Ok guys I need help. I've taken the 5 speed out of the 88 and swapped it for the automatic in the 87. I know somewhere on this site I saw a description of which wires I need to cross to make the computer think the truck is in neutral, but I can't find it anywhere. Can someone please at least point me in the right direction

Thanks Greg

 

red/blue wires on automatic's neutral switch need to be connected together, there will be at least 2 but maybe 3, all need to be connected together, 3rd one powers the spark system
In 1989 Ford thru in a Pink wire, 1988 may have that as well, so connect pink and red/blue wires together

You also need the 2 backup(reverse) light wires, should be the only 2 wires left on a pre-1995 automatic neutral switch

 

RonD

Thanks for the quick response, as usual what I have doesn't match anything. Chiltons says neutral switch has black/white and white/black. You're saying red, blue, pink. here's what I have. three plugs coming out of the loom.

White male plug
1 orange
1 red

black round female plug
1 white/red stripe
1 red/white stripe
1 red/blue stripe
1 black
1 purple

black round female
1 brown
1 black
1 green/black strip

 

Ron D
Thanks for the quick response. As usual what I have doesn't match anything. Chiltons says neutral switch is black/white, and white/black. You have red, blue, pink. Here's what is actually in the truck harness.

white male plug

1 orange
1 red

black female plug
1 white/red stipe
1 red/white stripe
1 red/blue stripe
1 purple
1 black

black round female
1 brown
1 black
1 green/black stripe

87 2.9 auto- swapping to 88 5speed

 

Ford did use White/pink for START, maybe looks white/red
So white/pink to red/blue

Purple is most likely Backup lights 12v with key on, test it, I show purple with Orange stripe for 1987
Should be no solid Black wire on neutral switch, should have a stripe
Black wire with a stripe on the neutral switch should run to backup light bulbs in tail lights

That leaves the red/white at neutral switch, it should be red/blue and spliced with another wire in the connector, there are only 4 contacts on the switch, not 5, so with 5 wires 2 wire should already be spliced/connected at the female plug



The 2 wire connector was for the TCC solenoid inside A4LD transmission, has 12v with key on so needs to be sealed so no shorts

3 wire connector could be for O2 sensor in 1987/88

 

Thanks for all your help, fortunately for me, i wasn't my usual cut it off and fix it later self. I made some jumpers first to cross the wires in the plug. well, that didn't work, so as i was standing there scratching my head I had an epiphany. I walked down to the shed where the transmission is sitting, pulled the switch out of it, went back to the garage and found a fine thread brass cap, and closed the circuit. Anyway, it cranks now, doesn't start, but that's a problem to work on tomorrow. I'm just glad it's turning over now. Again, thank you for all your help.

Greg

 

Just a follow up, after searching for a reason it wouldn't fire for a week, may daughter in law was standing around watching me tinker, and asked "doesn't that need to be plugged in", turns out I somehow managed to pull the plug off the side of the distributor, plugged it back up, and it started right up