97 explorer motor/OBD2 help?

[lagbolt]

So I can get a 97 explorer 4x4 with a 5.0 and 4r70w for 700 bucks with 189,000 miles and I already have np205. I have searched and read everything I could find on OBD1 and OBD2. I have also read about sending the stock explorer ECU and harness to EFI Guy to make them work for my application, ECT, ECT. You get the idea. I would like to know if it is possible to just use everything as is with out sending it out or cutting the harness? Im not picky on how it will look with all that extra wire. Basically I would like to just mate the np205 to the 4r70w ( I know I would have to make a custom crossmember to support the weight of the transfercase) and use the explorer motor, trans, transfercase (np205) and explorer radiator as is. I know I can just use ECU and harness from a mustang and buy a controller for the trans but I would prefer not. Any info or a link on someone doing this would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Tom

 

[Broncobowsher]

For the OBDII to be happy it wants everything. Cats, all the O2, fuel tank with venting. That is where EFIguy comes in. He can clean all that extra stuff out. That was the huge hang up until recently, there was no way to do a clean OBDII.

 

[garberz]

The biggest issue you'll have when using all the Explorer stuff without sending the harness and ECU to EFI Guy is, You would need to run dual Cats, and the 3rd and 4th O2 sensors. There's not a good reason to deal with all that, when we have the option to delete it. EFI guy can make you a simplified harness to operate just what you need, trans included. Buying all the OBDI stuff, plus a trans controller would get very expensive quickly. You have everything right in front of you to go OBDII, seems like a no brain er to me. I did all this, minus the 4R70w trans, very cost effective since I had all the Explorer stuff for just about free. I sent EFI Guy my ECU, and he took care of it. No fault codes after several thousand miles now. Runs as good as the first time I fired it up.

Contact EFI Guy, and go with the OBDII. You already have everything you need.

Mark

 

[lagbolt]

Garberz so I can run everything from the explorer with exception of having the efi guy take care of my ecu and harness? I was reading a forum over on the ranger station and a member was saying that I could just eliminate the downstream o2 sensors and everything should work? Not sure how that could be. I would assume that it would throw a code? Making the engine run like crap.

 

[garberz]

I don't know how that could be either. The 3 & 4 O2's give info to the ECU after the cats has scrubbed the exhaust. How does the ECU work without that info? EFI Guy can open the ECU and shut off what you don't need. That means, no codes. I had him flash me a second ECU for a back up. As far as I know, he's the only one that has cracked the Ford EECV computers.

Mark

 

[lagbolt]

Bump...........

 

[EFI Guy]

I can't say for sure how well it will do removing all of that stuff without a tune. While the primary function of the rear o2s is catalyst efficiency monitoring, there are references to catalyst temperature control and front/rear o2 sensor bias as well.

I assume temperature control is done through fueling more than anything and how that works or the front/rear bias with a sensor removed is something I've never bothered looking in to. It may ignore those functions all together, or it may run in some sort of limp mode causing performance or mileage to suffer. I've never looked in to it because it's easier for me to turn it off than bother with it.

I like a functioning check engine light myself, if there is a problem I wan't to know about it. If it's always full of codes then the light will always be on.

I assume the main reason of this thread was to see if it can be done while saving a buck or two. I do offer to do just the tune only for those that want to save a few bucks and tackle the harness themselves. I don't charge anything for the diagrams. I won't hold your hand through the entire re-work, but if you have questions I'm usually fairly quick to answer.

 

[lagbolt]

EFI Guy if I left the harness the way it comes without removing all of the extras and had you just turn off the things I dont need could I just swap every thing as is?

 

[lagbolt]

Also from my understanding the explorer im looking at dont have PAT? 97 explorer also have the fuel return line to the tank instead of the higher pressure pumps without return lines correct?

 

[EFI Guy]

Not really. The Engine and transmission harness could be left alone and you'd only have a few left over connectors. The bulkhead connector that plugs in to the engine harness is tied in to pretty much everything else. Exterior lights, cruise control, abs, wipers, main fuse box, etc...

A few people have removed the non-essential stuff and re-used the main fuse box. But, I think it's easier to just gut all of that stuff out and add your own fuse panel and relays. Or, re-purpose one of the smaller relay boxes located elsewhere in the vehicle.

 

[EFI Guy]

Also from my understanding the explorer im looking at dont have PAT? 97 explorer also have the fuel return line to the tank instead of the higher pressure pumps without return lines correct?

Correct.

 

[Steve83]

if I left the harness the way it comes without removing all of the extras...could I just swap every thing as is?

That's what a local friend is doing, but he's a wiring pro.

If it's always full of codes then the light will always be on.

Only for certain emissions-related codes. On trucks built with an electronic slushbox (E4OD, 4R70W, etc.) that have been converted to stick with no other mods, the EEC will immediately store codes for the missing trans, but the CEL won't come on until certain emissions faults are detected.

The bulkhead connector that plugs in to the engine harness is tied in to pretty much everything else.

On most vehicles, Ford calls the dash harness section the "main" harness.

 

[lagbolt]

Efi guy what program do you use to flash the PCM