Howdy folks. Just wanted to inform everyone that I currently have about 5000 miles on the swap that I made on my 95 F150. For those who don't know already, I pulled the E4OD automatic and swapped in a ZF manual 5 speed. Everything seems to be fine, but I think I'm leaking clutch fluid somewhere. I noticed the pedal felt weird the other day, and sure enough, the master cylinder was getting low. I'm hoping it's where the line connects and not the slave itself that's leaking. Whatever the case, it shouldn't be hard to fix.

Now the question I have is about the computer. I left the automatic computer in, and rewired the reverse lights and neutral safety switch to accommodate for the swap. I set the timing to roughly 12.5 degrees BTDC, and it ran fine until the weather got warmer. So I put it back to 10 degrees BTDC, and it still pings a little. And it doesn't seem to do it under partial throttle, mainly around half throttle, right around where the tranny would be downshifting.

I pulled the computer out of the 89 donor truck I had, but the engine didn't run right. It ran like it was lean, which the 02 confirmed after about a mile of driving. I'm assuming with the 89 having a non-roller cam, that the 89 computer wasn't giving my 95 engine with roller cam adequate fuel.

So now I'm thinking about finding a computer out of an F250 or 350 compatible with the 95 roller engine and ZF 5 speed. Does anyone think that would correct my timing issue? Any ideas are helpful!

 

I think it's very likely to resolve your timing issue, but before you spend dollars on a replacement EEC shift your manual transmission at the same approximate shift points as your automatic did... if the pinging stops when you shift, you have solved the problem. If not, maybe something on the engine harness got knocked loose, or the o2 sensor damaged when you installed the transmission. Quite honestly, that's not very difficult to do.

 

The engine runs ok with the automatic computer. In fact, it runs great. It's just pinging under load when in 4th and 5th, from about 1800 RPM to 2500 RPM. If it starts pinging in 5th I will downshift it to 4th, but it still pings for a few seconds. I have the MLPS placed in Neutral, so I wouldn't think that the EEC would think it's shifting, but who knows.

Could the pinging be cause by a rich or lean condition? I mean obviously it's firing too soon, but other than the octane of the fuel, would too much or too little cause it to ping?

 

You said you set the timing roughly at 12.5 deg, why is that, were you using a timing light? Did you disconnect the spout when you set the timing?

 

I set it at 12.5 just to toy around with it. Yes the spout was disconnected and I'm using a Mac timing light. I actually got 17.8 MPG's when I had the timing set at 12.5. It dropped to about 14-15 when I set it to 10 degrees.

 

Sorry for highjack,

Chad can you email me any details on the following...

"rewired the reverse lights and neutral safety switch to accommodate for the swap"

I am getting ready to button up my swap this weekend and haven't solidified the neutral safety switch rewire yet.

I have the plug harness from the donor truck for the zf reverse lights, is it just a matter of splicing that plug into the old reverse light plug from the e4od?

I really have not seen detail yet for the neutral safety switch yet that is obviously my biggest need, I will keep digging but if you can email me any details I would be grateful. At this point I do know which harness I am working with but I do not know what do to with which wires.

jeff@trustedhomeimprovement.com

 

Jeff, since I used the automatic harness, I had to tap into the wires leading to the plug on my MLPS sensor (The sensor that mounted around the shift rod coming out of the automatic.) I have a diagram that shows the wire descriptions and colors for the MLPS. That MLPS is all you need to tap into to make the reverse lights work and the Nuetral safety.

Somewhere on my computer I have the diagram saved and I can't find it. Let me look, and I'll get it to you. Is that the email you use at the bottom of your post?

 

Shouldn't that be set to drive?

 

Yes, and no. Before I bypassed the neutral safety switch, I actually kept the MPLS in Neutral so that I could start it. Well, it only took one time of that sensor moving enough to not start for me to wire a button into my dash. I don't know where the sensor is at now and really don't care.

Here before long, it's going to get an MSD box, distributor, and coil. If I still have a timing issue, then I'm going to get a 4 barrel intake and carburetor and completely do away with all the computerized junk. Yes I will lose some reliability by losing the fuel injection, but I'm smart enough to know how to correctly run a vehicle with a carb. Now that I have a 5 speed, I don't have to worry about the computer controlling anything transmission related.