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Wiring harness interchange

Slim57

CEG'er
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Messages
54
Location
Central TX
I've a 1995 Contour w 2.5L MTX, with insulation flaking from wiring. Can anyone say about interchange between years? Pick & pull harnesses are very reasonable, but I would not like another crumbly harness, would like a later year if not totally different
 
What you want is the same year (and MTX) but with the "new and improved/replacement harness". There are a few changes (OBDII starting in '96) within the '95~'97 model years; SVTTOUR will chime in on this further, as he is our resident expert on everything wiring harness as it pertains to 'Tours.
 
95s are a nightmare in themselves. I don't even know where to start but I cant convert it without having the 95 harness here.
 
Ecu setup is completely different. I would rate it not compatible with any other year even w modification. It would be easier to rebuild
 
Oh, dreads. I guess I'll visit some of the pic and pulls, see what's there. I do have FSM and EVTM. Since ECU is different that puts a damper on things. Insulation degradation is pretty widespread. I've spent several hours this week rebuilding fan harness, and insulating power distribution box wiring, very time consuming work, that's when I decided to try and find other harnesses, flaking is widespread on main and engine harnesses.

I have seen one suggest to modify later model year (1998?) harness at ECU connector, do not know what kind of job that may be. Sounds about as bad as repairing current harness.

Thanks for the information.
 
There have been a few guys that pulled complete engine harness, engine bay harness, fan harness, dash harness, ignition, key, ECU and swapped it all into a '95 to make it OBD2
 
i have power distribution harnesses for the positive battery terminal for sale that will work on your car.
 
If decent 1995 harnesses not available, I'll probably repair, though the OBDII upgrade is a thought! There are some 1998, 1999, and 2000 models in P&Ps nearby. This much I know first hand: repair is slow, and painful. As long as there are not extra engine sensors for OBDII, harnesses and ecu do not seem that bad. I think I'll smoke on it for now...
 
Can anyone say about differences in 1995 and 1998-2000 V6 engines that would complicate upgrading ECU from 1995 version? Thanks.
 
There is a few sensors that are different on the engine, but the engine is the least of your worries. Im not even sure if a 1995 has a ecu has a spot for a ecu like the later models? You would need engine harness, injector harness, ecu, pats boxes, gauge cluster, dash harness/harness going from engine to car, fuses boxes, and probably the keys and ignition with that particular car.

Not a task i'd want to do. Unless your 95 is something special, i wouldn't either.
 
The car is not very special, other than I like the V6 and the 5 speed. It is still relatively low mileage. I would really just like to eliminate the deteriorating insulation, and during repair of the fan harness, found wire by wire repair very slow, but I suppose that's the best option. Harnesses at P & P are really inexpensive, the price is $12 each, flat. As it is, I'm faced with removing, replacing wire, and reinstalling main, injector, and engine harnesses. I already repaired fan harness, and the main harness in the area of the power dist box.

On some of the later harnesses that are not deteriorating, I did see that at least some parts are the same: MAF connector, TPI connector, ac pressure switch, to name a few. I may pick up some of the later harnesses, to be able to have a least some parts that are in good shape to graft onto the 1995 harnesses, considering the price is economical.
 
95s are a nightmare in themselves. I don't even know where to start but I cant convert it without having the 95 harness here.

Repaired my own '95 Zetec w/5 speed MTX and it was not a huge ordeal. Of course I have been doing automotive wiring since the early 70's, starting with Lucas wiring!
 
I put the harness and Computer from a 96 into my 95 SE. Emissions are different in 96+ larger gas tank vent to purge solenoid for example. In 98 there is a gas tank pressure sensor for emissions to flag a large vent to atmosphere (like loose or missing gas cap). Stick to 96 or 97 and if you have a donor car or get all the pieces it is doable.

95 has fewer pins on computer and completely different programming. Pm me if you want to try the OBD II conversion like I did.
 
I put the harness and Computer from a 96 into my 95 SE. Emissions are different in 96+ larger gas tank vent to purge solenoid for example. In 98 there is a gas tank pressure sensor for emissions to flag a large vent to atmosphere (like loose or missing gas cap). Stick to 96 or 97 and if you have a donor car or get all the pieces it is doable.

95 has fewer pins on computer and completely different programming. Pm me if you want to try the OBD II conversion like I did.

Dennyb - very good info and your offer is much appreciated for all who may be facing this swap prospect!!
 
Over weekend I spliced 1995 style connectors on to a fuel harness fr later car (2000 model according to records) fr P&P. This is quicker than fabrication. Injector, O2, CLT, IMRC, TPS connectors had to be salvaged fr 1995, insulated w shrink tube, and butt spliced.

The black and gray 12 pin connectors had the correct pin assignments, same as 1995. Most of the wire colors are the same. Later year harnesses have a 6 pin connector where 1995 harness has a 4 pin connector that has O2 sensor wiring.

Car did not start right up, but after double checking and reseating, zoom, it started, ran. So, to now, I've repaired fan and fuel harnesses, dreading main and engine harnesses.

Car ran pretty well, idle lunges a bit, engine died immediately when IAC disconnected.

I plan to go back to P&P for main and engine harnesses, splice in different connectors. Not a job I relish, but that seems best option at present.

Can anyone say if ABS/traction control was standard equipment?

Thanks.
 
Most cars had ABS, some did not. Most car did not have tracton control. Few did.

Nice job on the injector. Main harness is where you are going to be SOL
 
SOL? Well, maybe, but it seems best option: no 1995 harnesses to be found. It is time consuming, but l'm getting faster, yes I understand 90 pin ECU. Other choice is to replace one wire at a time in main harness, but then how long before others decay? At this point I'm convinced it's my best choice.
 
Ok, over weekend I pullled engine harness and main harness fr 1998 and am preparing wire list for engine harness. Plan is to splice 60 pin ecu and other connectors onto newer harness. Wire list is spreadsheet of connector numbers, wire color/numbers, and EVTM page numbers.
 
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