So I just swapped my auto with a manual in my 2002 Ranger. The manual was from a 1998 would have been super easy had it have been out of a 2002…but I was never told that they were not the same. The swap itself wasn’t t too bad the issues after however were fun to mess with. So to start things off I am using my old wiring harness and jumping the p/n switch and spliced the reverse lights to the plug and had them working. The pcm for the 98 would not work because the wiring harness is different so the things the pcm on my 2002 controls isn’t working with the 98 pcm. So for now auto pcm appears to be working. If anyone has any questions about the swap let me know I will try and answer them the best I can. Also if anyone could point me in the correct direction in locating a transfer case with a speed sensor that would be awesome!. Since in 1998 the speed sensor came from the rear axle and 2002 came from the transmission. For the information I gathered the only transfer case to fix my issue is the manual shift out of the 2002 fx4 or the 2003 fx4 level two. But that is the most sought after transfer case in these rangers sadly. If anyone has an idea on what might would work let me know. I’m open to anything at this point. I have also considered a gps speedo. Just would like to have the gauge work if it is possible.

 

Another problem you're going to run into is the transfer case linkage.

1. finding the complete manual linkage setup it's very rare anymore, the manual transfer case is the easy part.
2. I doubt your manual transmission has the bosses to bolt the transfer case linkage to, it was also a special transmission for those, only available for the 02 and 03 as far as I know.

 

I thought I read somewhere that the bolt holes were on the trans up till 01 this being a 1998 transmission i think it will have it but I also have not looked or remember if it did when I put it in.

 

Your transmission has the holes for the shifter linkage, but not the hole for the speed sensor. Your problem isn't the transfer case, it's the missing speed sensor hole in the t-case adapter housing, and more than likely the missing gear or teeth on the output shaft for the speed sensor to read. You bought the wrong transmission, and your best option at this point is the GPS speedo because every other option like swapping the adapters and the output shafts, or buying a 2001 transmission are way more money.

 

I did get the wrong trans but I also think that the manual shift transfer case has a vss on it. But I was just trying to get a game plan together to get it back working but I’m not worried about the speed as long as it runs and shifts fine.

 

Welcome to the forum

The 2001 to 2011 Rangers used an OSS(output shaft speed) sensor on the transmission, manual or auto, 2WD or 4x4, for the speed signal

So that's what the 2002 Computer wants, needs

2000 and older Rangers used VSS sensors in different forms
The 1998 trans would not have the OSS, nor a VSS, that was dropped in 1998, from transmissions and transfer cases both

VSS and OSS are both VR(variable reluctance) sensors but different tone wheels and RPM signals
Rear axle VSS was about 20,000PPM(pulse per mile) not sure what the OSS sent out as PPM

There are speed interface units like the Dakota Digital SGI-100BT that can take the rear axle VSS signal and change its PPM and that could be sent to 2002 Computer on its OSS wires that are already there under the vehicle, although I can't say what to set it for
As said both signals are VR so AC volts generated by the sensor

The computer used the OSS signal for speed and then sent out the ADJUSTED speed signal to speedometer and cruise, the 2002 computer would be programmed for axle ratio and tire diameter to calculated adjusted speed signal from OSS
AND
If it is a 4x4 then when you shift into 4low the computer would adjust speedometer signal for the different ratio

Yes, you can use an Automatic computer with a manual transmission, it will just set codes because the solenoids are not hooked up

In my opinion you will be better off swapping out the 1998 M5R1 with a 2001-2011 M5R1 4x4 transmission that has the OSS sensor

 

This is partially correct, but you kept stating Level II and Level II transfer cases do NOT have a VSS on them. The older 1354 from say a 97 or older Ranger 4x4 would be the one with a VSS on the transfer case.

