1973 FI to 1979 FI

[chaddhamilton]

Hey Guys. I hope someone can help me out with a question. I have a 1973 bus with a single carbed 1.7L that was taken from from a 914. I recently bought a complete 2.0(GE code) with harness and computer to swap out with the 1.7 this winter. Looking ahead, I am trying to make heads or tails of what is left in my bus FI-wise. Whoever swapped the engine before I owned it, cut some wires and god knows what else.

I have the Bentley Book, but it only covers FI from 75 and up. I know i'm missing the ballast resistor. I was wondering if someone can tell me what this plug is? Nothing on the harness from the 79 fits it. From it, there's a large gauge wire that has been cut.

Any info is appreciated.

Chadd[/img]

[alman72]

that is a vw diagnostic plug that has nothing to do with FI. I doubt your 73 had it. it was an option that early
edit-do you have the rectangular hole for the big electronics box in the right rear of the engine compartment? that would be a tell if your bus had FI.

here is where I stole the pic. a cali 73 with FI? the hole is not factory I think.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[busdaddy]

I don't see a hole in the background of the test network plug shot.

FI was not available on a 73, it started in 75 (mid 74 on Cali automatics). That doesn't mean you can't cut a hole for the ECU and add a return line to your fuel tank, as long as you have all the FI components with the donor engine.
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[JaimeH]

A '73 would have come with dual carbs. You can still use the FI that came with the GE engine. You'll just need to source a few more parts. Without pics it's hard to tell, but I'd guess you'll need at least
Double relay & alternator wiring
Resistor pack
Air cleaner & stand
Air flow meter
S-Boot
Decel valve
Fuel tank with return line fitting
Fuel pump, filter & lines
Most of these things are available in the Samba Classifieds regularly. It's a little bit of a project, and you will be rewarded when you suceed.
_________________
1978 Transporter 2.0 FI, BA6
Special Thanks to Razor's Customs, Boscawen, NH

[aeromech]

Good luck. You’ll need it.
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Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
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Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
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VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
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[chaddhamilton]

[aeromech]

Once again, good luck because you’ll need it. Seems to me you are going into this assuming it’s going to be easy. It won’t be. Not at all. Simple things like not having the hole for the ecu or the stand for the aurbox. The fuel return is another. Then add to it 45 year old FI parts and a harness too. Good luck
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Wasted youth]

This is a curious proposition to me, because I have considered the same thing over the past few years. I also have a 1973 bus, but it has a relatively worn out 1.7 with a single mount progressive carb. But I have everything to convert this bus to a 2.0 hydraulic lifter engine with Sanden air conditioning and Vanagon air-cooled engine management controls. I can even upgrade the 003 automatic transmission to the 010 and maybe even change the R&P in that for a bit more highway speed but keeping the engine RPM down.

As Gary (Aeromech) notes, it will be a fair amount of work that will only see fruition with diligence and dollars... something that is far off for me.

The spare wiring harnesses I have would need refurbishment, and I will need to weld in the air cleaner bracket and also cut in the support for the ECM. These things I am tooled up to do and have a 1978 bus sitting around that I can take measurements from. And I have two spare 2.0 engines; a GE and a CV, along with the correct fuel tank and four different AFM's to choose from.

If I did not already have all this crap to trip over in my garage, I might consider otherwise. It's a bit expensive to gather up this stuff.

[rustbus]

i converted my 72 bus to complete 79 fuel injection. it was a lot of work but a lot of good fun too and rewarding.

i skipped nothing and mirrored as exactly as possible the 1979 layout, components, etc, right down the bending up new metal fuel lines to match.

ahort of weling in the air cleaner stand (i bolted it) i think you couldnt tell the difference from a factory install.

take a look at my build thread, starts around page 10 i think
_________________
May of '72 Deluxe. 2.0L L-Jet CS & 091 trans conversion
my Bus thread

[raygreenwood]

First...find out what is actually inside of your engine.

I think you stated its a 1973 1.7L taken from a 914 Porsche?

If so...it NEVER came with carbs. It came with D-jet fuel injection, different pistons with 8.2:1 compression, a totally difgerent distributor and a different cam.

So....that engine runs very well with the injecton set up from a 1.8L bus with L-jet. But...it will take some tweaks....and its compression "may" run you hot. Its torque band is a bit lkwer in the mid range than a bus.

Ray

[Wildthings]

It only takes four wires to hook the FI system in to an early bus.

B+
Ign
Wire from starter soleniod
Wire to fuel pump


Other than that you need to:

Mount the ECU
Mount the air cleaner
Find and install an 091 bellhousing or change out the flywheel and the engine to tranny studs
Install FI fuel pump, filter, and figure out the fuel return line
Relocate the throttle cable as needed
Other?

[Wasted youth]

[Wildthings]

[sjbartnik]

[KentABQ]

Here are a couple things that should help:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=670338&highlight=fuel+injection

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/afc_fi_training_troubleshooting_manual.php


I swapped out dual carbs to FI a couple years ago with a huge amount of help from the Sambanistas and Asiab3.
It's not a difficult process, but not a walk in the park. Best of luck!
_________________
-Kent-
1976 Riviera, 1.8l FI chrome yellow VAN - "Chloe"

"I must say, how can you be in a bad mood driving this vehicle full of vibrant color.
Cars of today are so bland in comparison. It's like driving a celebration!" ---WildIdea

Bus ownership via emoticons:
---williamM

[raygreenwood]

[chaddhamilton]

Ok, lotsa food for thought. Thanks for the tip on the bell housing. I know a yard up the road that should have one I can pull. Rustybus, i'll check your thread out.

I'm not going into project thinking it's gonna be a snap. But I am good at staying on task and debugging issues as they arise. Most importantly, I DON'T quit projects once I start them (much to my wife's chagrin). If it takes me 6 months of my evenings to get it swapped, then 6 months it is.

Thanks for all the info, guys.[/img]

[KentABQ]

Keep up posted, okay? It will help future Sambanistas wanting to do the same thing.
_________________
-Kent-
1976 Riviera, 1.8l FI chrome yellow VAN - "Chloe"

"I must say, how can you be in a bad mood driving this vehicle full of vibrant color.
Cars of today are so bland in comparison. It's like driving a celebration!" ---WildIdea

Bus ownership via emoticons:
---williamM

[chaddhamilton]

Here's the bus I'm working on for the last 2 years. A little before and after.
Before:

After:

[Wildthings]

It sounds like a lot of people who have done this swap will just "T" into the suction side of the pump and hook the return line in there.

I would recommend to the OP that he find a pump with 5/16 (8mm) OD inlets and outlets and use that over the stock pump that has different sized inlets and outlets, and then use the later style canister filter after the pump as per 1986 and later Vanagons and all other FI VW of the era.