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5 speed manual swap HELP!!!

Tagman97

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Joined
April 7, 2022
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City, State
Litchfield park az
Year, Model & Trim Level
1994 explorer xlt
Hello everyone! I have a 1994 Ford Explorer 4.0l 4wd. Recently the A4 LD transmission took a dump on me so I wanted to convert to the five speed manual, I purchased a 1991 Ford Explorer 4.0l 4wd with manual t-case as a donor truck since the body was severely damaged. I was able to scavenge just about every little part that I would possibly think I would need to do the swap. For the most part the swap is very straightforward and nothing different than I normally do but there is also some things that I’m having hard times figuring out since it is fairly new to me
1. Since the 1991 does not have a EGR valve and it has 1 oxygen sensor and obviously a five speed manual and manual transfer case would I be able to straight swap it into my 94 Explorer that has California emissions with EGR valve and two oxygen sensors?
2. Will wires need to be removed from the 1994 ECM plug to equal out input and output signals to the 1991? Or do I just straight plugged in and run with it.
3. My 1994 also has ABS which the 1991 does not have will the ECM have any affect on that? I would love to get rid of it anyways since it seems to make it extra dangerous when Desert mobbing but for now I would like to just get it on the road
4. Is there really a difference between a manual and automatic starter? I went to the local parts store and ask them that same question and the same part number seem to pulled up for both Variance of trucks.
5. What do I do with the old automatic transmission harness? Is it easy to remove and replace with a manual harness? Do any wires need to be swapped around or soldered? I realize there is a couple of wires that need to be tied together as a neutral safety but other than that can the manual harness just plug straight into the stock 1994 harness?
 



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welcome to EF! :chug: ExplorinVA's A4LD to M5OD Swap Thread

ive got no experience with 1st gens and the m5od, so i'm not sure of the answers to your questions... i do however have this thread, if its of any value to you ;)
 






Lots is changes between 91 and 94
Cam sensor egr etc

I would forget about using the 91 pcm and just do the 5 speed conversion
The computer will freak out if it no longer sees the a4ld but that can be solved with some resistors or you can change out to a 94 pcm from a 5 speed or you can have your pcm flashed to remove the trans functions
 






Just an FYI, when i first did my M50D swap, i left the original pcm in there for about a year. Only issue you'll have (AFAIK) is that your idle speed will be a little high. If you try to use the 91 PCM, it won't run. the 91s had "batch fire", whereas the 94s are sequential. Just run the original 94 auto PCM till you can either have it reprogrammed or find one from a 94 with a manual. :)
 






Just an FYI, when i first did my M50D swap, i left the original pcm in there for about a year. Only issue you'll have (AFAIK) is that your idle speed will be a little high. If you try to use the 91 PCM, it won't run. the 91s had "batch fire", whereas the 94s are sequential. Just run the original 94 auto PCM till you can either have it reprogrammed or find one from a 94 with a manual. :)
Yea I guess that is a good solution for the mean time. I figured I’d pull it anyways just in case and I’m glad I did because I also have the engine for that pcm. Any idea how much it costs to have a pcm reflashed to remove trans function?
 






I put a 94 computer in my 91, both automatic...did not want to shift.... You can do a swap but there are some mods that need to be done, installing the slave cylender ECT... The transmission should bolt right up. As far a flashing the computer I would not worry about that unless you have a cel...$$$ even if you do it yourself. Obd1 is harder to tune like that there's programs like hp tuner ECT.... It can be done but I don't think it's needed. Have you diagnosed your a4ld like the shift cable, vaccum diaphram ect? The 2 o2 sensors wont be an issue you might have some clearance issues with the starter.... The nuetral safety switch should be on the trans already.... 410 fortune is right though allot of pcm changes 91/94.... Extra hp also from the pcm but the 94 has a couple different parts on the motor than the 91 ...god... What is the name of that dumb part they installed for the ignition timing that eveyone has trouble with on the rangers??? I cant think of the name but the 94 has it I believe. Comes out of the top of the block in the middle of the motor looks like a distributor without the cap??? Ugh... I would recommend going with a separate 94 computer with the manual trans there was like 10 variations to the pcm during 91 to 94 it would be cheaper. A4ld is not the best transmission but it's also not the worst it can take a dump for something simple. 91 hardly is able to throw codes if u use the 94 computer ur going to code for the 2nd 02....and the ignition.
 






