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Electrical help!


Elopez17

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1988
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Bronco II
Hello, I’m new to the forum and I’ve had quite the project on my bronco II. I originally bought a 1988 bronco II 2WD automatic A4LD, For 400$. The motor is a solid runner and I have a friend who rebuilds transmissions so he gave me a great deal. After that it was a great runner. But as I tore into it, I found more and more rust and rot on the body, especially on the drill rails. They bolted angle iron to keep the floor board together, just really really bad It was too far gone. So I found another clean body 1987 bronco ii 4WD manual for 300$. Figuring I could just swap over. It sat in a field for 15 years, so I felt the motor and transmission I had were better. Well after pulling the motor and transmission and doing a lot of servicing and cleaning. I got it all back in the clean body 87 bronco. I swapped over the engine bay harness, the frame rail harness and the dash harness. Because whether it was 87 vs 88 or auto vs manual. They were different. All the harnesses are in now and mostly plugged in. But I have a few not plugged in. As well I have no power to starter(no spark no crank) I don’t hear the fuel pumps engage, nothing. Only power i get is too headlights and dome lights. No parking lights. And only hazards when the key is set off of accessories. The dash lights only work when you spin the headlight handle to dim, not pull. So I’m pretty lost at this point. I figured it would be a pretty easy swap in because it’s all the same harness it had before and it ran and functioned just fine. All my grounds are in the correct place I believe and I cleaned underneath them and scuffed before putting them in. The first photo is a plug not plugged in that comes from the passenger side firewall harness. It’s pretty long and routes towards the driver side I believe. But see nothing for it to plug into. The second photo are two plugs underneath the dash, no idea where they go. The third photo is two plugs ran from the dash harness into the driver side engine bay, and they are unplugged as Well. Not sure where they go. I have a hanes manual but it seems pretty vauge on the harnesses and doesn’t show the difference in years. Any help would be great, I’ve been doing so much on this bronco, I think I’m a little fried and could use some second opinions. Thanks!
 

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Elopez17

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One thing I’m considering too may be an issue is; I have my negative terminal hooked up. It’s grounded to the motor and it’s grounded on the core support. But I hadn’t yet bolted it to the frame. I figured it would be ok for start up with just the two grounds and I would get to it after. So I’ll try and get that bolted onto the frame soon and see if that makes any difference
 

JerryC

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You need the grounds. Beside the frame rail to battery, you need one from then engine to body. It goes from the driver cylinder head to firewall, look in that area and you should see a stud for the connection on the firewall.

Look on ebay for the Ford Electrical and Vacuum manuals for both years. They will help a lot.

Guesses, first pic Map sensor. Second Pic big connector wiper motor governor. Third, big one is for the knock sensor that the 88 motor doesn't have. Again, just guesses.
 

Elopez17

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I’ll be sure to ground it to the frame rail then and double check my other grounds. I have the one on the back of the block(drivers side) to the firewall. Then the one from the negative terminal to the core support. As for the plugs, the map sensor is already hooked up so I believe that plug goes somewhere else. And would it have an empty plug for a knock sensor even though it is the 88 wiring harness? I know sometimes manufacturers leave empty plugs sometimes. Thanks for the help
 

JerryC

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Like I said guesses. I'll try to get under the hood of my 88. Although that can be iffy as the several previous owners did some hokey things with it, including swapping in an earlier engine.
 

GTme94

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Hi, I just joined here. I'm currently doing an engine swap. 1984 Bronco II, swapping complete dash, underhood harness and body harness from an '87 and then a 4.0L from a '93 Ranger. Definitely try to find an EVTM, a life saver if you have lots of electrical work. I don't have info on the '88 but I can give you some ideas based on my experience.

The first picture connector looks exactly like the connector for the inertial/roll over switch for fuel pump. It is inside, under the dash on the passenger side. On the '87 it has Black/Pink stripe wires.
The second picture looks like it should go to the engine. Red/Blue wire is start signal (common color for all 3 vehicles I'm working with. Dark Green/Yellow is tach signal. Black/white is ground. White/Red is oil pressure, Red/white is coolant temp.

If you can give me the wire colors of the connectors in the other picture I can try to help with those.
 

Elopez17

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The inertia switch(I believe that is it) is hooked up. But the first pic one, comes from that same harness. As for those two plugs in the engine bay the black one has three wires(blue, black/yellow stripe, and green/yellow stripe. The grey one has two wires(black/yellow stripe, green/yellow stripe)
 

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GTme94

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That is the inertia switch in the first picture with the orang and pink wires.
Let me see if I can find info on those other wire colors. I guess '87 and '88 are pretty different because I don't have any of those connectors on my '87 parts.
 

JerryC

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The third pic, both connectors go to a big harness that goes through the drivers firewall. My guess there is fuse panel as the other side looks to go the relays on the passenger fender. That harness runs up over the engine and through the upper intake.
 
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JerryC

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First pic might be the AC compressor. Mine are black/yellow and black.
 

JerryC

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The more I look at the second pic the more I think that might be for an aftermarket alarm system.
 

Elopez17

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Yea 87 and 88 are quite different, regardless of the Hanes manual and forums saying they are plug and play! And as for the First pic being AC, I believe your right, it seems to be that Length, neither of my Broncos still had the compressor in when I bought them. But I believe that’s what that one is for. It could be for aftermarket alarm system. I’m not sure, when I ran and drove it before I never had any issues with any alarm system, or didn’t have a key fob. Last owners ran quite a bit of bullshit. I purchased a 1988 electrical and vaccum line diagnostic book like you guys suggested. It should be here Tuesday. Hopefully that can get us some better answers
 

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