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painless wiring question zf transmission

4x4man514

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hey guys, quick question, im running a zf transmission in my eb and im putting a new harness in. if i remember right the plug on the side of the tranny is for the back up lights right?

so how would the neutral safety switch hook up with this configuration? i dont really care if i have a neutral safety but i didnt know if leaving these wires unattached would cause me any problems.

thanks a bunch guys!
 

Big Slim

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the plug on the driver side of the trany is the reverse light switch.
I believe i removed the neutral saftey switch wires from my harness with the zf.
 

DirtDonk

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The Red with blue stripe wire still has to have a direct path from the ignition switch to the starter relay. So, if one length of it is long enough, you simply connect it and don’t worry about splicing in a neutral safety switch.
However, if in the harness that wire is already split into two separate sections of the wire, you would have to splice them together.
I haven’t read the Painless instructions recently, so not sure how they handle that.
It’s probably one long wire, but you’re correct to question it at least.
 

904Bronco

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I believe that most Ford applications had a Manual Trans safety switch that was on the clutch pedal. I don't believe there is a manual trans with a neutral safety switch in it like the back lights switch.
So as suggested bypass the harness, as was done at the factory, by installing a jumper wire. You can do a direct splice, or as stated just remove the wires all together.
I know on the aftermarket harness with the purple wires that run from side to side I have installed a weather pack two terminal plug on the driver's side where I can remove the jumper as sort of an anti theft device.
 

Bitch'nBronco

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904Bronco is correct, the neutral safety switch would have been on the clutch pedal and not the trans. You could add a switch to the pedal if you really wanted it but I run my ZF without one
 
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4x4man514

4x4man514

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ok so since there is no switch i can just ignore the two wires labeled neutral safety switch then right?
 

904Bronco

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ok so since there is no switch i can just ignore the two wires labeled neutral safety switch then right?
Maybe... More than likely they would need to be connected together for your starter circuit to work.
What aftermarket wiring harness you going to run?
 
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4x4man514

4x4man514

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Maybe... More than likely they would need to be connected together for your starter circuit to work.
What aftermarket wiring harness you going to run?
im running the painless bronco harness. i like your anti theft idea. im thinking of doing the same thing. maybe with a hidden switch somewhere?


thanks for all the info guys!
 

jamesroney

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904Bronco is correct, the neutral safety switch would have been on the clutch pedal and not the trans. You could add a switch to the pedal if you really wanted it but I run my ZF without one
More trivia here:

@904Bronco said "I believe that most Ford applications had a Manual Trans safety switch that was on the clutch pedal."
There is no such thing as a Manual Trans safety switch in a Ford with EEC4. So that's correct.

" I don't believe there is a manual trans with a neutral safety switch in it like the back lights switch."
The Ford nomenclature for the thing on a manual transmission to inform the status of neutral is called the NSS, or Neutral Sensing Switch. The engineers in the Ford controls group think that they are quite clever. They KNEW that everyone called the NSS the neutral safety switch. But they call the circuit the NDS, or "Neutral Drive Switch." HOWEVER, the Sequential Multi-port EEC4 system is looking for the transmission status. So the T5 Manual transmission in the 1986-93 Mustang 5.0 is equipped with an NSS (sensing) that works in series with the CSS (Clutch Safety Switch) to inform the ECU when the car is in neutral / disengaged from the drivetrain. It does in fact look like a back up light switch on the transmission. (Don't get me started on the Brake On - Off or "BOO" switch.) The wiring for the starter circuit is isolated from the NDS circuit. There's two switches on the clutch pedal switch.

The manual transmission with the ZF in the fuel injected F150 does NOT have an NSS.

5.0 EFI systems running the RJM/Ron Francis/TDZ harness defeat the NDS circuit. Explorer EDIS doesn't care, because they were all Autos.
 

DirtDonk

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I think we have to invite James to our next lunch outing Doug. The conversations could get very interesting and even more in depth!😁
 

toddz69

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Lars and I were talking recently and decided that James is at the top of our "CB members we'd like to meet" list!

Todd Z.
 

DirtDonk

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Now that right there is a great story. Why haven’t we heard that before!
 

toddz69

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Great story! I wondered if it was going to be about Lance as I was reading it.

Todd Z.
 

lars

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More trivia here:

@904Bronco said "I believe that most Ford applications had a Manual Trans safety switch that was on the clutch pedal."
There is no such thing as a Manual Trans safety switch in a Ford with EEC4. So that's correct.

" I don't believe there is a manual trans with a neutral safety switch in it like the back lights switch."
The Ford nomenclature for the thing on a manual transmission to inform the status of neutral is called the NSS, or Neutral Sensing Switch. The engineers in the Ford controls group think that they are quite clever. They KNEW that everyone called the NSS the neutral safety switch. But they call the circuit the NDS, or "Neutral Drive Switch." HOWEVER, the Sequential Multi-port EEC4 system is looking for the transmission status. So the T5 Manual transmission in the 1986-93 Mustang 5.0 is equipped with an NSS (sensing) that works in series with the CSS (Clutch Safety Switch) to inform the ECU when the car is in neutral / disengaged from the drivetrain. It does in fact look like a back up light switch on the transmission. (Don't get me started on the Brake On - Off or "BOO" switch.) The wiring for the starter circuit is isolated from the NDS circuit. There's two switches on the clutch pedal switch.

The manual transmission with the ZF in the fuel injected F150 does NOT have an NSS.

5.0 EFI systems running the RJM/Ron Francis/TDZ harness defeat the NDS circuit. Explorer EDIS doesn't care, because they were all Autos.
Thank you for that detailed explanation. I remember trying to sort through the logic of all that 22 years ago when I was getting my A9L (manual) equipped 5.0 running, and thinking all that was very much like a bandaid. And don’t get me started on Probst’s book.. I had forgotten most of it. Now I’m groaning over the memories.

Cheers!
 
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