auto to manual swap with electric t-case

swapped the auto out for a 5 speed now i cant get in 4x4 low with the push button, i have the neutral saftey switch jumperd so it thinks its in neutral 24/7. goes into 4x4 no issues just 4x4 low wont go.

is there an easy fix for this? i have a manual case sitting here but figured id run the electric till the motor stops working or something craps out in it.

NetBSD said:

swapped the auto out for a 5 speed now i cant get in 4x4 low with the push button, i have the neutral saftey switch jumperd so it thinks its in neutral 24/7. goes into 4x4 no issues just 4x4 low wont go.

is there an easy fix for this? i have a manual case sitting here but figured id run the electric till the motor stops working or something craps out in it.

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Clutch to the floor as well?

My 4x4 Low is a bit finicky - I need to wobble the stick in neutral a bit and get the clutch right down before it will engage.

Dean403 said:

Clutch to the floor as well?

My 4x4 Low is a bit finicky - I need to wobble the stick in neutral a bit and get the clutch right down before it will engage.

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there isnt any sensors on the clutch but yes ive tried it, i also dont have any plugs running to the tranny. as i said i just jumperd the safety switch so the truck starts but i cant figure out how to fool the computer to let me go into 4x4low

Find the shift computer in the back of the truck. locate the red with white wire. Ground this wire. shift into 4low.

snoranger said:

Find the shift computer in the back of the truck. locate the red with white wire. Ground this wire. shift into 4low.

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would that be behind the drivers seat behind the plastic? or a general idea of location would be great, i dont wanna rip out all the plastics if possible

Its on the driver side, all the way in the back. Remove the jack cover panel. its the black box with the aluminum cooling fins on it.
Check out this post: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229231

NetBSD said:

would that be behind the drivers seat behind the plastic? or a general idea of location would be great, i dont wanna rip out all the plastics if possible

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As mentioned by snoranger the issue is related to the clutch safety switch.

There are slight differences in the wiring harnesses between the auto and manual tranny. The 4x4 computer needs to see that the vehicle is in nuetral(auto) or clutch depresses(manual) and stopped to shift into 4low. The fact that you have the nuetral safety switch shorted and none of the other wires connected to a tranny might be confusing it a little. Did you connect the wire connector to the speed sensor on the t-case?

Diff Whack Daddy said:

There are slight differences in the wiring harnesses between the auto and manual tranny. The 4x4 computer needs to see that the vehicle is in nuetral(auto) or clutch depresses(manual) and stopped to shift into 4low. The fact that you have the nuetral safety switch shorted and none of the other wires connected to a tranny might be confusing it a little. Did you connect the wire connector to the speed sensor on the t-case?

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yeah all is connected but the 2 tranny plugs.


ill take a look at the 4x4 computer and see what happens. thanks guys

I did the same swap on my 94 limited and i had the same problem. my solution is shown in the following pic. The red w/ white wire in the pic is grounded. If you do this be aware that you can shift into low on the fly. Which would not be a good thing. always make sure your stopped.

would this work on a 2nd gen also?

I'm about to do the same swap. Got the pedals and hydraulics from a 91 Navajo, trans flywheel and clutch from a 95 sport. The info above on the 4low fix is greatly appreciated. Now if you could just tell me which wires to jump for the NSS it will be smooth sailing for me!
Thanks!!

Why jump the NSS?

well the computer won't let the starter spin if its not in park or neutral. I didn't want to rewire the whole truck, just want to jump past the neutral safety switch and go down the road. Its not a big money project, just a fun by 4.

Guess I need to update my profile too. I sold the 97. This project is on my 94.

You don't have to rewire the whole truck. There's a transmission harness that runs to two plugs on the driver side inner fender on both the auto and the manual. Take the one from the manual and plug it into the two plugs you unplugged from the auto harness.

It doesn't have to be a big money project to be done properly. I spent less than $400 on mine, including brand new clutch, flywheel, master/slave cylinders, and a shifter rebuild.

At the same time, man, please don't think I'm dogging your efforts... just trying to make sure you realize there are much easier and more reliable methods than hacking the wiring together.

$140 invested so far on the parts for mine.... Guys this is not my first auto to manual swap. I'm experienced in projects, custom wiring (or hacking as some would say it), and fabrication.

I appreciate all the input and don't consider your attempt above to steer me in the easier direction dogging by any means. For a couple of reasons I have decided to go this route for now. I may (and by may I mean most likely will) grab the harness to make it "neater" later on but as for now I just want to see it run, be sure the trans etc. is good, THEN I'll decide whether to just tie the reverse lights into the auto harness or go get the plug and play set of wiring.

Again, I appreciate all the input regardless whether its positive or negative!!

greaseballpaul said:

well the computer won't let the starter spin if its not in park or neutral. I didn't want to rewire the whole truck, just want to jump past the neutral safety switch and go down the road. Its not a big money project, just a fun by 4.

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I'll check tomorrow (if I remember). I can tell you though, the auto computer raises the idle when the truck is in gear. so if you just jump the neutral safety switch, your truck will idle high (900 rpms, i think).
My solution was to wire the neutral safety wiring into the neutral sensing switch on the m5od. not all m5's come with this switch. there should be one switch on the drivers side of the trans ( screwed into the case) thats the reverse light switch. Some of them have a second switch on the passenger side (screwed into the shifter cover), this switch has continuity when the shifter is in neutral.
Now my truck will; idle correctly in neutral, start with the shifter in neutral ONLY (doesnt matter if the clutch is pressed or not, HELLO REMOTE START!!), and has a permanent check engine light (that i cant see, because i pulled the bulb!)

Awesome. I didn't bother getting the clutch safety switch this time but thats something I'll get down the road to avoid the embarrassing "starting while in gear" scenario. My trans only has the reverse light plug so I'll probably tie the nss into the css to make the starter only enabled when the clutch is down.