I am looking to install a 5.0 in my 04 Nissan to give it more torque. I asked the F150 guys, and they pointed out that the 5.0 soldiered on in the Explorer through 2002. Which brings me to an engine management question. The Nissan is manual, but my limited research so far indicates that only an automatic transmission was offered behind the 5.0. Are there two seperate ECM's on the 97-02 5.0 Explorers, or just one that handles both the trans and engine?

I'm going with a ZF 4x4 transmission and matching transfer case behind the 5.0, so I will need the harness and ECM for just the engine. I'll do all the other fabrication myself, as that's my job In the Army.

 

That information is mostly correct. In 2002 Ford switched to the 4.6L V8. Also, the 5.0L was available in 1996 Explorers as well, so you're looking for a 1996 through 2001 Explorer V8. The transmission controls are through the PCM, same unit as the engine controls. There is no separate physical computer for the transmission.

-Rod

 

Ok, so will the computer freak without any inputs from the transmission? And what inputs are needed for engine management?

 

I suspect the PCM will have issue without having a transmission present, but I cannot confirm that. If you are definitely going this route you might opt to just try it and see what happens or plan to go with an aftermarket engine management system. Maybe look in to something like MegaSquirt.

If you send me a Private Message with the request AND an e-mail address for you, I can PDF the service manual section showing what signals to/from the transmission go to the PCM.

-Rod

 

Rod, thanks for the help on this. After this swap, all my vehicles will be Ford powered.

 

Correct, the computer isn't going to like the manual transmission. You can get it reflashed, use one from an older vehicle that has a manual, or try to fool the current computer the vehicle is in neutral. Not sure of the success rate on the last option though.

 

You will be better off using a Mustang engine and computer for a standard transmission. The 1996 Mustang and the 1996 Explorer were almost the same Horsepower, IIRC The Mustang was 225 HP and The Explorer Was 215 HP With only difference being the cam and the exhaust headers, same Heads, both have a roller cam.

 

I was planning to build the engine a bit before it went into the Nissan. Were the 96 stangs OBDII?

 

Anything sold in the US, starting in 1996, had to be OBD-II compliant.

-Rod

 

You are correct, but the 1996 Mustang had a 5 speed manual transmission with a fuel injected 5.0 engine. He could use the Mustang engine and the Mustang computer with a manual transmission, no problem. I ran one in a Shelby Cobra kit car for years.

 

Awesome idea. I am seriously looking at building a stroked out 331CID engine. It would be easier to find maps for the Stang ECU and it will allow me to use the ZF trans.

 

if i remember correctly, that 4r70w trans in the explorer was controlled by the the pcm, AND... you can trick it into thinking that it's shifting a transmission by hooking up reverse lights to the solenoid outputs.

i cant remember exactly how i saw it done before, but sombody i know used a explorer setup without the engine and kept the origional pcm and EDIS setup and it worked lol. kinda riged, but hey replace the light bulbs with resistors and your gold.