Does the BWM (Brown Wire Mod) work for 4th gens?

[BrianDye]

Right! I figured that now lol, but from everything I read, it was dead-on that gray/orange wire.

The other gray/orange wire seems to be some kind of main power for the module, which should theoretically work, but I feel like that would also trip the wrench, and/or 4x4 low light to stay on.

I just pulled the diagrams for a V8, it's the same damn thing. I'm gonna just assume I cut the wrong one then. Don't know why the OP mentioned cutting the other wire that goes to that (M) as well. At work now so I'll try tomorrow and post back.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Ok, I am looking at mine now, its the small diameter grey wire with orange stripe in the brown/tan connector closest to the seat.

 

[BrianDye]

USMC was nice enough to snap some pictures for me and send them to me. His connector is a brownish color, mine is black, but everything else seems to be the same.

Wiring diagrams for both his X and mine both show the same pinout, each wire serves the same function, however mine with the exact same wire cut, still lets my 4WD kick in, everything but 4 low.

His wire seems to be a smaller gauge though, which is odd to me. I slept way too late today before work to have much time to mess with it. I have driven two days now with those fuses out with no issues other than the wrench light. However, driving in RWD, I now realize how much the 4wd really kicks on, as anytime I was turning, or accelerating from a stop yesterday, I was chirping/spinning my rear tires.

I am going to try de-pinning the OTHER gray/orange wire for the module which seems to be a power wire, so that theoretically should work for sure, however, I think its going to trip some lights on the dash.

Seems like this is the solution for only the V8 guys, as all of them report this working. I am the unfortunate V6 guy who this is NOT working for, but I am determined to get it working, and will definitely do a write up when I am done.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

So it didn't work for you? Interesting. Mine is completely cutoff: 4hi/4lo does not work. I have done nothing else to that circuitry, so I have no other direction to point you. Very curious now.

Feel free to post those blurry, heinous pics.

 

[BrianDye]

So it didn't work for you? Interesting. Mine is completely cutoff: 4hi/4lo does not work. I have done nothing else to that circuitry, so I have no other direction to point you. Very curious now.

Feel free to post those blurry, heinous pics.

Ill post them when I go upstairs and get my phone, having a super lazy day lol

Can you tell me what happens when you press any of your 4x4 buttons?

When I cut that wire (SAME WIRE as everyone else who this has worked for), my 4x4 light would still come on for 4 high, turn off for auto, and when I pressed 4 low, and was in neutral with the brake pressed, the relays would just click. It wouldn't go into 4 low, but as far as I could tell, it would still go in 4 high, and auto would kick in.

 

[BrianDye]

Got it...

Im not sure why, but im just going to assume that for some reason, the V6 4x4 module is swapped 180 degrees.

I cut the same wire everybody mentioned. The gray/orange wire in the harness closest to the passenger seat. Same wire that was labeled as "Motor CW or CCW" in the diagram.
Results: No 4 low. Thats all that was different.

So I reconnected that wire, which was fairly large gauged compared to the others, and went to the gray/orange wire in the harness closest to the firewall. Thats the one! Now I have no 4x4 whatsoever. No auto, no 4 high, no low. No lights at all, nothing "tries" to engage, etc.

Ill do a write up here in a little bit once I get a switch and everything wired up, but for now heres a picture (from my phones dying camera)

Its hard to tell, but this is looking straight at the upper footwell, the gray wire hanging is the one I cut that worked. The one with the male/female connector is the one that was NOT right.

Thanks everybody for your help! I tell you it was very nice driving to and from work these past two days without the roaring 4x4 kicking in, im sure that wasnt helping my drivetrain either since my inner tires are worn, so this is probably helping even more than you think until I get my lift/new tires.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Good job!!

I noticed a significant increase in fuel economy, as well as "quickness" and moee fun to drive.

 

[BrianDye]

I havent done it long enough to notice MPG's, I only go by the display in the dash, so im not sure if that would register or if you're actually doing the math.

But I do notice it feels "free" now. Almost like when I finally got my rear bearings done, and then drove it, felt like it glided freely, it feels like that all over again without the fronts being kicked in.

Gonna be a life-long debate on whether or not they are always receiving power and how much, but I tell you its like a different vehicle without the fronts always kicking in for NO reason. I don't need 4x4 engaged because i'm rapidly accelerating onto the highway!

 

[JeepGuy25]

Awesome!! Im going to do mine soon.

I thought I read somewhere that you end up with having 2-Low available when doing this? Does this kill the transfercase function all together?

