'93 Ranger 4.0 4wd m5r1

[BeefStew42791]

On my most recent code check I recieved the number 522, which according to the book is "Vehicle not in park or neutral during KOEO". Now obviously I was in neutral, otherwise there'd be no problem. After research I came to the conclusion that it was, as Fomoco calls it for the 5speeds, the Neutral Sensing Switch and I decided to take a look at mine. Now I know that I pulled out the right sensor, because its the only one alongside the top of the passenger's side of the transmission housing which corresponds to where the Ford service manual said it would be. Unfortunately it came out looking like this..

Apparently this sensor had given the owner some problems before, so I suspect the way he went about repairing this is instead of simply replacing the sensor, after breaking the plastic part of the sensor off, the wiring was cut and stripped and then soldered to the base of the sensor. Then to 'seal' this beauty of a job, some kind of white rubbery puddy was applied to the area that was soldered.
Anyway, the part of all this that kind of concerns me is apparently, all of the sensors I've found online are for the A4LD's because none of them, even at the base, look like this one that came out of mine. This sensor actually looks like something out of a Jeep.. I'm gonna keep looking but if someone knows where I can get one that costs short of an arm and a leg I'd appreciate it.

 

[trail B2]

Oregon Transmission exchange call next business day.You will talk to someone intelligent and your part will go out that day.


http://www.txchange.com/

 

[nooberiffic]

Having a very similar problem

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/classifieds/showentry.php?e=205&catid=8

my code is a two digit ('90). If you can see from the picture, the white putty stuff is on mine as well. Perhaps that is how it was made, or is something a tranny shop will do (was rebuilt once) because they managed to cut EVERY wire going to the tranny and transfer case.

In the process of getting a replacement through the forum.

 

[BeefStew42791]

noober, I'm gonna go with its a hackjob from the local yocal trans. rebuilders because mine was definitely broken. I can tell because there's the smooth look of finished plastic and then the sharp transfer in a very distinguishable shape to rougher plastic that also dips and raises like there was supposed to be something else there..and now isn't.

 

[BeefStew42791]

Just found a BUNCH of great leads.. Apparently a company named Pollak either made the original switches or made replacements for this application (NSS). They call them "Precision Ball Switches" and, along with a ton of specs, can be found here: http://pollak.thomasnet.com/category/precision-ball-switches

I'm gonna need a little bit of help interpreting the specs here.. I'm assuming a little bit to go with the one that comes with the connector, as far as I know it'll fit with the original wiring. First off, the first selection difference is between either "normally closed" and "normally open" circuits. According to page 26-3 of the EVTM sections of Ford's Technical Service Publication, for the 1993 Ranger the Neutral Sensing Switch closes the circuit when the gearbox is in neutral. To me that means the circuit is "normally open" and then it closes when in neutral, but I'm probably wrong so if somebody more knowledgeable could verify that'd be much appreciated.
I'm guessing that might be a good start for now..lol

 

[nooberiffic]

is there a dowel in the hole for the NSS like there is in for the backup light?

That is a good question (open or closed)... though I am not knowledgeable enough to know the answer... Would it be different for me? Is there a way to tell when your tranny was manufactured? There is a sticker on mine...

 

[greasemonkey6886]

switch designations "normally open" and "normally closed" refer to the circuit inside the switch as it normally is WITHOUT being manually cycled. Thus meaning, normally open the circuit is open untill the ball is pushed in. Normally closed would mean the opposite. SO.. you are right sir that it is a normally open circuit.

 

[BeefStew42791]

is there a dowel in the hole for the NSS like there is in for the backup light?

If by dowel you mean a very small, springloaded rod that follows the rod inside the trans (which pushes on the 'dowel' in the switch to open and close the circuit) then yes, in that respect they work similarly (as far as I know).

switch designations "normally open" and "normally closed" refer to the circuit inside the switch as it normally is WITHOUT being manually cycled. Thus meaning, normally open the circuit is open untill the ball is pushed in. Normally closed would mean the opposite. SO.. you are right sir that it is a normally open circuit.

k, well its good to know I was right about that lol. Unfortunately, its back to square one. I was looking at things more closely and, comparing the 'precision ball switches' from pollak and the switch I had along with the switches nooberific pictured in his other thread, the p.b. switches are more along the lines of the backup light switch...all the way down to the stinking thread pattern

so..I guess its a blank slate again. What I don't understand is why the heck this is so dang difficult. From what I understand, most if not all manual transmissions have this kind of switch, and most if not all of Ford's vehicles with these switches have needed to have the switch replaced... and yet NOONE has anything like it?? I feel like I'm missing something completely obvious somehow..

 

[BeefStew42791]

haha..strap in and get ready because everybody's gonna love this!