 

But as said, VSS on trans OR transfer case won't help you, so get that out of your thinking

You already HAVE a VSS/ABS sensor on the rear axle if you want to use a speed interface device, so having one on the trans or transfer case is redundant and doesn't help you

You need the OSS sensor signal for the computer

In the beginning
VSS on transmission or transfer case, outputs a 8,000ppm signal to computer, speedo, cruise, used thru 1997, 8,000ppm is the Ford standard speed signal

1998 - 2000 rear axle VSS/ABS outputs 20,000ppm signal, that is sent to GEM module which converted it to the 8,000ppm and sends it out to computer, speedo, and cruise

2001 - 2011 OSS sensor was added to all transmissions, unknown PPM, its signal goes to computer(PCM), computer changes it to 8,000ppm and sends it out to speedo and cruise

OSS PPM, I have seen 32,000ppm mentioned for OSS output, read here: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/197...aet_808115.pdf

If you just want to get your speedo and cruise working then get the SGI-100BT an hook it to rear axle VSS/ABS unit and then to the speedo and cruise, thats what Ford did in the 1998-2000 Rangers

I would NOT buy another transfer case, 100BT is cheaper
But I would buy a 2001-2011 transmission and sell the 1998 model

 

my new fix for the problem. So looking at the diagrams it looks like the sensor is on the extension housing going to the transfer case. If I can find an output shaft and extension housing then couldn’t I just put that shaft in the trans and hook the speed sensor up and have the speedo back working?

 

That might be doable but you will need OSS tail shaft housing and the tail shaft with the tone wheel the OSS reads

Frankly at that point just swapping out the transmission seems easier


I did just find this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/373731400553
The Reluctor wheel(tone wheel) is what the OSS reads, and it looks to be detachable, and held in place like the old speedometer drive gears
So it may work on existing tail shaft, but uncharted territory for me

 

Never torn a transmission apart but the manual is supposed to be easier I think…but am still up in the air on what to do as far as get the 2001+ trans or get the tail housing. I’m thinking for now I might just fix my reverse lights since the pigtail decided to break…and then I’ll drive it around for a bit and see how the transmission preforms. And keep my eyes open for a transmission. I’m just not the biggest fan of crawling around in a junkyard pulling a part when the snakes are out.

 

So after more investigation and reading. I think my easiest and best option other than finding a new transmission is that I could just run the wires for the sensor for the abs on the rear axle and splice into that then run that back to the wires that plug into the sensor for the speed that used to be on the transmission and if I can figure out what the ppm was for the transmission and the ppm for the rear axle then have the SGI-100 make the speed signal so the pcm will have the correct ppm and everything should work. Or am I not thinking about it in the right way.

 

car-part.com
This is a good place to look for local used parts

I would send an email or call Dakota Digital about this PPM conversion
Basically you are UP Converting the PPM, 20,000ppm(VSS/ABS) to 32,000ppm(OSS) for the PCM(Computer)
They may have the exact PPM numbers needed
And what settings to use on the SGI-100BT if this up conversion is even possible, I have only used these for down conversion, i.e. 20,000ppm to 8,000ppm

 

So I did the swap and I got my speedo to work using the Dakota digital device. Wasn’t to bad I used the signal from the real diff witch comes in right beside the shifter I spliced into that and ended up using the push buttons on the device it’s self to set the speed up the app wasn’t working for me but it’s all good now. Lesson to be learned from this…if your doing the swap make sure you have the transmission you need.

 

Glad to see you were able to get it worked out. I tried pulling the m50d apart when I bought one to make it 4x4 and it turned into a nightmare because the "parts professionals" I got my new output shift from sent me the wrong one.

 

yeah I was worried about that the one I was looking at getting wasn’t making since to me because the teeth on the reluctor was different from what was on the auto. I will saw the Dakota digital sgi 100bt was a pain to set the app did not want to work but I eventually able to get it set up right.

 

I lucked out and was able to get the correct extension housing and the correct shift once I sent the whole thing off to be rebuilt, but I had to have some custom tuning don't to my auto pcm to have the speedo make sense of the input signal since I just wired the manuals OSS to wires for the VSS on the auto.

 

im still on the auto pcm the cel would be on if there was a bulb in it…along with the OD flashing

 

Well its been almost a year, but thankfully the custom tune I used got me no CEL or OD light problems, but I'd be lying if I said there wasn't 2 pieces of black electrical tape in front of my ABS light