 needs an ICM(ignition control module, also called EDIS) that is what connects to the CKP sensor and also the 2 coil packs.
It also sends CKP pulse to computer and gets back computer feedback on spark advance(old TFI SPOUT wire)
ICM is/was located on the front of the lower intake manifold

I don't think the '88 computer will be able to understand the '91 ICM signal, so you will need a different computer and wiring harness for this conversion.

Wiring is here: http://easyautodiagnostics.com/ford/2.3L/icm-and-crank-sensor-tests-1

The '91 should still have gear setup for the distributor, so no need to swap heads, you could use the TFI setup, just don't use 4 of the spark plugs

 

[Mark_88]

Or you could make your life easier and just use the original 88 wiring and distributor intake and sensors. The only reason you would need the cranks sensor is because the later EDIS system required it...the older system can run the 2.3 with what you had as long as the rest of the stuff bolts on...

I've used quite a few different year parts on my 88 2.0 setup and they all seemed to work fine...as in everything bolts right up...sometimes using earlier years stuff with later year electronics required drilling holes for things like the crank position sensor...but that's one of the few things that needed to be added to older stuff...

 

[ibdalovely1]

so the edis is the module on the intake i have that i got all the connectors and a bunch of wiring ive got a diagram that shows how to convert it from the tfi module to the dis module thats what i know where everything goes from what i read it uses the same signals as the tfi im gonna look to see if i can find a link for the tfi ti the dis/edis modules ive got a printout of it dont remember where i got it though

with the with the 8 plug head the intake wont allow the distributer to be in the same space and i cant use the either of the intakes i have from a d port or the round port intakes they will not like up at all its totally different heads

ive debated just swapping the heads to one of the others but im not in a huge rush and would rather keep this as a complete engine but will if i need to

 

[ibdalovely1]

http://www.merkurxr4ti.com/ref/dpdis_wiring_mods.PDF

 

[Mark_88]

OK, now I remember the configuration and the problems with keeping the old wiring. Swapping to the 4 plug head would be necessary and is not at all difficult.

There are a few benefits of the later system but not many...and not any significant gains in either HP or emission reduction...until you get to the modifications in the head that came in 95 or 96...or even 98 on the 2.5.

The diagram seem simple enough...I would like to see the end result if you are going to post a build thread...always good to know these things.