After going to the Ford dealership to see if they'd at least be able to order something that would work and being told (1) Their records don't show a neutral sensing switch, but rather (like everybody else) a neutral safety switch, (2) Ford never put a neutral sensing switch in the 93 4.0l m50d's, and (3) the Ford service manual I have that says the complete opposite of #2 must not be a real Ford service manual...*stew on that for a lil while*...I found this AWESOME online catalog type thing from (apparently) carquest:http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/carquest/carquest-engine-controls-catalog/2010111901/1037.html
As you can see (if you followed the link), page 1037 has the start of Neutral Safety Switches. I read every page of the nss section and I found 6 pages (1038, 1039, 1043, 1048, 1050, & 1058) that featured specific nss' that were illustrated to look like the one that came out of my truck (don't judge me for using pictures, if I had a part number I'd be using it instead) and also included part numbers! I googled those part numbers in the 'shopping' tab and RockAuto's site came up on many of them. 6 of those numbers coincided with their part numbers on their online catalog (with pictures of course):
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=903&partnum=1S8200&a=FR903-1S8200-362862
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=903&partnum=1S5741&a=FR903-1S5741-363091
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=903&partnum=1S5735&a=FR903-1S5735-362981
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=903&partnum=1S5732&a=FR903-1S5732-363073
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=903&partnum=1S5730&a=FR903-1S5730-363124
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=903&partnum=1S5728&a=FR903-1S5728-363020
If you notice via the picture, all of these ns switches visually look similar to the one that come out of our m50d's. Now, click on the blue part # that's right next to the blue square that says "info" and you'll notice that most of these switches are made for late 80's - early 90's mazda's, the first one is even for a mazda b-series truck...*ponder ponder think think ponder ponder* the m50d's are mazda made transmissions!! And mazda, at least imo, in some ways are a tradition based company.. Perhaps the engineering (idiot) minds behind this (stupid) switch came from Mazda?!?!
THEN, because RockAuto's shipping can be expensive and amazon.com offers free shipping sometimes, I thought maybe amazon would have one of these switches under a Mazda name instead of Ford..
So I typed in Mazda neutral switch and TADA!! I found these:
http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-201-1641-Back-Up-Switch/dp/B000CB24TC/ref=sr_1_20?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1295372456&sr=1-20
http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Motor-Products-Neutral-Backup/dp/B000C81JD2/ref=sr_1_35?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1295372481&sr=1-35
http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-201-1661-Back-Up-Switch/dp/B000CB24QA/ref=sr_1_54?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1295372531&sr=1-54
now yes I know they say backup switches, but their illustrations show the exact same thing as our nss'!!!

thoughts?..

 

[nooberiffic]

If you compare this one
http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-201-1661-Back-Up-Switch/dp/B000CB24QA/ref=au_pf_pfg_s?ie=UTF8&Model=B2600|2397&n=15684181&s=automotive&Make=Mazda|80&Year=1990|1990&newCar=1&carId=003

with my picture
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/classifieds/attachment.php?do=fullview&attachmentid=380

you can see that the wire color, the end connectors, and the protective sleeve matches (the sleeve was spray painted along with everything by the tranny shop.

 

[rboyer]

Seems like alot of trouble to go to for a part that serves no serious purpose. Every time i've swapped a later model trans into an older NSS Ranger i've just left the connector hanging. Also from what I see in the original post i'm guessing that there must not be any information or pictures on here concerning that sensor. From the factory the wires are soldered on and have white silicone sealing it all together. If you peel back the silicone they do look like something is missing. My suggestion would be to take a meter to this sensor first before considering it bad. Also when you did your code check did you have the truck in gear when you keyed it on? Or was it in neutral?

 

[nooberiffic]

It was in neutral. I get a code 67 with the key on engine on test. It also wouldnt flash codes unless my clutch was pushed in (even in neutral). Is that how it usually is for a 5 speed?

 

[BeefStew42791]

Seems like alot of trouble to go to for a part that serves no serious purpose.

Actually this sensor does more then what most people think it does. Your transmission needs to be in neutral to shift in and out of 4-lo on the elec. shift transfer cases, it will cut you out of cruise control if you drop into neutral accidentally instead of letting your engine free-rev till it blows, and it'll help your engine idle. Yes it can be done without with just fine, but I can't walk away from my truck with really anything jerryrigged like that in the back of my mind.

From the factory the wires are soldered on and have white silicone sealing it all together. If you peel back the silicone they do look like something is missing. My suggestion would be to take a meter to this sensor first before considering it bad.

Now I'll admit, I don't really truely know for a certainty what these things looked like brand new right off the showroom floor. But to me, even if the factory was responsible for that nasty garbage, then it needs to be done right. I would tend to agree with checking a sensor first before final diagnosis, but sitting here in my hand I can say without a doubt that this switch is BROKE..not just functionally, but also physically.

Also when you did your code check did you have the truck in gear when you keyed it on? Or was it in neutral?

Now..I almost feel offended by this question lol. Of course I had my transmission in neutral when I turned the key. If I wasn't I would have read the code, double checked, seen that it wasn't, then put it neutral, and start over from the beginning. Either way, I would have gotten the same code, and be at the same problem.

It was in neutral. I get a code 67 with the key on engine on test. It also wouldnt flash codes unless my clutch was pushed in (even in neutral). Is that how it usually is for a 5 speed?

Yes, thats exactly how its supposed to work. If any codes other then the pass code come up on the koeo test then the computer will not allow any further tests to be performed.

For the record, I bought one of the switches on amazon and it should be here in 7-10 days. When it gets here and I can get to it then I'll let everybody know how things go.

 

[BeefStew42791]

Ok everybody, its done. I bought a switch:
http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-201-1641-Back-Up-Switch/dp/B000CB24TC/ref=sr_1_20?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1295372456&sr=1-20

I wired it in yesterday, ran the codes today, and I got the pass code (111). So here's the final conclusion. I'm thinking probably any Neutral Sensing Switch from an early 80's b-series pickup. The threads are the same (you might have a problem with it backing out a little bit, I might just not be torqueing it down enough but because of what tends to happen on my truck I'm only going with a strong handtightening), and you simply splice the wires together. I can't say if there's one with a matching connector so that you could just unplug the old wiring and plug in the new, I never found such a thing. If you do though, do it and let everybody else know!

 

[nooberiffic]

good for you. Do you figure out the open/closed thing. Reason is that this product has the right connectors and matching wire color as my original
http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-201-1661-Back-Up-Switch/dp/B000CB24QA/ref=au_pf_pfg_s?ie=UTF8&Model=B4000|2401&n=15684181&s=automotive&Make=Mazda|80&Year=1994|1994&newCar=1&carId=005