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Newer PCM (possibly SVT) in a pre-98

rkneeshaw

CEG'er
Joined
Dec 6, 2001
Messages
471
Location
Petoskey, Michigan
Searched but having a hard time finding clear answers to this question.

We are having trouble getting my 96 SE tuned right and the idea to install a newer PCM that is easier to tune has been presented. The 96 is OBD-II but to my knowledge does not have PATS. I'd like to go with a SVT ECU, and any one of the following are recommended by my tuner:

early 1998(May1997)-98.5 SVT -- RJL1
98-99 SVT -- SFG0
99 SVT SFG2
99 SVT MNQ2 (rare)
99-00 SVT returnless XGT1

So I'm wondering a couple things: Did ALL SVT's have PATS and what would I need to do to bypass it? And in my searching I found a reference to the removed gas cap CEL sensors... would that be a problem (i.e. constant CEL) since that my 96 probably doesnt have the hardware for the related diagnostic tests that the ECU performs? Or other than potential PATS issues would this be plug and play?
 
If you wanted to use an SVT ECU you would need a return style one since your car is a return style fuel system.

I doubt that the pinouts of the 2 ECU's match and some of the sensors are probably different. The would have to be brought in line to make it work.

You would need some kind of PATS bypass.

Most of the ODB2 checks and CEL's should be bypassable in the ECU.
 
I doubt that the pinouts of the 2 ECU's match and some of the sensors are probably different. The would have to be brought in line to make it work.

Crap, thats right, on the 3L block I remember we had to re-tap for one of my '96 sensors, like crank pos sensor or something.... it had a different connector than the one on the 3L block. Sounds like a major PITA with no guarantee of success. :(
 
Any 1997 pcm should do the trick. The RJL1 is the earliest SVT pcm.
Also, buckeyeSVT on fco swapped in an svt pcm direct plug and play with an SE contour and had not issues with pats that I heard of. I imagine you could just search up on fco and see what he did or just try it then solve those issues as they come up.
You could just use the whole harness as barge said or reposition any pins in your current harness. Shouldn't be too bad, maybe a couple hours work with your harness and two wiring pinouts for the each year of pcm.
 
1998 SVT ECU Part # F8RF-AB Code RJL1 build 4/97 7/97 9/97
**warning** These are not compatible with the cougar PATS system (see link below). They have the PATS system external from the ECU, meaning that the pats system in that year Contour will still engage without any ecu in car. The keys are programmed to the car's systems elsewhere other than the ECU.


http://www.newcougar.org/forums/2-5l-duratec-performance/96851-svt-ecu-information.html


I've had some experience with this issue myself. The earlier pats systems in the contours are external from the ECU where as later (post 98) ECU has the pats system integrated into the ECU.

Basically this is what happened to me:
Bought RJL1 ECU for use in 99 Cougar.
Upon installing the PATS light blinked constantly and would not link up to Ford programming for resetting of pats to my KEY.
I purchased the next edition SVT ECU and it worked.

I tested the RJL1 ECU in a 97 built contour SE. No pats reprogramming needed. I just plugged in the ECU and the car started up and ran fine (for the 1/1000th of a second I had the running).

From what I can tell running around the junkyards looking for my replacement ECU all the parts are the same for the pre-98 Contours. Here is a link to the PATS dates for fords:

http://www.sievekingprodco.com/helpspg1504.html


The RJL1 ECU should do the trick for you. I would get a pinout reading (on Ford CD) fo the ECU harness and doublecheck that they are all the same. Its easy enough to do and will guarantee that the job is done right the first time.
 
I tested the RJL1 ECU in a 97 built contour SE. No pats reprogramming needed. I just plugged in the ECU and the car started up and ran fine (for the 1/1000th of a second I had the running).

wow, 1/1000th of a second! So when you say it ran fine.....

As far as I know most of the sensors should even be the same with the exception of a certain sensor on the back of the engine block (firewall side). When we put my 3L in we had to re-tap the hole it screwed into so that I could re-use my stock sensor which attaches to the stock harness. If I swap out the whole harness I think I'll run into problems here.

EDIT: I remember now, it was the knock sensor. We kept my stock knock sensor and re-tapped the block to accomidate it. I beleive the newer knock sensors use a different connector. Since its only a knock sensor, its probably wired the same at the ECU so it probably wont be an issue. At least thats my guess.

I have a Ford CD for my '96 contour so I can get the pinouts for my stock ECU. If I can get someone to post the pinouts for a '98 I could compare.
 
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I have a spare 98 SVT PCM I think. Eurotour has it right now. I think it's an RJL1 too.
 
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Here's what I know. I also have a 96 which is getting a 3.0 transplant. I have a 98 SVT PCM with Pats. I also have the key and the Pats ring which is normally located around the key lock cylinder in the steering column. To date I have not checked the wiring diagram, although the 96 & 98 both use return type fuel system.

