Idle Stabilizer Control Unit Alternative

[zoti]

I’m working with a friend on an alternative to the Idle Stabilizer Control Unit.

Basically a modern alternative that will do the same but will be made with modern electronics, reliable and will not break. Plus you’ll be able to do some tuning and read info from it to help diagnose the so common idle issues.

What I wanted to know is if there will be interest in such unit from van owners.

[livethevanlife]

Absolutely, long live the WBX! Price it the same or less than the used ones if you can and ill happily switch mine out preemptively. One less thing to worry about.
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1991 Syncro Triple Knob Westfalia "Miki" 2.2WBX
1992 Syncro Triple Knob Tintop "Schnitzel" 1.9AAZ
1990 Syncro Rear Locker Doka Subi 2.2
1974 VW Thing 1835cc
1989 VW Carat

[Steve M.]

Good on you. Placing my order now! 😁
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[djkeev]

"Build a better mouse trap and the World will beat a path to your door."
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[dart330]

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Driving a 90 Carat since 2014

Previous Buses: 59 Westy, 60 Westy, 74 Bus, 82 Westy, 85 Westy, 87 Syncro
Checkout my Syncro Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSWhLS7jLY

[bobbyblack]

Yaaaaaa!! Oh... And how about the ECU, too?
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[zoti]

[dgbeatty]

Hardware cost of roughly $35. The parameters shouldn't be that difficult to discern. With tuneability via BLE it would be a winner.
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[Aryana]

I'm on my 2nd rebuilt Idle Stabilizer Control Unit from Van Cafe. It's verified broken again by swapping out with a known good one from another van.

Instead of trying my luck with #3, I've just left it unplugged.

Count me in on this if you make something available. I have 4 other van friends that would probably buy as well if I told them to support the community and buy spares to keep on hand.

The Shoebox Electronix diagnostic box doesn't give any connectivity to the ICU, which I always wished it did/could. I'm interested to see what you'll provide in terms of an interface.

Being able to tweak the parameters would be a dream! Ultimately changing what the ICV is told to do would be really cool. I always felt mine idled higher than it should based on the I/O logic built into the ICU's I've tried.

[dabaron]

i've had a hard look at the module and while not terrible, i bet the bulk of the functionality can now be handled by a single PIC. since it only looks for voltages and resistive loads, the "hard" part is parsing the input data to apply the proper "logic" to produce the appropriate PWM signal to the ICV. the PIC simulation software should make quick work of sorting out the input data to provide good idle across a range of input data.

since the input values are known across the range (thanks Protraining Manual!) this should be a quick development period

let me know when you need a beta tester.
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[Abscate]

Price it at 3-5x the used ones to get the #vanlife wankers off the roads
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[DanHoug]

when the time comes... i'll take any of the dead cores. they're dirt simple to rebuild.

i don't fault folks for wanting a perfectly functioning idle system. but there's a measure of tilting at windmills because the WBX system works pretty darn well without any of the doobley-doo of an idle control system at all. in fact, i rather like being able to set idle speed exactly where i want with a turn of the throttle body screw without some nefarious buzzing device defeating me.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[dabaron]

[DanHoug]

[Aryana]

Mine does just fine holding an idle from 30F to 110F (even when the engine is cold or warm) with the ICU completely disconnected. I got it set up pretty good right now, but I'd like to have the system functioning instead of inoperative because the ICU broke...again!

$203 at VC: https://www.vancafe.com/251907393DX-p/251907393dx.htm

Or I was gonna try GW this time since the VC one didn't last: https://www.gowesty.com/product/fuel-injection/23468/idle-control-unit---rebuilt-

As long as I don't have to hack up my wiring harness to install this modern alternative, I'd ditch the stock setup. I'd always want the ability to go back to stock without alteration to the factory harness.

[Christopholi]

[djkeev]

Touching on the elimination of the idle control, I understand the "need" for it but considering the era of the vehicles, emissions were a HUGE deal, I wonder if this system was designed to keep emissions low to meet federal guidelines?

It may have been that this was simply for emission regulation rather than the fact that the engine wouldn't idle without the idle control system..... admittedly at a higher rpm range emitting more pollutants. 🤷‍♂️🤔

Heck, the Europeans were still getting Carburetors while we got fuel injection!

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[zoti]

My partner finished mapping the ISCU board and we are ready to load it into software and start running simulations.

At this point, if anyone have any extra info on how it works and is willing to share, please feel free to contact me.

Any info is helpful.

[DanHoug]

as you may know but to document the design parameters... the system increases the duty cycle of the air valve solenoid under the following:

- cold engine to overcome friction and mixture issues

- ac compressor demand when comp kicks in

- ps pump demand by high psi switch on pump

it would be great if the circuit would allow tweaking, via an external potentiometer or rotary encoder to set the idle speed to an arbitrary value not defined by VW. personally, i really LIKE and 1100 rpm idle speed. someone else may want 900rpm.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[DigiMatrix]

My plan is to incorporate the idle control to Vanagon chip from the G60 version of Digifant ECU. That allows full closed loop idle control with input from A/C etc. and controls the ISV from the ECU. It also adjusts timing as well to help stabilize the idle. I have already added cylinder selective knock control to the Vanagon chip for my 10:1 2745 cc build. This approach will eliminate the ICM and allow full control of idle parameters like RPM vs ECT.