Welcome to the forum

You will need to rewire to get engine to start with the key

What year is the donor and I will see if I have the wiring diagram, I have it for the 1999

You also need to rewire for Reverse Lights

 

The donor is a 1998 XLT 2.5; mine being a ‘99 XLT 2.5. No anti-theft systems in either.

 

1999 auto should have a clutch switch by-pass, that is odd, I show it on diagrams

1998 should have the clutch pedal switch

Its a 6 wire connector

From 1983 to around 2002 all Ranger wiring harnesses were for manual transmissions, and the clutch pedal switch bypass was added to automatics
In 2002 and up there were separate wiring harness's, manual and auto, so no bypass

You can work around any wiring issue but have a closer look for the 6 wire connector

Diagram of connector here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/a...1&d=1501420503

5 and 6 are the pins/wires that need to be connected to pass the 12volts from the key in START to the starter relay in fuse box

 

Where might this jumper be then? Is it in the relative location of where the clutch will be, or is it farther up near the dash, or possibly on the backside of the bundle of wires? As for the reverse light wiring, wouldn’t that already be on the harness I’m taking from the donor truck? Or was it located in the column?

 

Should be closer to the firewall, on the driver's side of the brake pedal assembly. It may be zip-tied to the harness. It's a pretty big plug with a plastic cap over it, most are grey in color.

The reverse wires depend on which harness you're using. If you're swapping out the engine/transmission harness, then it will already be on the manual transmission harness. However if you're using your stock auto harness, you will have to cut the appropriate wires from the Digital Transmission Range Sensor and splice them into a connector for the reverse switch on a manual.

 

No, I do not have a jumper plug. What would the best way to wire the sensor in be?

 

Depending on how your truck is actually wired, you might not need to wire in the sensor, it's more of a safety thing. I've seen people add a simple switch into the starting circuit instead.

If you're serious about the swap, I highly recommend acquiring a set of the factory wiring diagrams. They take the guess work out of the wiring.

 

Another question for you. My truck has 15” rims, and the donor has 14” rims. Id like to keep my 15” rims for sentimental reasons. What might I need to do to keep the computer reading correct since I’m using the donors computer?

 

Tire size is what matters. If you keep the tire size the same or the next size up, you won't really notice an issue.

 

I am considering swapping my 2001 4.0L 4x4 to a manual. Only thing that is holding me back is the PCM stuff. But I found this company that will sell you the PCM with 2 keys programmed to it. I reached out to them to see if the PCM comes with the 3k rev limiter removed.

Essentially it sounds like this should solve any rev limiter issues and also PATS issues I might have. You guys are pretty well versed in PCM stuff so wondering what your take is on this.

Here's a link to this. https://www.fs1inc.com/engine-comput...0-mb-rih1.html

 

Welcome to the forum

Never used flagship 1 products, but never heard anything bad about them either

REV limiter on manual trans PCM is when clutch pedal is down, or speedometer is under 5MPH, it doesn't have a Neutral switch, just a clutch switch, which you will need to add , I think 2001 still had the wiring above pedal area for that, in 2002/3 I think that was dropped so there were 2 different wiring harnesses, manual and auto, prior to this all wiring harnesses were manual and auto required an add on harness that plugged into the clutch switch

Before the swap but after you get the new PCM with the 2 new key, drive to a locksmith he can then cut the new keys, they should also work in the doors as well, if current key does, the new keys won't start the truck until new PCM is in but should work on the doors and turn the ignition on

 

Thanks Ron appreciate it!

Certainly makes sense with the clutch switch. Was overlooking that in my part stock piling though lol. Hoping to find a good donor vehicle here soon to get all of what I need for cheap.

Good thoughts, thanks.

 

I looked it up, 2002 was the last wiring harness that used the clutch jumper plug-in for an automatic trans

So your 2001 will have the clutch switch plug, just unplug the auto trans jumper from it and plug it into the clutch switch on the clutch pedal push rod
2003 automatic Ranger wouldn't have that plug/jumper

And I see its a 4x4, so for 4low you need foot on the brake and clutch pedal down or it won't shift to 4low, as that's the neutral switch on manuals

 

Ron, you're right about all this. I went to the junk yard today to search around for some stuff. Found a 97 Ranger that had a pedal assembly in it along with the shifter and shifter boot. That was about it from this one lol.