My guess is that the pinouts on both PCM's are the same (or very similiar). Now the Pats ring has 3 wires coming off of it so the trick w/b to find where they terminate. The other issue is what happens if the wires are simply left disconnected? Someone mentioned that the early Pats system was external to the PCM. What exactly does that mean?

The later, more desirable from a swap point of view 3.0's, use the smaller threaded (8mm?) knock sensor vs. 12mm knock sensor for the 2.5. Simplest method is to drill and tap the 3.0 block for use with the 2.5 sensor. My experience is that Ford changed ALL the wiring connectors when they went to OBD2 (95-96) and then there was another change (not everything) around 2000. I've owned both a 95 & a 96.
 
Someone mentioned that the early Pats system was external to the PCM. What exactly does that mean?

I'm assuming that means we can just plug the PCM in, and start it up and not worry about PATS. Rodney mentioned he simply plugged the unit into a 97 contour and it started, which means that PATS wasnt necessary. If PATS was an issue, the car woiuldnt' have turned over.
 
wow, 1/1000th of a second! So when you say it ran fine.....

Yea it kinda took me by surprise that the car started. When it turned over and started on the first revolution I about shat my pants. I immediately turned the key back and shut it off. I didn't want to damage the car and was worried about the non-SVT cams, injectors, etc. and the difference settings in the ECU.

My goal was just to test what happened when a Non-pats programed key tried to turnover the engine. I needed to find out if the engine cranked or just sat idle. I was trying to figure out if it was an ECU issue or PATS issue in my Cougar. Obviously it was the ECU issue.
 
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"I was trying to figure out if it was an ECU issue or PATS issue in my Cougar." So did you plug the PCM into your Cougar or an early Contour?

My 95 had ABS and it was controlled by a seperate, external computer module. Wonder if that was how the PATS worked for E0's?

If that's the case, we should be able to simply plug in the E0 PCM and have the car function normally. Wonder if I should try it now before the motor swap?
 
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Keep in mind that 95's (At least the early ones) were OBD-I, not OBD-II as the 96 and up models are...

Of course I'm aware of that! I only used the analogy as a way of demonstrating that Ford has a habit of changing how they control various sensors and actuators via a PC. Early ABS had it's own dedicated controller. Later on, they combined it with the PCM. Get it?

BTW-ALL 95's were EEC4/OBD1.
 
Here are the pinouts for a 96 2.5L SE PCM:

Code:
    Ú--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------¿
    |     Pin      |   Circuit    |  Wire Color  |             Application              | Abbreviation |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      1       |     91S      |    BK/BL     | Shift Solenoid 2                     |     SS2      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      2       |     91S      |     BK/O     | Malfunction Indicator Lamp           |     MIL      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      8       |     91S      |    BK/BL     | Intake Manifold Runner Control       |    IMRCM     |
    |              |              |              | Monitor                              |              |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      13      |      8       |     W/BL     | Flash EPROM Power Supply             |     FEPS     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      15      |      9       |    BR/BL     | BUS (-)                              |    BUS -     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      16      |      8       |     W/BL     | BUS (+)                              |    BUS +     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      21      |      8       |     W/R      | Crankshaft Position Sensor (+)       |    CKP +     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      22      |      9       |     BR/R     | Crankshaft Position Sensor (-)       |    CKP -     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      24      |      91      |     BK/Y     | Power Ground                         |   PWR GND    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      25      |      91      |     BK/R     | Case Ground                          |   CASE GND   |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      26      |      9       |    BR/BL     | Ignition Coil 1                      |    COIL-1    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      27      |     91S      |     BK/Y     | Shift Solenoid 1 (CD4E)              |     SS1      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      29      |     14S      |     P/BK     | Transmission Control Switch (CD4E)   |     TCS      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      30      |      8       |     W/BK     | Octane Adjust                        |   OCT ADJ    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      31      |      8       |      W       | Power Steering Pressure Switch       |     PSP      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      35      |      8       |     W/BL     | Heated Oxygen Sensor - 12            |   HO2S-12    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      36      |      9       |    BR/BL     | Mass Air Flow Sensor Return          |   MAF RTN    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      37      |      8       |     W/R      | Transmission Fluid Temperature       |     TFT      |
    |              |              |              | Sensor                               |              |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      38      |      8       |     W/GR     | Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor    |     ECT      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      39      |      8       |     W/P      | Intake Air Temperature Sensor        |     IAT      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      40      |     14S      |     P/BK     | Fuel Pump Monitor                    |     FPM      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      41      |     14S      |     P/BL     | A/C Cycling Switch                   |     ACCS     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      42      |     91S      |     BK/R     | Intake Manifold Runner Control       |     IMRC     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      45      |     91S      |    BK/BL     | Low Fan Control                      |     LFC      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      46      |     91S      |     BK/W     | High Fan Control                     |     HFC      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      47      |     91S      |    BK/GR     | EGR Electronic Vacuum Regulator      |     EVR      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      48      |      8       |     W/BK     | Clean Tach Output                    |     CTO      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      51      |      91      |     BK/Y     | Power Ground                         |   PWR GND    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      52      |      9       |    BR/GR     | Ignition Coil 2                      |    COIL-2    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      54      |     91S      |     BK/W     | Torque Converter Clutch Solenoid     |     TCC      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      55      |      89      |     O/Y      | Keep Alive Power                     |    KAPWR     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      56      |     91S      |     BK/O     | Vapor Management Valve               |     VMV      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      57      |      8       |     W/BK     | Knock Sensor                         |      KS      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      58      |      8       |     W/P      | Vehicle Speed Sensor                 |     VSS      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      60      |      8       |      W       | Heated Oxygen Sensor - 11            |   HO2S-11    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      61      |      8       |     W/GR     | Heated Oxygen Sensor - 22            |   HO2S-22    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      64      |      8       |     W/GR     | Transmission Range Sensor (CD4E)     |      TR      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      64      |      8       |      W       | Neutral Gear Switch/Clutch Pedal     |   NGS/CPP    |
    |              |              |              | Position Switch (Manual              |              |
    |              |              |              | Transmission)                        |              |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      65      |      8       |     W/BL     | Differential Pressure Feedback EGR   |     DPFE     |
    |              |              |              | Sensor                               |              |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      69      |     91S      |     BK/Y     | Wide Open Throttle A/C Cutoff        |     WAC      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      71      |      95      |     GR/Y     | Vehicle Power                        |     VPWR     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      73      |     91S      |    BK/GR     | Injector 5                           |    INJ-5     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      74      |     91S      |    BK/BL     | Injector 3                           |    INJ-3     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      75      |     91S      |     BK/W     | Injector 1                           |    INJ-1     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      76      |      91      |     BR/W     | CMP/TSS Ground                       | CMP/TSS GND  |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      77      |      91      |     BK/Y     | Power Ground                         |   PWR GND    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      78      |      9       |     BR/Y     | Ignition Coil 3                      |    COIL-3    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      79      |      8       |     W/BL     | Transmission Control Indicator Lamp  |     TCIL     |
    |              |              |              | (CD4E)                               |              |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      80      |     91S      |    BK/BL     | Fuel Pump                            |      FP      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      81      |     91S      |     BK/R     | Electronic Pressure Control (CD4E)   |     EPC      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      83      |     91S      |     BK/Y     | Idle Air Control Solenoid            |     IAC      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      84      |      8       |     W/P      | Turbine Shaft Speed Sensor (CD4E)    |     TSS      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      85      |      8       |     W/P      | Cylinder Identification              |     CID      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      86      |     91S      |     BK/W     | A/C Pressure Switch                  |    ACPSW     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      87      |      8       |     W/R      | Heated Oxygen Sensor - 21            |   HO2S-21    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      88      |      8       |     W/BL     | Mass Air Flow Sensor                 |     MAF      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      89      |      8       |      W       | Throttle Position Sensor             |      TP      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      90      |      7       |      Y       | Vehicle Reference Voltage            |     VREF     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      91      |      9       |      BR      | Signal Return                        |   SIG RTN    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      92      |     29S      |      O       | Brake On/Off Switch                  |     BOO      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      93      |     91S      |     BK/Y     | HO2S Heater - 11                     |    HTR-11    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      94      |     91S      |    BK/BL     | HO2S Heater - 21                     |    HTR-21    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      95      |     91S      |     BK/O     | HO2S Heater - 12                     |    HTR-12    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      96      |     91S      |    BK/GR     | HO2S Heater - 22                     |    HTR-22    |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      97      |      95      |     GR/Y     | Vehicle Power                        |     VPWR     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |      99      |     91S      |     BK/R     | Injector 6                           |    INJ-6     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |     100      |     91S      |     BK/O     | Injector 4                           |    INJ-4     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |     101      |     91S      |     BK/Y     | Injector 2                           |    INJ-2     |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |     102      |     91S      |     BK/O     | Shift Solenoid 3                     |     SS3      |
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------´
    |     103      |      91      |     BK/Y     | Power Ground                         |   PWR GND    |
    À--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ù

It was hard to find. This is where I found these on my 96 Ford CD:

PCEDs\Description and Operation\Car Electrical Schematics\2.5L Contour/Mystique > Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Connector PIN Usage

Lets get a pinout of the RJL1 from someone
 
Ryan - I swapped in three different 98 ECU's one right after another into Suneil's car and they all fired up. It was one of the early models with the different antennae ring.
 
Ryan - I swapped in three different 98 ECU's one right after another into Suneil's car and they all fired up. It was one of the early models with the different antennae ring.

What are you referring to as the "antennae ring"? Is it the PATS ring which is attached to the steering column encircling the ignition cylinder? If so, it should have 4 very small gauge (22-24AWG) wires coming from a green plastic connector. What year was Suneil's car?

I think the simplest way is for me to remove my 96 PCM and install the RJL1 PCM and see what happens. All I've gotta' do is find some time...
 
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