I put a 94 computer in my 91, both automatic...did not want to shift.... You can do a swap but there are some mods that need to be done, installing the slave cylender ECT... The transmission should bolt right up. As far a flashing the computer I would not worry about that unless you have a cel...$$$ even if you do it yourself. Obd1 is harder to tune like that there's programs like hp tuner ECT.... It can be done but I don't think it's needed. Have you diagnosed your a4ld like the shift cable, vaccum diaphram ect? The 2 o2 sensors wont be an issue you might have some clearance issues with the starter.... The nuetral safety switch should be on the trans already.... 410 fortune is right though allot of pcm changes 91/94.... Extra hp also from the pcm but the 94 has a couple different parts on the motor than the 91 ...god... What is the name of that dumb part they installed for the ignition timing that eveyone has trouble with on the rangers??? I cant think of the name but the 94 has it I believe. Comes out of the top of the block in the middle of the motor looks like a distributor without the cap??? Ugh... I would recommend going with a separate 91 computer with the manual trans there was like 10 variations to the pcm during 91 to 94 it would be cheaper. A4ld is not the best transmission but it's also not the worst it can take a dump for something simple. 91 hardly is able to throw codes if u use the 94 computer ur going to code for the 2nd 02....and the ignition.
Well it looks like I can get a 94 pcm for manual trans for only $150 which is very doable for me and I cannot have any CEL what so ever. I reside in phoenix az and it will need to go through emissions to get updated tags. If there is a cel it’s a automatic fail
 






I put a 94 computer in my 91, both automatic...did not want to shift.... You can do a swap but there are some mods that need to be done, installing the slave cylender ECT... The transmission should bolt right up. As far a flashing the computer I would not worry about that unless you have a cel...$$$ even if you do it yourself. Obd1 is harder to tune like that there's programs like hp tuner ECT.... It can be done but I don't think it's needed. Have you diagnosed your a4ld like the shift cable, vaccum diaphram ect? The 2 o2 sensors wont be an issue you might have some clearance issues with the starter.... The nuetral safety switch should be on the trans already.... 410 fortune is right though allot of pcm changes 91/94.... Extra hp also from the pcm but the 94 has a couple different parts on the motor than the 91 ...god... What is the name of that dumb part they installed for the ignition timing that eveyone has trouble with on the rangers??? I cant think of the name but the 94 has it I believe. Comes out of the top of the block in the middle of the motor looks like a distributor without the cap??? Ugh... I would recommend going with a separate 91 computer with the manual trans there was like 10 variations to the pcm during 91 to 94 it would be cheaper. A4ld is not the best transmission but it's also not the worst it can take a dump for something simple. 91 hardly is able to throw codes if u use the 94 computer ur going to code for the 2nd 02....and the ignition.
I’m just trying to figure out once I get the correct ECM for the truck do I need to pull wires from the pcm main plug that run the auto trans harness? Or should I just leave everything alone and just tuck the harness up and out of the way? I just hate having a cluster of unused wiring, it bothers me for whatever reason. Must be a ocd thing
 






The 1991 does have abs its just for the rear though.... It might depend on the model... Mine kicked on once when I had a brake line leaking omg what a horrible system.... It probably has it just not 4 wheel. I dont think a bad light came on just said brake... I knew there was a problem went to go make a u turn slightly braking ONLY MY REAR BRAKES CAME ON with the abs violent too "thud thud thud thud" anyways it does also work in the snow its kinda nice....i live in California I feel your pain on the cel.... Idk I have a 91 but. Your in a tight spot.... Obd2 came out in like 96 with the obd2 port, i have always been under the impression obd2 means 2 02 sensors so you have a kind of hybrid system.... Let me check my obd1 ford scan tool documents real quick..... Brb
 






The 1991 does have abs its just for the rear though.... It might depend on the model... Mine kicked on once when I had a brake line leaking omg what a horrible system.... It probably has it just not 4 wheel. I dont think a bad light came on just said brake... I knew there was a problem went to go make a u turn slightly braking ONLY MY REAR BRAKES CAME ON with the abs violent too "thud thud thud thud" anyways it does also work in the snow its kinda nice....i live in California I feel your pain on the cel.... Idk I have a 91 but. Your in a tight spot.... Obd2 came out in like 96 with the obd2 port, i have always been under the impression obd2 means 2 02 sensors so you have a kind of hybrid system.... Let me check my obd1 ford scan tool documents real quick..... Brb
I just think obd1 is useless in my opinion, I have the connectors for my Snapon scanner and the truck makes my scan tool feel stupid. And I agree with the abs mine is pretty violent also off-road. I think it’s actually quite dangerous off-road with abs if I want to stop……..I want to actually STOP! Not pulsate half mile down the road
 






The 1991 does have abs its just for the rear though.... It might depend on the model... Mine kicked on once when I had a brake line leaking omg what a horrible system.... It probably has it just not 4 wheel. I dont think a bad light came on just said brake... I knew there was a problem went to go make a u turn slightly braking ONLY MY REAR BRAKES CAME ON with the abs violent too "thud thud thud thud" anyways it does also work in the snow its kinda nice....i live in California I feel your pain on the cel.... Idk I have a 91 but. Your in a tight spot.... Obd2 came out in like 96 with the obd2 port, i have always been under the impression obd2 means 2 02 sensors so you have a kind of hybrid system.... Let me check my obd1 ford scan tool documents real quick..... Brb
I think I may just pull the fuse for the abs pump and pull the abs bulb and run it lol I’m fed up with it
 






Yes you will have about 10 codes without the manual computer...
16495043613413492365883050805570.jpg

U need the pcm and I don't know if the plug is the same on the manual transmission I believe it bypasses that system anyhow.
 






