coclimber

True that! Here's what I did. It's actually in the engine bay and protected by a water-proof box. Still, I'm super paranoid! Putting the ECU in your Engine Bay: http://westycamper.blogspot.com/2014/04/subaru-ecu-placement-rear-passenger.html How to build an ECU box for a Vanagon: http://westycamper.blogspot.com/p/ecu-box.html

In the Subaru/Vanagon conversion world, I've heard a lot of ECUs fail. Something about the conversion. I mean.. I'm making a VW van talk to a Subaru ECU... not standard stuff.

Thanks, Fairtax4me. Just reporting back in... I did indeed end up getting the ECU mentioned despite the different codes. It worked perfectly.

I am looking for a back-up ECU. I have a 2001 Subaru Legacy M/T ECU with the following ECU code#: 22611 AD86F When I searched online, I found an ECU from a 2000 Legacy: 22611 AD86FRA Is this compatible? What is the "RA" at the end all about? Is there a resource online that charts all the compatible ECU #s so I can broaden my search or do I have to stick to EXACTLY my code? Thanks Jason

Update: Looks like the vendor is sending me a 4 pls VSS. I'll install as soon as it arrives and report back.

Thanks. I can just rip apart the speedo from my donor and fish around to find what I need. I kept it thankfully

Fairtax4me - Given what you said around the Subaru ECU limiting to 120 mph, it seems like this is what is happening: When the VW speed is 80 mph, the Subaru VSS is 120 mph because it is so inaccurate. So, @ 80 mph (e.g., 120 mph to Subaru), my van violently chugs because the Subaru ECU limiter kicks in. Sounds like a computer/VSS problem and not fuel starvation from say, a bad fuel pump.

Hi! The transmission is VW 4 speed with a fly wheel and adapter plate to make the Suby engine connect to it properly. Speed is configured like this: 1. VW speedometer cable is connected to the front tire and calculates speed based on rotations. 2. Speedometer cable goes to VW speedometer 3. Fast Forward Automotive's VSS is digital and it plugs into the back of the VW speedometer to get a signal from it. 4. The VSS sends a signal the Subaru ECU understands. It's signal is sent to Subaru ECU in back by the engine. The VSS is 8 pulse, which FFA advertises as accurate for Subaru within a few percent, but it is off by 37% @ 55 mph and now I hear Subaru likes 5 pulse VSS signals, not 8 pls, so, false advertising!? Dunno .

Its an 8 pulse VSS from FastForward in Canada. I bet it is sending too many pulses, which makes the ECU think it is faster than it is really going. I'll probably have to just get a different VSS

I swapped a 2001 Subaru legacy motor & ECU into my 1986 vanagon. The VW speedo shows wildly different speeds than the digital VSS I installed to talk to the Subaru ECU. For example, at 55 mph the Subaru ECU shows 75+ mph. What is happening now, is I run it to 80 mph (VW speedo) and it is showing about 120 mph on the OBD2 mph gauge... Then, the engine bucks wildly like it is getting fuel starvation. I'm wondering if the Subaru ECU has a limiter on speed that kicks in around 120 mph? Jason

Hi! Trying to wire 2001 Subaru cruise control into my van. I have all the CC parts and wires, but they are all cut. I've been told there is 1 wire that goes from the cruise control module (brain) to the Subaru ECU, but I cannot tell from any factory diagrams or charts I have in my manuals, which one it is. 2001 Subaru Legacy 2.5L, MT Is there a wire that goes from the CC module (brain) to the ECU? Is the PIN 19 (Vehicle Speed Sensor)? Thanks! Jason

Thanks to everyone on this forum who helped me get my Subaru/Vanagon conversion project this far! Still lots to do, but at least she started up!! ================================================= Excerpt from my blog post on this @ westycamper.blogspot.com ================================================= The virgin start of my Subaru/Vanagon conversion went like this... With fire extinguisher in-the-ready, Paul told me to give it a shot. The first key turn was a dud. Paul asked "did you do anything around the fuse box?" Why yes... Yes I did! I put in high-powered head light relays under there and ended up dislodging the main power cable from the battery. Ooops! With his electric sorcery, Paul troubleshooted the issue and we figured out where to re-connect everything. To my defense, the Vanagon fuse panel blows. Haha. Literally. On the second key turn, it fired right up. As we celebrated, it puked gas all over the shop floor! Evidently, I didn't tighten the fuel return hose very well Thankfully, I turned it off before we needed the fire extinguisher. But, as they say, third times a charm! Thanks, Jason

Hi! Yes, the Subaru is 2001 Legacy 2.5L. After researching the van wiring schematics, it appears that relays, etc. are all on the VW Vanagon side of the wiring. The van can handle things like fans, low pressure in the AC and adjust too. So, I think all I need to do is splice together the ECU AC Switch wire (green/red) with the AC comp (clutch?) wire and then finally connect a single wire to the van's 12v, A/C wire. If that is the case, it is going to be easier than I thought!

