Hi all!  I have a 90 Tracker 4x4 manual.  She started popping out of 4th, so I decided to swap out the transmission for one from a sidekick.  I have both transmissions sitting side by side, and I noticed that the one from the sidekick is missing a wiring cluster that the original tranny has.  I don't know what year sidekick the replacement tranny is from.  Can anyone identify the connector, and will I be okay running the replacement transmission without that connector?  The first picture of my transmission (Tracker), the second is the sidekick's.

I apologize, I don't know how to post images directly into the posting, so I just attached them and hoped for the best.

boomer I bet someone would know the Suzuki Forums site

I believe they are switches. Like a 5th gear switch and a Reverse switch.

Thread them out, and put 'em in your new/used transmission.

I can figure out what a Reverse switch probably does, but I'm not sure what a 5th gear switch does.

Maybe someone else can help here?

Looking at the parts manual for an 89~91 SideKick - those would be the backup (or reverse light) and over top switches - later models only have the backup switch.

Here's a thread from Suzuki-forums discussing the 5th gear switch.

http://www.suzuki-forums.com/suzuki-jimny-sierra-samurai-forum/38358-fifth-sensor.html

SOmething else I noticed - from the parts manual - only the 4WD transmissions have the extra switch - it's possible that you have a 2WD transmission there - which may other fitment issues.

I want to draw your attention to Rhinoman's post in the Suzuki-forums thread - you're going from the "two switch" transmission to the "one switch" transmission - so his comment on the ECU being able to detect a defective switch may be relevant.

Hmmmm, Squid posted immediately after Rhinoman saying that you can ground the 5th gear wire and fool the ECM.  The problem is, there are two wires for the connector, so would you run them together and then ground?  I'm not a wiring guy at all, so I don't have a clue how that would work.

Whoops, I forgot to mention that it came with the transfer case attached, everything looks great there.  I have the tranny almost completely installed, and haven't noticed any problems other than needing the longer bolts in the top mounts and needing to make a new cover for the bottom portion (where the flywheel and bottom of the housing are exposed).  I hate to take the darn thing back out to drill and tap for that sensor!  I really hope that grounding method will work.

I hate to take the darn thing back out to drill and tap for that sensor!  I really hope that grounding method will work.

If it's anything like the Samurais, those switches are easy to swap.

Crack 'em loose with an open end wrench, then thread 'em out with your fingers. Just remember to unplug them and keep an eye on the wiring so it doesn't get tangled up.

The switches have a short thread, maybe few turns is all.

Very Easy and you should be able to do this with the transmission in.

Those switches are the backup light switch and the 5th gear switch.
The backup light switch activates the backup lights, of course.
The 5th gear switch tells the ECM that the tranny is in 5th and it opens or closes (don't remember which) the EGR system, for supposed better MPG.
The earlier trackick trannys had both switches.  The later ones only had the backup light switch.  The 5th gear/EGR switch hole is not drilled and tapped in the later trannys.  And I would not recommend drilling and tapping the hole, unless you plan on taking the tranny apart to clean out all the metal shavings.
The ECM will not know whether that 5th gear switch is there or not.  It will just always think the tranny is never in 5th gear.
The 5th gear switch is just a simple on and off switch.  If you want to hook the 2 wires together, you can.  But I have read where people have done that (trying to get better MPG...since it affects the EGR system) and it made no difference in MPG.  So I wouldn't waste my time with doing anything with it.  Put the new tranny in, hook up the backup light switch wires and call it good.

Thanks for all the help guys.  I'll be finishing up the install tonight and tomorrow, and take it out for a test drive (or explode).  If all goes well, I'll post an update so anyone who has this issue in the future will have some information on how it does.

Well, I've been driving for about a week on the new transmission, no issues.  I had to fabricate a new cover thingie for the lower section of the bell housing (no idea what that's called) as the opening was somewhat larger than on the previous transmission.  I haven't tested the MPG yet to see if that has changed due to the missing sensor, but everything else is working just fine.