I have an 89 Ford Bronco full size with an E4OD that has a btm floor shift. The bronco was originally a manual but the previous dude turned it into an automatic. So I still have the pedal in place, I still have a master cylinder on the firewall. Just recently I purchased an M5OD for dirt cheap that had an almost perfect borg warner transfer case attached as well. I want to swap the new M5OD with transfer case in for the old floor shift E4OD and the **** transfer case that's in it now. My main question is what parts to do I need to buy for the swap??? I've read like a million threads that range from anywhere to saying they are the exact same just take the old one out and put the new in. But I've read other threads saying I need to buy everything from cross members to front and rear driveshafts to a new computer for the truck. I'm lost and idk what to do. If anyone could explain what exactly I need to buy to swap from an E4OD to an M5OD that would be great. Thank you.

 

Welcome to FTE and the Big Bronco Forum.

I am going to assume your truck also had an electronically shifted transfer case? I'm a little confused about the reference to an "old floor shift E4OD". In my opinion, you would want the manual X-fer case along with the manual transmission. With a couple of assumptions made I am going to attempt an accurate answer:

You WILL need new driveshafts front and rear. The M5 is shorter than the E4OD by several inches necessitating a shorter front and longer rear DS. This forum's primary sponsor is a great resource for them.

You will NOT need the electronic shift control module (but you also don't need to remove it) if you are swapping in a manual X-fer case.

You WILL need to either KEEP the MLPS (Manual Lever Position Sensor - which is mounted to the driver side of the E4OD case so you will need to relocate it) plugged into the wiring harness OR you will need to install a 400 Ω resistor between the two pins in the MLPS connector in the wiring harness closest to the release clip. See diagram below. This "fools" the ECM into "thinking" that the truck is always in DRIVE. This affords the ECM the ability to provide full throttle and tuning performance. Other resistance values "tell" the ECM that the transmission is in other gears which may cause undesirable performance.

Finally, the cross-member DOES need to shift forward but I was able to reuse the E4OD cross-member with a minimum of tweaking. The frame on my '93 didn't have ALL of the required holes for the E4OD cross-member in the forward position but enough to mount it well enough to drill out the frame for the remaining holes. (The transmission mount between the case and the cross-member is the same for the E4OD, the M5OD and the ZF S5-42 transmissions).

On a side note, the pins in the MLPS connector with the PINK/BLACK wire and the PURPLE/ORANGE wire are the two pins that the "REVERSE" switch in the M5OD need to be connected to to make yur back-up lights work in "Reverse".


This is the old style MLPS connector.

This is the new style MLPS connector.


The pins shown in this diagram are the ones that need the resistor mounted between them. If you look at the chart, it becomes fairly obvious why.

 

The truck has a manual floor shift transfer case with manual locking hubs. The E4OD in the bronco now isn't your standard automatic with a column shift. The PO who installed it made it a shifter on the floor like a manual, but it's an automatic. I will be swapping in a manual transfer case.

The MLPS issue is a new one to me so thanks for the diagrams and the information.

So basically what I'm getting is that since I have the pedal installed already and the master cylinder I will need new driveshafts, clutch kit, flywheel, and starter? As well as the resistor for the MLPS issues.

 

Also, if you need me to clear something up to help out with your assumptions for a better or more accurate answer please let me know. I'm extremely thankful for the help and information.

 

This is what I mean by floor shift E4OD instead of a standard column shift.

 

That's an "interesting" setup you have. I can see why you would want to swap things. I am not aware of a need to change starters without a change in engines but then, my swap included removing the 302 in favor of a 300 and a ZF in place of the E4OD so the starter swap was a given.

One thing I thought of... you probably want to move the MLPS connector INSIDE the cabin OR find a way to seal/weatherproof the connector and tie up the harness once you have the resistor installed and the wiring run to the reverse light switch in the M5.

 

Also, my reverse lights now don't work. I'm pretty sure there isn't even a harness. The PO was a odd about how he fixed a few things. So can I just go to autozone and get a reverse light wiring harness for the M5OD? And who is the sponsor of the site? I'm trying to find out how much these driveshafts are gonna cost me. And cool, I'll take the starter off the purchase list then, for now.

 

last i have read is the e4od is difficult to setup with a floor shifter. I am wondering if you got either a C6 or an AOD automatic. where is your push button to make the overdrive work for the E4od?

make sure you get the correct flywheel and yes you will want a manual starter. I bet this swap will be easy and that everything was probably left in place.

 

i got under my bronco and counted the bolts on the trans pan. There are 20 which leads me to believe it's an E4OD. And I don't have a switch for overdrive. The previous owner didn't think that through. I know I need a manual starter after doing a little more research. Do you also think I need to replace drive shafts or are you saying that was left too? That's my main thing. I need to know whether I need to get different drive shafts or not. If not I'll be ready to do the swap after I pick up a clutch kit and flywheel.

 

drive shafts will be necessary based on the above statements by Grey. might get at least a rear shaft on hand, at least you could get the swap done and drive and worry about the front shaft later.

 

Hey Grey, it's good to have you back, long time without seeing any post from you. To the OP: You're on the right track, keep us posted.

 

From what I can gather from your info here, You will need the manual starter, flywheel. Measure both transmissions from the front of the bellhousings to where the transfercase bolts up. This will tell you if the case is going to move and require new driveshafts. You did say it was a '89? I used the wireing from a donor to get reverse lights and neutral safety switch to work. Guessing they didn't bother changing the computer, we hope. It has been about 6 years since I did this to my '89. Difference is I went from factory AOD to the M5. Put a new clutch slave on with your new trans! now is the best time. I was told to open the bleed screw on the clutch slave while installing it to prevent damaging it.

 

Hey man whatever happened to the build? I am doing the exact same build in a few weeks, wanted to know how it went for you. I have already done a manual swap before but she was a 78 and I swapped in a t-18 where there was a c6, so mainly id like to know what you did for drive shafts and wiring. the 78 had a neutral safety switch on the c6 had 4 cables for starting and backing up which I just jumped so that I could start it whenever for the manual trans and then just connected the other two wires for the backup lights to the switch on the t-18. what did you do for the neutral safety switch? I have seen the dude on this thread saying you should install a 400-ohm resistor in some pins on the Mpls so that it's in "drive" (but how would that work because if it is in drive then the NSS won't allow you to start the engine if it's not in park or neutral) and I have also seen other guys saying that you just have to take off the mpls from the trans and just leave it in neutral and just prop it on the chassis. hope you respond with how your little project went.

 

I don’t think you are going to get an answer. According to the profile page ….last activity by the OP was 05/05/2017.

 

For anyone wondering, you can simply take the MLPS off the E4OD and just leave it in Park or Neutral and zip tie it to the chassis and all you have to do is find the two wires that turn on your reverse lights, cut them, and connect them to the reverse switch on the M5OD. I am not sure if there really is a difference with leaving the MLPS in Drive and adding a resistor but then you have to worry about the MLPS not allowing your engine to start. The other option is to get the computer and harness from a donor truch that was factory manual. But I left the MPLS in park and it runs just fine.