Im VERY interested in the MPG increase. Lots of people said "Its not worth it, you only get 1-2 mpg.". Um...when is 1-2 mpg something to laugh at? haha. I get a solid 17-18 out of mine with normal driving. If I eeked into the 20 range, I would be ecstatic. Thats what my Subaru was getting, and would completely eliminate any downside to buying the V8 SUV haha.

 

[BrianDye]

Right! I need to calculate what I was getting before and after but 1-2 is huge for simply clipping a wire.

I currently do not have any 4x4 function. I will double check when I leave for work, but as far as I remember low does not work.

 

[JeepGuy25]

Yeah 4x4 will be gone all together. But the low section of the transfer case might be a different motor/actuator. Which could give you 2wd LOW range. Offroad guys like that for certain situations. Would just be curious to know for sure.

Im debating between hiding a switch somewhere under the passenger side dash, or putting a big rocker next to the seat heaters. Something like this (even though I think this is technically for a diff lock):

Im torn. I dont want to make that big of a hole in my dash bezel. But I also dont like hiding switches.

J.

 

[JeepGuy25]

I was just out poking around under my dash.

The two connectors are quite different. One is a 20 socket (tan/brown on mine) and the other is a 10 socket (black on mine).

In my 2010 V8 the tan/brown one with the smaller diameter wire that is the wire in question, is closer to the seat. The black connector is towards the firewall.

After looking at it, I dont think there is any way to get a plug and play situation. Those connectors are very special application appearing. If you had a donor explorer, you could get the module out, and the pigtail, and make something. But you'd be destroying a 4x4 module, just to avoid cutting a wire. That being said, Im going to just cut my wire after i do some testing. I will solder/heat shrink it if I ever need to put it back to stock. Way less money and work than trying to make it plug and play.

 

[BrianDye]

Yeah the V8 module has different connectors from the V6, I've definitely figured that out, lol. Seems like they are just flipped though. (Your wire to snip is in the connector closest to the seat, mine is the one closest to the firewall)

I ordered 4 of those switches for various lights I will be running (LED bar, rear LED pods, etc) and was going to order that 4x4 one as well, just for the cool, clean factor but the cheapest damn one I could find was like $13+ whereas all the other laser etched ones I bought were $6.

I also forgot to mention, I tried my hardest to "depin" the harness to try that wire before I said F&#K this and cut it. I could not for the life of me get it out of that harness. (I know how to de-pin, I re arranged every wire in my Crown Vic's cluster harness to put a marauder cluster in it)

So she sits right now just cut. No switch yet, plus my switch gang won't be here for a couple weeks at least. (6 square cut outs for those large rocker switches) because it was $7 from China, or $25~ from the US and it's the exact same thing. Bummer, but oh well.

I forgot to try the low range thing like you mentioned. What would be the benefit of 2 low though? (I'm not an avid off-roader so I don't see what that would help)

 

[JeepGuy25]

4 low lets you turn tight, while still having high torque for crawling along. I would never use it in my Explorer haha. It was more a curiosity thing.

Unfortunately I wont be doing this right away. I went out at lunch and just on a whim tried to put it in 4-low. I heard clicking under the dash, and it felt like it engaged, but when I put it in gear, it wouldn't move. And when I shifted it down into 3 and 2...and 1st gear, the motor revved like crazy. It was weird. I hate push button 4wd. Give me a shifter directly attached to the t-case please.

I have it scheduled to go in Monday to check that out under warranty. Along with another issue. Ill play around when its back. Also came up with a really clean way to switch the module. If it works, Ill make sure I post it.

EDIT: T-case is messed up. At first, Ford tried to say it worked fine. .... Even though before I walked into the service area I tried it one last time and still didnt have 4 low. After I sat on that for a few, I called back ticked off. They went back and tried it again and guess what....IT DOESNT WORK haha. No crap! So its gotta go back in next week and they'll have it for a few days.

Side note...Ford's ESP seems to be a royal PITA for service departments. Apparently they try extremely hard not to pay for things. Not sure if thats lip service or if its true. They always seem like they have to TRY to get the ESP to pay out.

 

[BrianDye]

Yeah 4x4 will be gone all together. But the low section of the transfer case might be a different motor/actuator. Which could give you 2wd LOW range. Offroad guys like that for certain situations. Would just be curious to know for sure.

Im debating between hiding a switch somewhere under the passenger side dash, or putting a big rocker next to the seat heaters. Something like this (even though I think this is technically for a diff lock):

Im torn. I dont want to make that big of a hole in my dash bezel. But I also dont like hiding switches.

J.

