Hi there,

First time post mid time lurker on the 6 Cylinder Workshop, Good aye from NZ as a project looking at looking at putting an AU III Manual Ute VCT Xr6 Tickford Engine into a AU II Futura Auto.

Currently have the Engine did not get loom or ecu and 1xAU II Futura wanted to stay auto. Electrically savvy person helping whom is interested in know wiring difference between the models that will be an issue for the swap.

what I have found so far.

-the VCT has a solenoid that switches around 3000 rpm and requires an 2x extra wire.

-some have said but I may have miss read in the hours of looking that the non-vct ecu can run a vct as long AU II/AUIII - AUII/AUIII but not AUI due to smartsheild

-that there where only 946 tickford VCT for all auIII, that most people will go the HP/HO or even the standard I6 over the VCT.

-that the XR6 had an adaptive shift auto and I dont think that the Futura does.

I am sure there is more but I have spent the day looking again and am somewhat overloaded to recall more.

Any help/idea's/optimism would be appreciated


------ cheers and have a great day -------

Yes
Not sure
Hp is a better motor hands down
Adaptive shift is only hardened shifts sometimes. Its usually more of a pain on the a** than an enhancement. Its only in the software as well, so if you really want it or a.version of it, build a shiftkit (info on here). This won't affect you though going manual.

My advice is to get a custom programmed j3 chip from ti performance to change it to manual, liven it up a bit and he will advise on vct operation

--Cheers Fordmods--

Hey thank you for the reply.

- Yea its more of a project where the outcome is to leave the auto as it is still a daily drive/tow/cruiser that's a bit more than the standard Futura.

- Yea the guy had a HP not for a fair price, out of interest are all HP tick ford could not work that out.

- Picked up the tick ford VCT which was up for sale. 127,000km from a tail based wright off for a fair price.

- Open to the J3 chips would have to work out what that would entail being in NZ and work out a budget.


- Out of interest any idea what was the any main differences with the tick ford VCT and the standard VCT. It has been difficult finding in-depth info on this as was it the last year before Tick Ford being rolled into FPS re-branding. (I may be wrong)


-------Still looking for any advice on the loom/engine being manual plug variation------------

Yes all the HP's came in xr6s and high series (fairlane etc). I'm 99% its exactly the same output in all cars.
J3 chips are very cheap (around $120 for a custom programmed one from memory)
Im pretty sure the only vct version was the tickford one, all the rest were non vct. By au3 the only time you'd get non vct is if you had a future or forte, all the rest had the vct or v8.
If you've never had one before, they are a good donk, just don't feel as free revving as a HP, and use about as much fuel as the v8. The best part about a vct car is that in most cases it also had IRS.