Two questions:

1. Does a 4x2 Edge ('03) already have the 4x4 indicator lights in the instrument pannel?

2. What does it take to get the speedo to work correctly in 4Lo on a $x2 to 4x4 conversion? From looking at the wiring diagrams, the pcm gets a send from the low side of the "4x4 low" indicator light. Is that all it takes? Do I just need a pcm flash with the dealer tool?

 

#1-probably not
#2-the speedo should work, it gets its power from the abs module on 4wabs and the gem on a rabs system.

 

It should if your truck still has the factory black Edge cluster. If you look carefully in strong light, you should be able to see the cutouts for the "4WD" and "4WD LOW" indicators to the right of the voltmeter and below the "SPEED CONT" light.

The light faced clusters (white and silver) were made in 2WD and 4WD versions because the extra 4x4 cutouts are very obvious and might cause some customer confusion on the 4x2's. AFAIK, the 95~03 black clusters all had the 4x4 lights because they are nearly invisible when the indicators are off.

In 2003, the VSS is taken from the Output Shaft Speed sensor ahead of the transfer case and the speedometer needs a multiplier in low range to make it read correctly. The branch circuit from the low range switch ground tells the PCM to make the adjustment.

I'm not sure if the stock 4x2 PCM is calibrated to make the conversion for low range - my guess is that it is not. I'll bet that a dealer cannot reflash it to 4x4 spec either.

 

Excellent! I thought I had heard that before.

That's what was getting from the wiring diagram. Just checking to make sure. I'll try to get the PCM reflashed over lunch.

 

tylers speedo just reads approx double the speed in 4x4 now...is it something that can be lived with?

 

Of course I could, but I've got access to a full shop with dealer tools and manuals, so why not?

 

Maybe you can do it if you know the 2003 3.0 4x4 manual calibration code or have a VIN number from a truck with that equipment. My 2003 brochure seems to imply that all 4x4's were 4.0's that year but I don't know that for a fact. Beyond that, VIDBLOCK might be a problem. Not sure.

 

I have access to a shop with dealer tools and manuals as well. we didnt wire in the 4x4 indicators with the manual case either. that might be something we end up doing down the road

 

Ok, no 4x4 setting in the PCM using the dealer tool, but there is a setting for "Automatic 4x4" that I don't have, which I assume is the controller for the electric transfer case.

I'm going to manually activate the 4Lo indicator light and see if that changes the speedo automatically. If not, I'll be needing to find the vin # from a 3.0L with a manual transfer case and manual transmission to reflash the PCM with.

I'm going to use a manual transfer case BTW.

 

IIRC, there was no 3.0 with a manual case after about 1997 and that calibration is not compatible with your 2003.

If the speedometer correction is not already present in the stock PCM, I would try the "Automatic 4x4" setting even though you will be using a manual case. The 4x4 controller is an independent module with it's own trouble codes, so I wouldn't think that it would cause any side effects in the PCM.

 

The switch on the Manual T case seems to get frozen quite easy. Most of the time the light never comes on in the winter, and if it does come on, it won't go off for a few days, just so you know.

 

So I checked the wiring diagrams against my truck over lunch. No 4Lo signal connector at the connector under the cab, but the pin and wire is present at the PCM. Tonight or tomorrow night I'll see where it dead ends and ground it out (simulating the 4Lo indicator switch lighting the indicator light) to see if it gives me the 4Lo speedometer calibration.

 

So the other night I checked the wiring harness off the side of the engine and the 4lo wire is there. I also pulled the instrument cluster out, and while the 4Hi and 4Lo wires are not there, the indicators are, and they work just fine :-).

Last place to look for where the 4Lo wire dead ends is in the wiring harness connection at the firewall that goes into the cab.

So I think the plan is to tap into the 4Lo wire and see what the normal voltage is on it. I'm thinking it should be 12V, or something like that. Then I'll ground it while driving and see if my speedo thinks the truck is in 4Lo and roughly doubles the speed reading. If that doesn't work, I'll see about getting my PCM re-flashed to an '03 3.0L manual with electric transfer case.

For the dash lights, I'll just get the pin connectors that the instrument cluster harness uses and insert the 4Hi and 4Lo wires myself and wire them to the switch on the transfer case.

 

Ok so I tapped into the 4Lo wire to the PCM. As indicated by a LED tester it has 12V on it when the truck is on, but it doesn't change the speedometer when it's grounded. I think I'm going to have to reflash the PCM with the VIN from an '03 Edge with the 3.0L and Manual Transmission, but with 4x4. I know the only 4x4 with the 3.0L were using the electric transfer case.

Two Questions:

1. Anyone had any problems running a manual transfer case with a PCM programmed for an electric one? I'm not thing there should be any, but I thought I'd check.

2. Anyone have a VIN for a 4x4 '03 Ranger with the 3.0L V6 and manual transmission?

 

Haha. The lights are easy to wire up, not so sure about the speedo. My PCM is still the stock 4x2 flash. I don't think I've ever even looked at my speedo when I was in 4LO.