Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:56:01 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Ignition Switch "Su" Power
In-Reply-To: <CAB2Rwfif5D-x3-kuGDLCFTpTr+sEVsbod8Qmdc1nqWnkEehL7A@mail.gmail.com>
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I meant that to be insights into how better made and disigned systems
are wired and fused..
and not about subaru tech specifically.
it's just an excellent example and I know them pretty well..
I would naturally adopt their strategies for fusing and relays to any
conversion I do, regardless of make ..
unless it just 'fell together' stockand it was just too easy to leave it
like it was.
but I don'tthink that applies to your situation ..
as an 81 air-cooled vanagon is a bit 'old tech' if not weak in some
systems..
you will see btw ..
over and over and over in VW's ..
they make them a little better from one year to the next.
I can think of two fuel injection things right off the top of my head
that air-cooled vanagons have that got distinctly improved with the 83
waterboxer 1.9.
Same for wiring .
and same on that jetta ..
I like the main and fuel pump relays by the ecu ( I just got into that
since that's how subaru's naturally want to be ) ..
and jettas have those relays in their fuse box ..
'not as convenient' that's for sure ..
so I tend to 're-do' stuff like that mo' betta.
Generally ..VW 'does the minimum' ..,
the plastic vanagon ignition switch is 'good enough' ..underbuilt
actually IMO .
You oughta see the one of my 1970 Mercedes..
it looks like a part you'd find on a 50 foot power boat, it's so overbuilt.
so any upgrades to VW stuff is a natural thing to do, tome,
particularly electrical ..
serious vanagon owner's with improved headlights are always putting in
headlight relays , right ? ..perfect example. VW electrical systems are
a bit on the light duty side often.
oh ..don't want to mention subaru's really ..
there are just a lot of examples of very well designed and engineered
stuff on them.
Take how a waterboxer 'holds a tune' ...
they do fine for a good while..and the actual tune up parts barely
barely wear ..
but fuel injection 'gets off' ..gradually .
the fuel injection and igntion system on a subaru ...
just a whole lot stronger and they hold a set-up really really well.
There's one 1993 subaru legacy 2.2 conversion i did to a guys 90 Carat ..
he didn't drive it full time..just when he came over to the mainland
from Hawaii ..
and it about 6 or 7 years we never once thought about how the engine was
running. l
Hehad an auto trans problem ..
a small oil leak, and we put on a shortened pan ...but we never even had
to think about how the engine ran once in all that time.
So I just take that level of robustness as inspiration and strive for
that level of .....'Click - VROOOM ' every time , for years and years.
Of course conversions can take time to get really dialed in sometimes..
whatever type of engine it is ...Maybe Zetecs don't have that much
...one huge advantage there is standardized ..one version of that engine
in a plug n' play kit, all the sorting out is already done.
where VW and subaru stuff could be any of half a dozen or more
diffferent engines, years, and systems.
sure is fun though.
S.
On 1/26/2013 5:29 PM, neil n wrote:
> I've recently been studying the Bentley a lot. I see that; unfused 15 circuits.
>
> The A3 Bentley does not show a fuse for the power supply relay and
> circuit. I installed a10A fuse at the wire from 87 of the power supply
> relay. Maybe the fuse should be installed pre relay on 30? Anyhow....
> The HO2S relay and fuel pump circuit share on fuse.
>
> Thanks for the insights to the Subaru world.
>
> There's so much to this swap stuff!
>
> Neil.
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 3:50 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
> <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
>> ok..
>> you're powerng the ecu directly from the ign switch.
>> and the coil through a relay.
>> sure, give it a shot.
>>
>> tell me this ..
>> do you have your main power input to the ecu fused ?
>>
>> ( as you probaby know, the 15 circuit on a vanagon is not fused at all,
>> anywhere.. Most cars are like this on the igntion circuit btw ...or at
>> least before cars got crazy complicated. )
>>
>> In subaru conversions both types of power are fused ...
>>
>> The reason I mention this is ...
>> how much current do you figure your ECU draws ?
>> I wouldn't know myself really,
>> but I can get an idea from ( same year as you ) ...93 / 94 Subaru wiring
>> diagrams and conversion information.
>>
>> One diagram I have shows the 'main hot' coming out of the Main Relay to
>> power the ecu with a 30 amp fuse.
>> You have a main relay there ...so that wire probably is the high current
>> feed to your ecu.
>>
>> As your drawing is currently ..
>> the 'other' power feed to the ecu is unfused. ..
>>
>> so that is 3 'powers' ..1 to coil, 1 small one to ecu, and one large one to
>> the ecu via the main relay.