Can somebody please confirm/comment on (e.g., re-fine) my understanding of how the Subaru A/C compressor and ECU work. As a background, I'm in the middle of re-wiring a Subaru harness to work with a VW vanagon, so I'm trying to figure out exactly how the Subaru wires and Subaru components will integrate with my Vanagon A/C wire and dash controls. Here's my understanding of Subaru >> When the driver pushes the A/C ON button: 1. A signal is sent to the A/C compressor to turn ON. 2. The A/C compressor get its power from the belt system (not a wire). 3. A signal is also sent to the ECU to tell it that A/C is ON. This allows the brains to control idling differently while AC is on vs. off. The process is the opposite when the driver pushes the OFF button on the dash. So, there are two wires. One goes to the ECU One goes to the A/C compressor Is this a correct understanding of how the Subaru A/C system works, in a nutshell? So, I'm thinking I don't need to wire any pwr wires to the A/C comp. But, I do need to wire the signal wires up. Are the two wires the same gauge? Seems like a simple signal could be carried on a 18 AWG wire easy enough.

Hi! I have this O2 sensor sub-harness off the 2001 Subaru Legacy engine I am converting for my VW Vanagon. I am wondering, in general, what is it for? I mean, why didn't Subaru just make the harness long enough to reach the O2 sensors? Also, I stupidly forgot which one (up or down stream) I pulled this off of. Anybody know? Jason

Well shoot. I just cross-posted about "heat" in another thread! But, since you mentioned it here.... I'll ask again - what temperature ratings should I be looking at for buying the cable for these engines? I have options to buy anything from 60 C, 75 C, and 150 C... big range. Of course it will also be in split wire loom to protect it as well. What can handle the heat output of a Suby engine?

What kind of temp rating should I look for when buying replacement wiring for a Subaru 2001 engine? For instance, I found wiring with 75 degree C (e.g., 167 F) rating. Once that is all encapsulated in wire loom, etc. will it be OK in the engine bay or will it melt?

roger that... Here's the only options for 1 conductor, shielded that I found and it is all from aircraft stores, not automotive. But, I figured aircraft and auto are probably similar. Quite a difference in price! $.40/ft = http://www.chiefaircraft.com/aircraft/installation-supplies/wire/wire-18-1cs.html $1.38/ft = http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/shieldwire.php

Brilliant!!! Thanks!!

Can I ask one more thing on this? Here's what I need to replace: 18 AWG 4 conductor - grey engine connector 18 AWG 1 conductor - grey engine connector x 2 18 AWG 2 conductor - O2 sensor 18 AWG 1 conductor - O2 sensor I cannot find 18 AWG, shielded, 1 conductor cable with a drain wire anywhere!! I found a product at an online aircraft supply store, but it did not have a drain wire to ground off the shielding, so I am hesitant to buy that for my needs. Should I just get more of the 2 conductor cable and use that for the three places I need to use 1 conductor? Obviously, I'd just not use one of the wires inside the cable...but at least it would have a drain wire. I think the worst that could happen is the final wire loom is a little fatter than it would be if I used 1 conductor.

Thanks! OK. So, my plan to properly ground the new shielded wire will be this: ================================================================== 1. Cut the old, OEM shielded wire off near the ECU 2. Twist the old, OEM cable's braided shielding into a "ground" wire. 3. Use the drain wire in the new foil shielded cable and splice it onto the twisted/braided shielding, which should be grounded on the ECU. That approach should properly ground the new and old shielded cables together as far as I know.

Related to the "properly grounded" statement.... I could definitely could use more info here... Would these grounds be on the ECU or connector end of things? For instance, when I look at the O2 sensor's (a 2 conductor - blk and white wires - shielded cable) connector, I don't see where the shielded cable could be grounded. The black and white wires connect to the sensor connector and the braided shielding is just kinda ended...

Oh, yeah, that... well, its all about this Vanagon>> Subaru conversion effort I'm doing. The Subaru wiring harness is being converted to work with my VW Vanagon. In the process, I need to lengthen it, so I am messing with all the Subaru wiring now. Instead of splicing in the middle to lengthen it, which would leave the wire un-shielded there, I'd rather just use one continuous, new shielded wire and splice close the ends (e.g., connectors) where the shielding is less important. Jason

I tore apart the (2001 Legacy 2.5L) harness I'm working on. I was going to replace the shielded wires with new ones. The OEM Subaru wiring seem to be braided, not foil. I researched the difference and foil is more for blocking out high frequency interference and braided for blocking out low signals. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has used foil shielded wires instead of braided before? Because... foil is what I have on hand and I'd like to just use it

Gloyale: can you point me to where the OEM Subaru OBD2 diagram is, so I can cross-reference them myself? That would be much appreciated. Jason