C6 to ZF-5 swap wiring question

[Johnboy]

Converting my 86 e-250 to a five speed manual. I'm wondering what to do about reverse lights? There is a round white plastic piece that a bunch of wires runs into. This piece bolted behind where the linkage hooked into the trans and rotated when shifting gears to tell the van what gear it was in I think.

The speedo cable is mechanical and I don't believe the transmission or transfer case has a spot for that. My transfercase is a borgwarner, but not the 1356. Not exactly sure what it is called, but is huge and aluminum.

My zf-5 and t-case each have one spot for wiring and it looks like the same two prong plug in both.( I'll take pics today and post them)

Not exactly sure what to do. When I turn the white plastic piece to the drive position it will start. Today I will try putting it in the reverse position to see if the lights come on.

Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Almost done!

 

[pt_Ranger_v8]

They won't.


The 2 wire plug on your tranny is for the reverse lights. You can splice them into your C-6 harness, or just run the wires back towards the frame, and splice into your reverse lights on the rail. It's +12V from a fuse, through the switch, to the reverse lights.

The plug on the T-case should have 3 or 4 wires, but it might only have 2. It's used for the 4wd indicator. Again, power from a fuse, through the plug, back to the dash indicator.

 

[Agnem]

I'll be going through this same conversion myself shortly. My plan is to just take the 2 wires that are for the "Park and neutral" interlock and tie them together, and then take the 2 wires for the reverse lights, and connect them to the switch on the manual trans. I don't want or need a clutch interlock. I'm keeping the same transfer case, so I have no speedo issues.

 

[hesutton]

I'll be going through this same conversion myself shortly. My plan is to just take the 2 wires that are for the "Park and neutral" interlock and tie them together, and then take the 2 wires for the reverse lights, and connect them to the switch on the manual trans. I don't want or need a clutch interlock. I'm keeping the same transfer case, so I have no speedo issues.

That's what I've done on my swap Mel. No clutch safey switch, but that's fine with me.

Heath

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

Converting my 86 e-250 to a five speed manual. I'm wondering what to do about reverse lights? There is a round white plastic piece that a bunch of wires runs into. This piece bolted behind where the linkage hooked into the trans and rotated when shifting gears to tell the van what gear it was in I think.

The speedo cable is mechanical and I don't believe the transmission or transfer case has a spot for that. My transfercase is a borgwarner, but not the 1356. Not exactly sure what it is called, but is huge and aluminum.

My zf-5 and t-case each have one spot for wiring and it looks like the same two prong plug in both.( I'll take pics today and post them)

Not exactly sure what to do. When I turn the white plastic piece to the drive position it will start. Today I will try putting it in the reverse position to see if the lights come on.

Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Almost done!

Hey johnboy, is the tranny swap, etc. already done?

SHOW US SOME PICS OF A VAN WITH A ZF5 IN IT!!!!!!!!!!

I'd love to do that my self some day!

I already have everything I'd need to convert any Ford van 1975-1991 to a standard. Steering column with clutch/brake assembly, all linkages (for a old RUG 3 speed + OD), I also have the tranny, cross member, and even got a 6cyl engine to boot

Ofcourse for a modern 5 speed I'd only need the steering column with pedals as everything else is different.

 

[bike-maker]

Same here.
I should crawl under my truck and take a picture of the wires showing which 2 get spliced together and which 2 get spliced into the switch on the ZF. This question gets asked fairly often, and I can't ever remember what colors go where. But I'm pretty shure there's 2 wires that are either purple or pink that get connected to by-pass the neutral safety switch.

 

[Johnboy]

Thanks for all the quick replies. Well today I got the clutch all bled out and operating.WOOHOO

I also turned the round thingy and it made the reverse lights come on. So I guess I will have to cut the wires and figure out which ones will plug into the transmission to make the lights work and eliminate the clutch safety switch.

As for the plug on the transfercase, if it only indicates the 4x4 I don't have the appropriate dash for that anyhow being a van. I should be able to tell what gear I'm in pretty easy.

Now the only thing is the speedometer which I can live without if need be.

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not sure if these pics are gonna work but if it does I will add some more.
The van is still on jackstands waiting on some steering stuff but as soon as it's done I will post some of the finished product and when I get some time I'll put up a build thread.

 

[franklin2]

If you want a plug and play solution, go to the junkyard or your donor truck, and look under the brake booster for a green plug. Unplug this plug and the harness from there down to the tranny/transfer case will come out. The hardest part is taking the metal holder loose from the frame that holds the wiring. Then unplug the same plug on your c6 truck, take that harness out, plug the zf harness in, and hook it up to the plug-ins on the transfer case and tranny. That's all there is to it if you have access to the zf harness.

 

[Johnboy]

Thanks Franklin 2. I will have to look for the guys number that I got the tranny from and see if he's still has a parts truck kickin around. That should simplify things.

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

Those pics ain't working.