Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Drivetrain Tech => Topic started by: vinnietbird on February 20, 2008, 07:17:59 PM

Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: vinnietbird on February 20, 2008, 07:17:59 PM
Do I need a Mustang 5 speed harness for the tranny or is there another way?The 5 speed came in today and there are two plugs hanging from it,.Any info is good.I haven't dealt with 5 speeds before.I'm learning everything from scratch.
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: 32VFoxBird on February 20, 2008, 07:47:09 PM
http://www.coolcats.net/tech/advanced/t5_conversion.html
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: 5.0 tbird on February 20, 2008, 08:26:02 PM
The one on top is the neutral safety switch and the one on the side is reverse lights.

Towards the bottom of the page
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/576934/3
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: vinnietbird on February 20, 2008, 09:54:44 PM
I checked Coolcats.I'd need the harness to adapt it to mine.Splicing mine to the tranny would work,but I want plugs.I'll check around for another harness somewhere.Would a 5 speed T-Bird have the same harness?
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on February 21, 2008, 05:12:12 PM
Quote from: 5.0 bird;205343
The one on top is the neutral safety switch

Nope the one on the top is closed in 5th gear to signal the EEC your in top gear... There is NO neutral safety switch in a T5...

IF wired correctly the engine will only crank by pressing the clutch, which completes the circuit to the started solenoid...
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: vinnietbird on February 21, 2008, 05:17:13 PM
If I only have the plugs hanging off the 5 speed,would't I need a harness to go to the tranny other than the AOD harness?
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on February 21, 2008, 05:35:07 PM
Quote from: vinnietbird;205474
If I only have the plugs hanging off the 5 speed,would't I need a harness to go to the tranny other than the AOD harness?


yup
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: vinnietbird on February 21, 2008, 05:38:32 PM
Got one?
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: Kitz Kat on February 21, 2008, 06:06:15 PM
Vinnie you sure you got it?,splice it in you got plugs there on the tranny.
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: vinnietbird on February 22, 2008, 07:45:14 AM
Perhaps I' not understanding this.I understand I can splice my factory harness (AOD) to the 5 speed,but would I be hard wiring the harness or are the plugs on my AOD harness the same?I would like to be able to unplug everything if I need to.This is one part of the Fox cars I've never done.I'm starting all new here with this.
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: 32VFoxBird on February 22, 2008, 09:42:49 AM
AOD connector is different. the connector on the top plate is hardly used for a 5-speed swap.
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: vinnietbird on February 22, 2008, 10:26:47 AM
What is the connector on the top for?I'll look for a 5 speed harness I suppose.I want the car to work as it's supposed to,without "rigging" anything.
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: 5.0 tbird on February 22, 2008, 09:35:35 PM
Quote from: TurboCoupe50;205473
Nope the one on the top is closed in 5th gear to signal the EEC your in top gear... There is NO neutral safety switch in a T5...

IF wired correctly the engine will only crank by pressing the clutch, which completes the circuit to the started solenoid...


The only time that switch is actvitated is when it's in neutral. If it wasn't my car would start in gear.

My car doesn't start unless it's in neutral. Just like the AOD doesnt start unless you're in park or neutral.

I did that as a safety measure in case some valet noob that assumes my car is automatic tries to start my car in gear and it runs into a bunch of parked cars.

I tested that switch through every gear with an ohm meter to make sure it was working properly before I put the transmission in.

32vFoxbird is right, a lot of people don't use a neutral safety switch or a clutch pedal switch. They just don't let anyone else ever drive their car. :hick:

Vinnie, the AOD connector has 4 wires. 2 are for the reverse lights and 2 are for the AOD's neutral/park safety switch. It's a lot easier to use the AOD's transmission harness. You do have to do some hard wiring though. If you have the other ends of the connectors from the transmission you can still unplug the transmission for clutch jobs.

If you want to make your car only start in neutral then you take the two wires for the AOD's neutral safety switch and wire them up to the top switch. Your car will only start in neutral.
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: Bob on February 22, 2008, 09:49:52 PM
Quote from: 5.0 bird;205717
The only time that switch is actvitated is when it's in neutral. If it wasn't my car would start in gear.

My car doesn't start unless it's in neutral. Just like the AOD doesnt start unless you're in park or neutral.

I did that as a safety measure in case some valet noob that assumes my car is automatic tries to start my car in gear and it runs into a bunch of parked cars.

I tested that switch with an ohm meter to make sure it was working properly before I put the transmission in.

32vFoxbird is right, a lot of people don't use a neutral safety switch or a clutch pedal switch. They just don't let anyone else ever drive their car. :hick:

Vinnie, the AOD connector has 4 wires. 2 are for the reverse lights and 2 are for the AOD's neutral/park safety switch.

You have a choice here:
1. You can take the two wires for the neutral safety switch and wire them up to the top switch. Your car will only start in neutral.

2. You can take the two wires for the neutral safety switch and solder them together. Your car will start no matter what you do.

3. I'm not sure about this, but you might be able to take the two wires for the neutral safety switch and run them to your clutch pedal switch. You car should only start when you push the clutch pedal. The only reason I say that is because I'm not sure of the polarity of the clutch safety switch.


I always ran mine like this:

Both switches in parallel the t-5 switch thats closed in neutral and the clutch switch thats closed when pressed in.

That way the car can be started in gear only with clutch fully pressed in OR car starts when in neutral with or without clutch pressed in.

This worked for me for 4 years and I've had other people drive my car multiple times and never had anyone notice. Everytime I parked the car I always left it in neutral and always started it was always in neutral so it doesn't really matter

Now if I parked on a huge hill I would leave it in 1st or reverse just incase my parking brakes failed and than I would start it with the clutch pedal in. If I try to start it with tranny in first and no clutch pressed in it doesn't start.

Just my :2c:
Title: 5 speed backup light harness question...
Post by: vinnietbird on February 23, 2008, 12:24:59 AM
I just thought of an idea.I'll wire it up using the AOD harness,but I'll buy a couple of aftermarket plugs from autozone to do it.I printed off the info and pics you had,5.0 Bird.That will be my guideline.