Junkyard V8 with wrong harness?

[thooker]

To make a long story shorter, I couldn't locate a 5.0 locally so I purchased one from a dealer in Az (Im in NM). It was advertised as a '96 with 80K miles or so (has three ribs on front of heads). Now its been over a year, and I am getting ready to hook up the motor, hopefully by the end of year. Looking at the harness, some of the harness connectors dont fit the sensors! The IAC, H2O temp, and the cam sensor dont match up. The MAF, TPS, EGR, and crank position sensors all fit. One specific example: my cam sensor is 2 pins, the harness is 3 pins. I found a '97 locally last week and it also has a 3 pin.

Any idea what I have here?

 

[410Fortune]

did you get the computer with the wiring? what is the code on the PCM?
I suspect you have a 97+ harness with a 96 engine... the computer code will tell you what year the computer and harness are for

We wont know what direction is best for you until we know what year the wiring is for

the EGR and sensors you mention CHANGED in 97, so the wiring does not match your 96 engine IMO

 

[thooker]

I did NOT get the PCM with the engine. I got the motor with all accessories, most of the harness, no PCM, and no parts after the square body connector, i.e. no relays, etc. The fact that I got it at a good price is no consequence now!

 

[thooker]

Maybe I can get P/N's off some of the sensors, that might tell me what year those are. Maybe I can find a tag on the harness? Funny thing was, the motor and harness 'looks' right, i.e. same amount of grime etc on both.

 

[Turdle]

2 pin cmp sensor was used 99 and up in conjunction with return less fuel system

My 98 has a 3 pin Cam sensor

 

[410Fortune]

do you have pictures?

you need the correct computer
you can mix match 5.0l parts to make the wiring and computerr work, but the pcm must be correct for the year of transmission, sensors, upper intake/egr, and fuel rail you use. there are changes to the wiring even mid year 97-2001

 

[thooker]

i was afraid of that. They may have stuck a 99+ harness on this motor and send it out the door. Im at work now, I will try and snap pics this weekend.

 

[thooker]

Im pretty sure the motor itself is a '96, its got a feed and a return line, and the three lines on the heads, and a seperate EGR on the rear.

I found a '97 locally, can I put the complete '97 harness (with its sensors and PCM) on this motor? That might solve my problem, no?

 

[thooker]

A little update: The place I got the engine from is going to strip a '96 and send me a complete harness. Yea! Now my question: They will sell me the PCM from it for $100, but I already have a '97 PCM (xdt2). I heard on this site that there is a diff between the '96 and the '97 harness, can you be more specific? BTW I already have the '97 EVTM, and I just ordered a '96 EVTM CD on EBAY, but it has not yet arrived. What I would 'like' to do is simply use the '97 pcm with this '96 harness which is coming in the mail, unless there is some underlying problem that I dont know about.

 

[thooker]

Bump...
I need to make a decision of whether to buy the '96 PCM with the '96 harness today, or use the '97 PCM I already have with the '96 harness.

 

[Turdle]

Considering what you have already been through, I think I would try to get the 96 PCM. There may be another hidden surprise in the 97 to 96 wiring compatibility.

 

[thooker]

Good idea. I told the dealer so send me the PCM also. I also ordered the X3 from Henson Performance, looking forward to getting this put together next month!