EG33 Vanagon Adventure

[syncrodoka]

[r39o]

They idle high until warm.

Evoscan rocks! Get it. http://www.evoscan.com Not sure if your engine is on the list.

Select Monitor also: http://www.vwrx.com/index.php?pg=selectmonitor
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)

[r39o]

[DehlerPEB]

Welcome to the club,

and thanks (again) for your wonderful thread + engine porn. I knew why I placed that beast in my Carat .... and now I know why my 2nd vanagon is also getting this heart transplant (and why I should care this time more on the optics ...)

Also, for checking out the engine data: evoscan, my choice! And if your engine is not on the list, I bet you can rely on Hamid to help you out with getting it on there -- but I currently bet that the US-engines shouldn't have a problem with the delivered configuration.

peb
T3svx ... sonst nix
Dehler 2+2 Whitestar, currently undergoing a thorough restauration & SVX-heart transplant ...

[JWPATE]

"Yeah the exhaust thing is a bummer. Hopefully James takes a road trip someday and we can work on that, Problem is it is three bends not one. Minimum distance between bends will be close but I bet we can work it out."

Careful Mike,
That sounds like a road trip which I would love to take.

[wasserbox]

[Rocky Mountain Westy]

[SL12572]

Very nice work!

I've been following this for a long time. You're attention to detail is very impressive and it looks like it's paying off!

[mariusstrom]

Congrats on getting it fired up. I'm almost disappointed that this thread is coming to an end, though.

[JWPATE]

Thanks fellows, for all those kind thoughts and wishes.

To answer the questions raised:

The tach hookup at this point is simply the ECU tach signal wire attached to the old VW tach wire, which used to run to the coil. My understand, from reading the experiences of others, is that the '85 and older Vanagons do reasonably well this way. I know that the '86 and later Vans will require changes to the tach resistance level. It seemed to be fairly close yesterday, but I didn't have time to run it today.

Mine is from a '92 model US spec. SRX. That is, it is OBD1. I did read the manual last night, and noted the procedure for reading codes and erasing codes which are no longer faults. That small black diagnostic plug has ten openings I believe, with only the first three of interest to us after converting. The others pertain to systems which were part of the SVX, seats, steering, and etc.

I believe I understand now how to use the two ground wires provided and read/erase the codes. Reading is done by watching the check engine light which are to send a morse code like signal with long and short flash periods. I get it, but have not yet given it a try.

I was under the impression that all the PC scan programs (B10, Euroscan, and so on) are only intended for the later ECU's with OBD2. Is this not correct?

No, I have seen no evidence of an oil leak anywhere thus far. Those streaks on the oil pan in one of the photos are simply imperfections in the paint finish.

I stopped in today at the Subaru dealer and got a new thermostat seal, which is a modified O-ring. After examining it I can see how the inner diameter of the ring is split so that the seal can go over and cover both sides of the thermostat edge. I cannot remember this detail, so the odds seem strongly in favor of the seal being in wrong on my engine. That should be easy to correct, and the old seal is most likely to be perfectly good. Thanks again for setting me straight on this one.

I didn't get any further testing done today because of running errands.

Several years back I put this cut-off switch in so as to save time and not have to get into the battery box to disconnect the ground lead.

So it has certainly been more than a year since I looked in there. When I saw this yesterday, I just cleaned it up sufficient to continue on with the start-up testing. It was a real nest of corrosion. And I don't want to close it up now out of fear that being out of sight will soon take it also out of mind.

So best to stop progress and deal with this issue.

With bead blasting, the cable cleaned up nicely enough to place it back in service. But the larger question is why? I can think of no better explanation than the battery getting old and allowing acid gas to escape around or near to the negative post. The positive clamp still looks fine.

So I thought it was best to replace the battery. I know, it probably would have been possible to retard the corrosion with grease or other protective coating, but when old batteries begin to pass gas like this, it is probably best to retire them, before they fail you hundreds of miles from home.

[presslab]

[JWPATE]

[Franklinstower]

i'm not sure the SVX is the same as the EJ22, same year - '92 - but checking codes is easy. I plug my two green connectors together, drive at least 35 mph for 30 seconds and it will display all of the active codes. All I have now is code 51 - 5 long flashes, 1 short = neutral safety switch malfunction. I don't have a neutral safety switch connected. I was thinking about usin the e-brake light switch for switch input. All the ECU wants to see is that it goes open and close anytime during startup and shutdown. That should work perfectly for that so I won't get the code anymore.

i haven't used the black connectors in a while, I believe those show historic codes.

I use the B-10, but I like the evo scan display, so I am going to down load that and try it out.

Paul
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'89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug
YITB

[DehlerPEB]

Hi,

I had problems on some of my SVX conversions with the B10. Some of them could be read, some of them not. During the last year I had more than 10 of these beasts in my garage, and a couple of them lost their carriage while being there . They ranged from 1992, 1994 up to 1996 build years .. Fixing B10 would have been possible (I'm in the software arena ...) but I searched for better investments of my time ..

Evoscan could, after I worked with Hamid on the specifics for our European (German/Swiss/France) engines and their readings, read all of them -- and I'm happy with it.

Oh, and BTW: It also works on a 1997er SVX (the one that survives every visit in my garage with the body intact ... it's my driver when I don't feel like crushing through snow and ice here in Winter with my vanagon (2wd)).

So: you should be happy with the software.

peb

[JWPATE]

Thanks for the additional info. on the Evoscan. I have the software downloaded now but haven't yet started to set it up. Cable is on order.