Haha bad picture but it's like 10 codes fluid temp, shift solenoids ECT...But you must do the swap perfect because the manual trans has codes to.... Basically your going to end up with 2 trucks in one.... You could trick the system, smog shops don't have this


16495047730021722239973257817504.jpg

Also completely removing the check engine light and using a timer relay to a bulb into the check engine light spot for 5 seconds from the ignition
... No codes would matter.... Illegal though.
 






If you do your research those 10 computers I was talking about.... They all have different numbers that lets you know the options available on different trucks.... The problem is specifically around that time ford was going through a programming war with??? GM idk who? Anyway they ended up with several variations of the original pcm and eventually added 10 horses from that but also built a different computer for every year and every model.... Manual and automatic different shift points ECT but yea if you have the same plug on a manual transmission as the automatic same year AND SAME MODEL like sport to Eddie Bauer it should have no problem.
 






I’m just trying to figure out once I get the correct ECM for the truck do I need to pull wires from the pcm main plug that run the auto trans harness? Or should I just leave everything alone and just tuck the harness up and out of the way? I just hate having a cluster of unused wiring, it bothers me for whatever reason. Must be a ocd thing
You will either need to swap the auto transmission harness with a manual harness or cut and splice the auto harness to bypass the neutral safety switch. There is a jumper in the connector for the clutch pedal position sensor. When I swapped a manual transmission in my 91 aerostar, I never installed the clutch pedal sensor, I figured if the engine ever died in traffic I could drive with the starter to get out of the road.
 






You can tune your computer in the less than 500 dollars range if your good with computers and have a decent laptop/computer to start with it just involves buying the tool to connect to your laptop, saving your original data into a bin file so you can flash back if needed just in case then going through and creating a new bin file with what ever you want the computer to ignore.... The programs go from 500 to over 1000 easy but go too cheap and everything will be encrypted.... Get a good one and its way easier. Obd2 is easiest to tune and multi point fuel injection/obd 0 is easy too but with obd 1 is like the golden age of programming it's kinda hard to do if the program is not specifically for your truck. Would involve soldering on the computer also...A shop might charge less than a grand shipping your computer through the mail ECT...if this was a obd2 explorer under 400....
 












Okay he has already decided not to run the 91 computer

Get a 94 pcm that matches your truck
Most 94 have a cam sensor and egr


After that the wiring changes are very simple. You do not have to “pull any wires” basically you can remove the auto trans wiring harness and modify it to now attach to your manual transmission harness.
The manual trans has two switches, neutral safety and a reverse Lights

The a4ld also had a neutral safety and reverse lights, as well as the other auto trans wires, they simply go away

Nice to have a spare 91 4.0 and pcm, a running 4.0 is getting harder to find
 






Okay he has already decided not to run the 91 computer

Get a 94 pcm that matches your truck
Most 94 have a cam sensor and egr


After that the wiring changes are very simple. You do not have to “pull any wires” basically you can remove the auto trans wiring harness and modify it to now attach to your manual transmission harness.
The manual trans has two switches, neutral safety and a reverse Lights

The a4ld also had a neutral safety and reverse lights, as well as the other auto trans wires, they simply go away

Nice to have a spare 91 4.0 and pcm, a running 4.0 is getting harder to find
So just use the wires for the neutral safety and reverse from the auto harness. Should I unpin the wires from the pcm for the remaining wires that was only useful for the a4ld ? It just tape and tuck those away in the loom?
 



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I'm pretty sure there's a connectionector that does the pin removal for you like its the same male with different female pugs for auto/ manual with the pins already removed... I did not mean to say to run and tune the 91 computer but use the 94.. Not getting all caught up in the details but you will throw a code IF YOU ARE RUNNING A 91 MANUAL COMPUTER ON A 94 OR RUNNING A 94 COMPUTER MEANT FOR AN AUTO ON A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. A third new computer is needed for the manual trans for a 94 with correct trim level and the harness that connects the trans harness to the main harness is needed that's all....otherwise try the impossible and tune basically any computer for a 1st gen.
 






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