First explorer/rig brown wire question not mod related

[B33BZ]

Hey everybody! I recently inherited a 97 explorer 2 door I've been told by both schwab's and the relative I received it from that it was the AWD model.

Now the relative didn't like the way it handled around corners for some reason so he disconnected the brown wire stating that way it was in RWD mode but the dash switch "should" work. This brown wire is one with a simple spade connector middle of the vehicle I believe near the transfer case.

Now I go off road(logging roads etc..) far more than he ever did and I recently accidentally did a donut flipping a U on a gravel road. I am thinking I need to reconnect this wire. To regain my AWD and I am assuming that the switch doesn't actually work.

Now doing some looking I've come across the brown wire mod which is not something I am wanting to do and am not sure if that is the same wire or not.

Sorry if I sound newbish. I mostly have experience with imports and this is my first suv and vehicle that isn't setup FF or FR.

If I missed an obvious thread feel free to point it out and or flame.
thanks in advance guys!

edit: IF this helps the dash switch from left to right says AUTO 4x4 HIGH LOW

 

[Vic_Ferrari2002]

First of all you don't have all wheel drive if that is indeed what the switch on the dash says. An all wheel drive Explorer only came with a V8 and would not have a switch on the dash. What you do have is called Control Trac 4WD. Which means with the switch in auto under normal driving conditions you are in 2WD. If the rear tires begin to slip for any reason the GEM will send a power signal on the "Brown Wire" to a solenoid in the transfer case to lock the truck into 4WD. Once the slipping has stopped it will take away the power on the"Brown Wire" and allow the truck to return to 2WD. Cutting this "Brown Wire" as shown in several threads only prevents the GEM from automatically locking in the 4WD. Having this wire cut will in now way hurt any part of the truck if driven normally. A lot of us on here actually prefer to cut the "Brown Wire" to eliminate the auto lock up of the 4WD. Having this wire cut or not cut should in no way effect the way the handling of the vehicle around corners. I suspect there is either something wrong with the front end, ie cv axles or steering components, or the relative maybe just didn't like the truck.

Hope this helps.

Keith

Brown Wire Mod Bible Threads - http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149388&highlight=Brown+wire+mod

 

[B33BZ]

Thank you that clarifies so much. It is a V6 as well. So if say I leave it unplugged will the switch on the dash function if i switch it to 4x4 high?

 

[Vic_Ferrari2002]

Yes the switch on the das activates the shift motor on the back of the transfer case. It will still go into 4x4.

 

[snoranger]

Thank you that clarifies so much. It is a V6 as well. So if say I leave it unplugged will the switch on the dash function if i switch it to 4x4 high?

Yes the switch on the das activates the shift motor on the back of the transfer case. It will still go into 4x4.

No... Not on a 44-05... The switch controls everything to do with 4wd, not just the shift motor. The shift motor only controls high and low ranges. The "brown wire" (that powers the magnetic clutch) controls 4wd.

 

[B33BZ]

snoranger, thank you for clarifying. I know from electrical work I have done on other vehicles and basic electrical theory in general, If your ground wire isn't connected or isn't properly grounded things don't work the way they are supposed to.

Now say they actually disconnected it due to some issue with the 4wd, is there anything I should listen or look out for that would be an indicator of damage to the shift motor?

 

[snoranger]

snoranger, thank you for clarifying. I know from electrical work I have done on other vehicles and basic electrical theory in general, If your ground wire isn't connected or isn't properly grounded things don't work the way they are supposed to.

Now say they actually disconnected it due to some issue with the 4wd, is there anything I should listen or look out for that would be an indicator of damage to the shift motor?

What I would do... Hook up the cut wire. (Possibly even lengthen the wires into the cab and put in a switch.) That way you can see what it does.

 

[B33BZ]

Thankfully the wires not cut I just have to crawl back up under it and figure out where the spade connector goes unto.

I have had enough electrical problems with doing mods to imports that I would rather keep this vehicle the way ford intended and just keep it running via basic maintenance and care.

Don't get me wrong my current civic for example has a complete OBD1 diagnosis system that I can toggle from a switch on my dash. However, it took myself, rywire and a "master mechanic" almost a year to get it sorted out to where it ran right. The actual problem? at some point the wires in the distributor got pulled to tight and were grounding out inside the cap causing it to throw cels/run in safe mode.

So yeah i am a little burnt out on dealing with electrical I just want to enjoy the vehicle as it was meant to be.

 

[snoranger]

Most people cut the wire between the plug and the transfer case under the truck. It's only 8-10". Check there first.

 

[B33BZ]

Ok so I reconnected the brown wire male spade off of the, I believe shift motor?, to the female connector coming of what I assume is the transmission? Initially there was no change. The lights were flashing 6 times and it appears when trying to flip the switch it doesn't engage into 4x4 high or low. So whats strange is after getting home, checking the tranny fluid, which was low, adding about 3/4 of a qtr to it, it does leak has 164K+ on it. A few hours later I start it up and it shows 4wd low on the dash until I get about a block or two away from my home then the O/D off flashes a bit and then stops then the 4wd low light goes off. After that its back to the 4x4 high/low flashing occasionally 6 times.
I've seen all this come up on various brown wire threads but can't really find what these codes mean? Is there a thread or page with this information? I ask as I have an OBD0 Vehicle I converted to OBD1 and am able to read my ECU codes based off the flashing of the cel. Do these lights on the explorer not indicate or flash a pattern to indicate some form of ecu or gem error?

UPDATE! crawled back under the ex this morning and discovered the black and red plug that connects about 8 wires IIR no more flashing no more lights on randomly. However, I now know why some of you guys choose the brown wire mod it seems to kick in at weird times like doing a 90 degree or sharper corner.