Hey everyone. I recently bought a wrecked 96 bronco with a 5.8 to swap into my 77 f250. Im not using the auto attached to it, I have a zf5 under the bench with t-case. Now swapping in the fuel I jection and all isn't that bad (I've assisted swapping an efi 5.0 into an early mustang). I was however wondering about my gauges. Anyone know if my old cluster will work (after splicing and dicing the harness)? I'd love to use the 96 cluster (identical in size) but without swapping in a sterling, I won't have a Speedo. Will a 92 cluster work? Again, I'm sure I'd have to do some wiring Frankenstein, but more wondering if all the sensor/switches are compatible. I realize it's a pain in the ***, putting a square peg in a round hole. But I really prefer injection to carb off-road, already have a d60, so to be honest suggests of "just throw a Holley on it" aren't really what I'm looking for. Thanks very much for your time.

 

Yes the speed input is the hangup with this swap, the signal originates in the RABS/VSS sensor in the rear axle of all late model 8.8 and 10.25 axles, goes through the PSOM module in the gauge cluster and then on to the PCM for the engine and trans. A '96 Bronco will also be OBD2 which further complicates issues here as you can't easily substitute an earlier PCM, and you will need a different PCM because you're not using the computer controlled trans from the Bronco so you got to figure something out.
I'm gonna say the simplest way around this would be to find a PCM and engine bay wiring harness from an early(88-91) 5.8EFI truck that had a manual or C6 trans, this PCM will use the speed input from the trans or t-case directly(it doesn't go through the cluster), and the wiring harness is almost totally contained to the engine bay and will plug into your motor after you have removed all the '96 wiring.
If you wanted MAF for future upgrade potential then the combo to use is a Mustang PCM and wiring harness, this will run a stock 5.8 no problem at all and of course you have unlimited upgrade potential after adding a tuner like the Moates Quarterhorse or Tweecer RT. Again the speed input signal can be derived form the trans or t-case using an electro/mechanical drive unit that plugs in where the speedo cable usually goes, so you can then use any dash cluster you like even the stock one in the truck. Any cluster from '92 on with the digital ODO will have a PSOM that requires a speed input from a RABS/VSS module.

 

Perfect! Thats the tech I was looking for. I wasn't sure if a mustang harness would work, but if it will, that's awesome. Thanks very much for the wisdom, much appreciated!

 

There would be some wiring changes necessary to use the Mustang setup.. it won't directly plug in like another truck harness because some of the sensors are in different locations and some connector types are different on the trucks, just look at the differences in the intake and you'll see what I mean. Also the PCM was housed in the passenger side kick panel on the Stangs while it is in the driver side kick on the trucks so the whole harness is loomed backwords. And the later trucks used a remote TFI module while the Stangs always had it on the distributor so there are wiring differences there too, but you could retrofit the 5.8 distributor to use an onboard TFI module so that issue is not that hard fix.