So I got 4 of my switches I ordered, and the 6-gang bezel for them. (Really reccomend one of these, you can cut a rectangle out somehwhere and then push this in, it has a nice lip to hide any bad cuts or anything, and then the switches fit perfectly in each gang.

I ordere a 6-gang, but currently only have 4 switches. (Roof LED bar, which I have, not on yet. Front LED bar, for a smaller one ill buy and mount on my grille or bull bar, then rear LED for my rear pods I have, and off road lights for some rock-type LED lights ill have in various placed underneath)

I have two open spots, and 2 blanking plates coming, was just going to mount a nice flip style rocker in one of the plates for my 4x4, but I decided to say screw it and spend the $13 on the matching laser-etched rocker. Problem is, mine are blue, the ONLY 4x4 one I can find is like a teal blue.

I cannot find ANY other blue! I even jumped power to mine to make sure they were actually the normal blue, and they are. Not damn teal blue.

I don't have heated seats or adj. pedals, so im going to mount this in the radio bezel under the HVAC controls.

(Meanwhile, its also getting an iPad, and standalone EQ where the stock 4x4, and trac ctrl buttons were. Gotta relocate them)

*Jeepguy: Just saw your edit, that really sucks man, sorry to hear that. At least you should have it fixed now. Maybe you'll get lucky and get a whole new t-case or something, lol.

 

[Tech By Trade]

So the brown wire mod does work on the fourth gen explorer. If I get some down time, I may apply this to a second gen Sport Trac.

 

[BrianDye]

Yes, BUT it's not the brown wire. It's a gray/orange wire.

There are TWO harnesses going to your module, each one has a gray/orange wire. One is a heavier gauge. You want to snip/and switch the smaller gauge one.

I have zero 4x4, 4wd etc unless that wire is connected. No auto kicking in, no 4 high, low, etc.

 

[JeepGuy25]

(Sorry this is a bit of deviation from the convo)

OHHH...something else I forgot to mention after my visit with Ford service. I had them checking the noisy 4x4 and to see why they think it kicks in while Im going straight on a dry road. I also had them fixing a slow leak in my back tire.

They claimed that that back tire's circumference was 3/4" less than the other three. Those tires have less than a few thousand miles on them, and were all purchased at the same time and installed at the same time. They're 2/32 down from brand new I think. I know my Subaru was very sensitive to tire sizes. But I didn't think the ford was that sensitive. But if it is, it could explain why some of us have more issues with it kicking in than others. If thats all it takes.

So the only way that could happen is a manufacture defect. Which I doubt. SO Im going to measure myself this weekend before taking it back. If I dont come out with the same difference, they're going to also be looking into the whole 4wd again, not just my 4-low.

Justin

 

[JeepGuy25]

Has anyone tried engaging this on the fly? I.E... with a switch on the ORG/GREY wire, can you just turn it on while going down the road? Or does it require a key cycle? I just pulled my wire out of the connector to start my testing.

I put three tanks of gas through since getting it back from the dealer, and with normal driving, I got 17.4 mpg out of each tank. Verified by math and matching the cluster computer almost exactly. I plan to run another few tanks through it, and see what it nets me. My new transfer case is dead silent, and smooth as silk. So if I dont see a decent increase in MPG, Im probably going to hook it back up and let it go. If I do see an increase, I have a nice plan for making the switch that I think everyone will like.

Justin

EDIT: First impression...it worked! Def only 2wd now. No activity from the buttons. The wire is VERY easy to remove from the plug. Dont cut it just to test!!! Im going to see if I can get a pack of terminals that are that size so I can make a jumper wire for my switch.

Did anyone elses truck do something weird after this mod...like try to give itself some gas during slow turns? After my test drive, doing a slow turn into a lot, it tried to surge forward. Like I was giving it gas. ??? I hate electronic throttle bodies.

 

[JeepGuy25]

Well, it has worked great all weekend. If I press and hold the traction control button so it shuts everything down, it certainly is 2wd only, and it certainly acts more like a traditional 4x4 haha. No weird noises, no interference from the computer. Just seems to work well.

I am currently tracking my MPG for a good record of what changes. As of right now, Im seeing at LEAST 1 mpg more over the past few days of driving. And it wasnt my normal driving since it was a holiday, so it was a lot of short trips and back roads. I am going to go through at least 3 tanks of gas before I comment on what I think the real world gains are. Its looking promising though. 1mpg more isnt a ton, but if you can get that from disconnecting 1 wire, Ide say thats worth it. I have a feeling once I check it during my regular daily commuting it will be more though.

J.