Removed all the bolts from the assy. The master cylinder is stuck on the pedal assembly and I can't get it through the firewall to remove the assembly. Going to have to go back in a couple days to get the dang thing out.

Another thing that has come to my mind that you may or may not know. I've seen mixed things about front and rear driveshafts in this swap. Since my 01 is 4x4, I'm wondering if I'm going to have to get different driveshafts once I switch from auto trans to manual.

Thanks

 

Clutch safety switch not master cylinder I mean.

 

The 2001 to 2011 M5OD-R1 manual transmissions have a different length shifter arm, than 2000 and older M5OD-R1, so just a heads up, shifters are not interchangeable

The 4x4 automatics and manuals have matching lengths so drive shafts are the same
2WD are not the same from manual and automatic

You couldn't just unplug the clutch switch and spin it?
It is often clipped to the master, but pulls loose, and the plastic tab slides to release it, diagram here:
https://www.justanswer.com/uploads/t...tch_switch.gif

 

Ok good to know. When I go back I will leave the shifter in this case.

Awesome! Happy to not buy new driveshafts.

No I could not, you know how you have to spin it and pull it out of the square hole? Well I spun it and it just will not come out of the hole. So I'm gonna get it out somehow tomorrow. I didn't have a hammer with me yesterday so a little more force should pop it out.

The search for parts continues...

 

You need to remove the neutral safety switch from the master cylinder first, or you're just going to break it.

Slide the safety switch up the rod, then rotate it around so you can see the clip(s) on it. The factory ford unit should be black with a clear (now yellowed and opaque) cover. This cover will slide up/pop off, and once done, you can remove the safety switch from the master. The master actuator rod is held to the pedal by a press-on bushing. Just put a screwdriver between the end and the pedal. It'll pop off. The "bushing" is on the shelf at most all parts stores.

Then push up on the master from the fender well, twist, and pull out. I

 

I did end up getting it out, thanks!

 

Back for a few more questions. Short update, finally got my truck (99 ranger 2.5) fired up. Found a few vacuum leaks and after fixing them everything appears to be functioning normally now. The problem I have currently and cant seem to find a fix for is my coolant gauge isn’t working. I just replaced the thermostat and housing so both sensors are brand new. No check engine light and the only code I can muster out of the truck is a P1116 - Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor Out of Self-Test Range achieved on both KOEO and With that code, I recall the scanner reading a coolant temp. Likely irrelevant, my heater hoses to the core stay cold, even after achieving operating temperature.

 

You have one ECT(engine coolant temp) sensor, its only for the computer, no connection to temp gauge on dash

And you have one ECT sender, S E N D E R, for the temp gauge, not a sensor, a sender use 12volts, a sensor use 5volts so not interchangeable
The ECT sender will use a Red/black stripe wire and a black/white stripe wire
It you pull off that connector and GROUND the Red/black stripe wire, then turn on the key the temp gauge should go all the way up to HOT, this tests if the wire and gauge are working, it doesn't hurt anything
Then use a jumper wire between the Red/black and black/white wires, should put gauge all the way to HOT again, the Black/white wire is a Ground, you just tested that it is.

If gauge went to HOT then wiring/gauge is OK so you are down to the bad "new" SENDER or engine is actually running COLD

Start engine cold, feel upper rad hose, should be COLD of course
Let engine idle for 2 minutes
Feel upper rad hose again, should still be COLD, if its warming up the "new" thermostat is not working

Upper rad hose should not be used/warm until engine is fully warmed up, about 8 minutes if under 40degF outside

You will need to pull off one of the heater hoses and blow into the Heater Core to see if its clogged up, thats the only reason both hoses would be cold, and if the ECT sender is on one of those hoses then gauge would be show COLD and be correct

 

The valve at the core was sticking, so I went ahead and replaced it. The wiring and gauge tested fine and oddly enough after installing the new valve the gauge started working again. I’ve installed a bleeder/flush port for a future flush I will do, and to purge the air out of the heater core that I come to find out existed.

 

Good work

 

Mr. Bagpipes: Where did you install your bleeder/flush port? In one of the heater core hoses; the one which could be held the highest?

Did you install a 1/4 turn valve or a garden hose "T"?

 

I used a garden hose t fitting on the hose from the thermostat just before the heater valve. Not the highest point, but an effective one for flushing - I think. Because the hoses around this fitting wouldn’t stop leaking, I removed the fitting all together and I’ll put it back in the spring when I decide to flush it.