I put in the new battery today and sorted out the one coolant leak. Yup, the seal was in there wrong, so this was an easy one. New seal in there now, and in correctly. I can see no fluid leaks anywhere now.

The check engine light only got a quick look today, and it didn't respond as expected. I first attempted to clear the errors, and got nowhere. Still the same......fast running (Thought it did at first idle down today for a few seconds before going back to the 3000 range........maybe more like 2000 if I had the tach calibrated.)

I attempted to read the errors and all I got was a steady light on, which seemed to flash brighter about once a second.

So I still cannot road test, and haven't yet figured out what is wrong. Have to leave town tomorrow for a few days, so will just be thinking about it.

[hisport]

What a beautiful job you are doing!

I have a '92 EG33 in an '85 westy. Completed the conversion a couple of years ago, and just now finishing up the post repaint/interior reassembly. A sailboat project interrupted things.

Please know that I have struggled with the high idle issue as well. Most common causes are reportedly dirty sticking IAC or leaking Idle Air Bypass. IAB can be quickly checked by pinching the supply air hose on the RHS of the intake plenum.

Neither of these are at fault with mine, but still high idle. I finally backed off the throttle body set screw to get it down to a reasonable level, but it ain't right. While I replaced all the under manifold vac lines (as you apparently did at the beginning of this thread) while the engine was out, I'm about to pull the manifold again and have a look.

Easy tach solution is a diode driver circuit. Pmail me for diagram, or look on the subaruvanaagon yahoo site. This circuit corrects for the 6/4 pulse issue, and may be a little more trustworthy than trying to trim out a 50% error.

The diode tach driver seems to work well, though I have now messed up the flex circuit on the back of the tach/speedo (while taking the dash repeatedly out to install front AC). Anyone have a spare flex circuit?

Fault code signalling needs to have engine run a a good clip for a few minutes. Study the jinglish SVX manual section; its all there, though a little confusing.

Caveat: please make sure to bleed the cooling system really, really thoroughly, at > 2000 rpm, with the thermo open and heater on. More than one initial test drive has ended in tears with a cooked motor.

[JWPATE]

Good to know hisport, that others have also had the high idle issue to deal with. I did quickly clamp off the idle air bypass hose today and the rpm fell right down to 1500 on my high-reading tach, so right in the 1000 range in real revolutions. I will get back to that issue in good time.

Today I sorted out the check engine light issue. The fact that I could see flashing brighter, but always on, led me to wonder if there wasn't a secondary ground source at play, and I found it in the old VW O2 milage counter. I had just set that unit at the light-on setting, and extended the ground wire back to the black box. Today I eliminated the counter completely and the issue is cleared.

The check engine light responds now just as it should. There are no fault codes in there, and it is light-on with just ignition on and light-out after start.

Two more lights were not acting as they should. The oil pressure light did not go out after start, even though there was strong oil pressure on the gauge. The alt. light also does not go out after start. In addition, after start, that coolant light starts to flash as if the coolant reservoir were low (and it was full).

So I started with the oil light as that was most bothersome. The pressure switch checked good, so I started looking for a ground somewhere in the wiring. The answer came when I did a continuity check on the harness oil pressure wire. I found that the pair of two wire plugs in the black box were hooked up wrong. The plugs are reversed male to female so that only will hook up one way. The rebuilt harness had the plugs opposite of what they should be. All is solved on that issue, and I just have to cut off the plugs and put them on correctly. That solves the oil light and the coolant level light as they are the wires involved in the pair of 2-wire plugs.

The alt. light is still to go before I can get on with the RPM and tach modification/calibration.

[hisport]

While you're checking the alt wiring, take a quick look at the alt output lead. OE lead is white, and really too small. If it is hardened and blackened at the ring terminal, you may want to double up lead or replace with heavier gauge. This is a common alt failure culprit in the SVX coupe. Both the SVX engines I bought had rebuilt/new alternators and fried wiring in the harness.

BTW, the one I bought in a wrecked car (72K miles) also turned out to have a broken LH exhaust cam (from the wreck); hence the second parts engine. So, don't feel bad about having to go through yours. At least you didn't have to tow it wrapped up in a wrecked SVX all the way from the Bushytail, West Virginia mountains during the dead of winter (in a 5 cylinder Eurovan). Sigh...

Dead cold 1500 rpm is kinda normal (maybe that why the SVX auto trans generally failed by 80K miles ?); should come down to 650 or so within 5 minutes or less. Has an old school Bosch L jetronic type heated idle air bypass valve plus an ECU controlled IAC. For some reason.

[wcdennis]

As to your Alternator light staying on: If your van is a Westfalia, the refrigerator relay under the driver's seat is mot likely the problem. It pulls just enough current off the Subaru signal wire to keep the light on. If you pull the blue wire off the relay that should fix it. Of course your fridge will not run on 12v while you drive--that requires yet another fix.

[JWPATE]

Good call on the alt. output wires. Tom Shield replaced a section of that wire already (with double wires) when doing the harness conversion. And, as you have observed, he reported that the original wire was burnt.

That is an excellent suggestion about the fridge relay pulling enough to keep the alt light on. This one is not only a Westy, but it also has a second battery for the camper equipment (fridge, lights, water pump). That battery has a relay to provide that it is not connected with the main circuit unless the alt. is putting out. That relay just may be involved. I hadn't thought of that, and so very much appreciate the suggestion.