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Wed May 14, 2008 10:04 pm

Ranchero,

Be careful putting your air intake together. Best to keep it as stock as possible. My first system used 1.5 snorkels mated together so I could fit the Subie airbox into the driver side lightwell cavity in the far rear right corner. Looked great but it played hell with my MAF and caused my 2.2 to have a wandering idle. Nothing radical---just annoying. I went back to the stock snorkel and air box and the idle is now rock solid.

Jeff / 87 Syncro Westy ej22

Thu May 15, 2008 8:15 am

Thanks Izzydog - good advice. I was trial fitting things last night and it looks like a combo of one of the curvy snorkels, a piece of large straight tube and the Subaru airbox should work just fine.

On a sidenote, I have been wondering all along why people have been switching the VW snorkel in the back passenger-side pillar to the driver's side. I know in the Subie, it is all on the left side as you look at the engine. I had been thinking that there is plenty of room to just leave it in the stock VW location. As I was messing around last night it became clear why people move the VW snorkel to the other side - the throttle cable is in the way if the snorkel stuff comes in from the right - especially with Seth/Burley Motorsports throttle cam.

izzydog wrote: Ranchero,

Be careful putting your air intake together. Best to keep it as stock as possible. My first system used 1.5 snorkels mated together so I could fit the Subie airbox into the driver side lightwell cavity in the far rear right corner. Looked great but it played hell with my MAF and caused my 2.2 to have a wandering idle. Nothing radical---just annoying. I went back to the stock snorkel and air box and the idle is now rock solid.

Jeff / 87 Syncro Westy ej22

Thu May 15, 2008 8:20 am

ranchero wrote: On a sidenote, I have been wondering all along why people have been switching the VW snorkel in the back passenger-side pillar to the driver's side. I know in the Subie, it is all on the left side as you look at the engine. I had been thinking that there is plenty of room to just leave it in the stock VW location. As I was messing around last night it became clear why people move the VW snorkel to the other side - the throttle cable is in the way if the snorkel stuff comes in from the right - especially with Seth/Burley Motorsports throttle cam.

I could be wrong about this, but I assumed it was in part due to the fact that the coolant tank is often relocated from the left/rear the right side of the engine compartment. I'm sure the tank could be put elsewhere, but it seems like a logical place if you reverse the coolant manifold. I have to admit, though, I've just gone with the flow and haven't really tried to decide whether there is a better layout.

Thu May 15, 2008 8:23 am

OK, I can't tell from the Subie manual for the SOHC EJ25. On my 98 DOHC outback, the sensor is just behind and under the #4 intake runner on the block.

This is a 2001 (SOHC) EJ25. In the photo below Is the knock sensor location in the block at the lower left of the photo at the bend in the rubber coolant line? The hole is threaded. I had wondered before about what that hole was for, but assumed it was related to mounting of some bracket.

Thu May 15, 2008 9:08 am

ranchero wrote: OK, I can't tell from the Subie manual for the SOHC EJ25. On my 98 DOHC outback, the sensor is just behind and under the #4 intake runner on the block.

This is a 2001 (SOHC) EJ25. In the photo below Is the knock sensor location in the block at the lower left of the photo at the bend in the rubber coolant line? The hole is threaded. I had wondered before about what that hole was for, but assumed it was related to mounting of some bracket.

Yep! And when you install it, it must be positioned at a 60º angle relative to the front/rear axis pointing toward flywheel end of the motor.

Thu May 15, 2008 9:23 am

muchas gracias loogy!

Thu May 15, 2008 9:30 am

First off, I've been assuming it's the knock sensor, but that is where the the wire terminates on my 2003 Outback 2.5 SOHC and the 2001 Forester 2.5 SOHC that's going into my Vanagon. I just ducked out and took a peek at the Outback to be sure. That little wrapped single-wire pigtail comes out of the wiring harness and goes to the white connector I mentioned a couple days ago. The mating side of the connector has a yellow wire disappearing into some heat-shrink looking insulation, then looping around to what appears to be the knock sensor.

Since I wrote the above I thought to look for some diagrams and found this thread http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4039. It has good pics of what I'm seeing on my engines and also show the knock sensor on a DOHC engine.

Thu May 15, 2008 9:52 am

E2 (GRAY) plug on the engine harness, pin number 16 should be the knock sensor wire. This wire should be pink/blue according to the wiring dia.
.....1..2....3..4.
..5......6..7.......8.
...9.10.....11.12
13....14..15....16
...17.18..19.20

Thu May 15, 2008 9:58 am

Volksaholic,

Thanks....I'm in agreement. It looks like it is the knock sensor. Missing on my engine. I purchased the engine and harness out of the car. There have been a few things like that - my PS pressure switch wiring was missing too.
Mine is from a 2001 Forester as well.

Volksaholic wrote: First off, I've been assuming it's the knock sensor, but that is where the the wire terminates on my 2003 Outback 2.5 SOHC and the 2001 Forester 2.5 SOHC that's going into my Vanagon. I just ducked out and took a peek at the Outback to be sure. That little wrapped single-wire pigtail comes out of the wiring harness and goes to the white connector I mentioned a couple days ago. The mating side of the connector has a yellow wire disappearing into some heat-shrink looking insulation, then looping around to what appears to be the knock sensor.

Since I wrote the above I thought to look for some diagrams and found this thread http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4039. It has good pics of what I'm seeing on my engines and also show the knock sensor on a DOHC engine.

Thu May 15, 2008 10:06 am

izzydog wrote: Ranchero,

Be careful putting your air intake together. Best to keep it as stock as possible. My first system used 1.5 snorkels mated together so I could fit the Subie airbox into the driver side lightwell cavity in the far rear right corner. Looked great but it played hell with my MAF and caused my 2.2 to have a wandering idle. Nothing radical---just annoying. I went back to the stock snorkel and air box and the idle is now rock solid.

Jeff / 87 Syncro Westy ej22

He won't have this problem. the ej25 uses a MAP sensor (on the TB), not a maf.

Thu May 15, 2008 1:21 pm

ranchero wrote: Day 13 Progress

Installed a new radiator
Don't forget to remove the temperature sensor from the old radiator.

.... and to put in the lower temp sensor, 82-77c, instead of the stock 93-82c.

Thu May 15, 2008 9:22 pm

Dude.. you need a bike ride... Got your e-mail "working on the van". talk to you tomorrow, doing a long lunch ride 1.5 to 2 hours... step back clear the mind if you can. BTW got the new wheels, super hot cant wait to check em out.
Impressed w the progress, you are a bold dude. Pagosa in 3 weeks! my POS needs an escort to the camp!

Fri May 16, 2008 6:50 am

Day 15 Progress
Was only able to work about an hour and a half tonight. Pesky work gets in the way sometimes.
Got under the van and wrestled with coolant pipes. I reversed the hoses at the front of the van and am following Dave Milo's design for the rest of the cooling set up. I'm using Seth's stainless coolant tube as well as new stainless pipes from Van-Cafe. They are both of good quality. I'm not sure why no-one mentions Van-Cafe's pipes in the Terry v. BusDepot stainless pipe debate. Order them from Van-Cafe without the drama. An added benefit of using the replacement pipes is that I didn't have to do anything to lengthen one of the pipes to be able to switch them around up front as others have described.

Ordered new knock sensor.

Day 16 plan if it doesn't rain: Finish wiring, install heater hoses, exhaust, charcoal cannister. Maybe I'll go for a ride with that Vanagul hooligan.

Fri May 16, 2008 7:36 am

ranchero wrote: Day 15 ProgressI'm using Seth's stainless coolant tube as well as new stainless pipes from Van-Cafe. They are both of good quality. I'm not sure why no-one mentions Van-Cafe's pipes in the Terry v. BusDepot stainless pipe debate. Order them from Van-Cafe without the drama. An added benefit of using the replacement pipes is that I didn't have to do anything to lengthen one of the pipes to be able to switch them around up front as others have described.

Actually Van-Cafe's pipes have been mentioned in that thread... once a few months ago and I think they were one of the three vendors that the thread claims get their pipes from the same source. You didn't have the problem other's have described about the bends not being quite right up front with the non-TK pipes? Of course yours is a Syncro IIRC, so I guess the pipes would be different than my 2wd.

On the knock sensor: I don't know squat about knock sensors... never had to install one on my air cooled Bug and Bus engines I used to build, but I've read that the ground needs to be clean (only one signal wire coming in) and it's important to get the torque right. Maybe you already knew that... it was new to me so I made a mental note which will fade with time, as everything seems to nowadays.

Sat May 17, 2008 10:29 pm

Day 16 and 17 Progress
Finished up heater hoses, charcoal filter, rad & vac hoses, etc. I was planning on using the VW charcoal filter, but hooking up the Subaru one was actually easier and it mounts right up in the stock location.

I have a few more electrical connections to make and need to find some rubber plugs for the intake plumbing. I'll fill oil and coolant tomorrow as well.

I still haven't received my knock sensor, but I've plugged the hole and will try to start it tomorrow. Also waiting for new power steering lines to replace the original hard lines. I messed one of those up trying to take off the VW flexible line. IF it starts, I won't let it run for more than a few seconds since the PS pump will be dry. Code:

Sat May 17, 2008 10:38 pm

ranchero wrote: Finished up heater hoses, charcoal filter, rad & vac hoses, etc. I was planning on using the VW charcoal filter, but hooking up the Subaru one was actually easier and it mounts right up in the stock location.

I have a few more electrical connections to make and need to find some rubber plugs for the intake plumbing. I'll fill oil and coolant tomorrow as well.

I still haven't received my knock sensor, but I've plugged the hole and will try to start it tomorrow. Also waiting for new power steering lines to replace the original hard lines. I messed one of those up trying to take off the VW flexible line. IF it starts, I won't let it run for more than a few seconds since the PS pump will be dry.

Dude,

Don't risk damaging the pump just for a few seconds of run time. Not after all that work. Additionally, I believe the engine will not start or will go into limp mode without the knock sensor.

Just sayin',

- Chester

Sat May 17, 2008 10:46 pm

Chester - thanks - that's good advice. I guess I can wait a few more days. Just getting anxious!

Sun May 18, 2008 2:47 am

Ranchero:

If you want to check out a similar subie install in Boulder -- 2001 Forester 2.5L in a 91 syncro westy, done by Cory Z -- send me an email.

cheers,
Bill
billandrobyn(at)mac.com

Tue May 20, 2008 9:38 am

I'll post an update later....getting close.
For now a wiring question...
I'm working on my check engine light. I think I understand the procedure and just to confirm. Tom Shiels told me about most of
this, but I read that "later Vanagons" don't have an OXT sensor light or LED in the instrument panel, but mine does, so I'm a little confused. Mine is a 1990 Syncro. I do have an LED warning light present labeled OXY and the LED is there.

My understanding is that I can clip the Bl/G wire going to pin 14 of
the instrument cluster, attach the yellow wire originally going to pin
12 to that position (pin 14). Attach CEL from Subie harness to pin 7
of the round connector in the black box. That gets the CEL working

Then to disable the DOPS system, I need to run a wire from Pin 12 of
the instrument cluster to ground.

Does that sound right?
Thanks in advance
Steve

Wed May 21, 2008 8:05 pm

Day 18, 19, 20 Progress
I owe an update on this...to come