Help an Aussie out with an SPFI conversion

[el_freddo]

G'day all.

 

I'm looking for some information to help me out with an SPFI kit I'm keen to get onto my Brumby (BRAT) as soon as I can.  So any gurus out there, I'm keen as mustard to hear from you about this.  We didn't get this kit from the factory over here, so it's originated from the states!

 

I've done a lot of reading tonight on the forum but haven't turned up much.  This document, I believe by GD has been most helpful once I was able to find a link that worked.

 

Firstly, I've got a black ECU - how can I tell if it's the rare auto unit that no one seems to want?  I'm hoping it's not this model. 

The number in the:

- first line is 22611 AA392;

- second line: MECF-022;

- third line: "8219" (pressed into the sticker) and 4E. 

Large number beside these lines is "42" (the answer to life, the universe, everything ) and has 3 plugs.  Hopefully someone will be able to identify what type of ECU this is.

 

What I have found is that I DO NOT have at the ECU plugs:

 

F106 plug:

- pin 22: Car speed sensor

- pin 32: test mode connector

 

F107 plug:

- pin 47: AC control

 

F108 plug:

- pin 6: AC signal

- pin 14: Neutral switch

 

Also missing that I don't need are all the Auto trans pins/wires.

 

I have no idea who cut this loom down originally, I'm certain it was cutdown in the US before it landed in Oz - but I'm wondering if it's common practice to remove the pins/wires at the ECU plugs where they're not needed? (from memory on my EJ22 loom cut down, any unused wires were clipped off about 3 inches from the plugs and moved aside from the wires I was using just incase I ever needed them for anything - which I haven't for the last 8 years).

 

I see that removing unwanted wires from the plugs could be a high possibility - but I would've thought clipping the wire at the plug would be easier than removing the whole pin.  So I'm looking at adding the pin 22 car speed sensor and/or the pin 14 neutral switch.  The ECU has all pins in each plug - whether or not they're connected to anything I don't know.  I want this to run right the first time and if it means adding wires I'm all for it.  I've already found a redundant yellow/trace green wire for the temp sensor to temp gauge wire that won't be used so that can be re-pinned to the ECU plug for the neutral switch OR the vehicle speed sensor as they're both the same colour (just to be extra confusing!).

 

Now my issue with the vehicle speed sensor:  I'm not certain that our brumby (BRAT) instrument clusters have one in them.  I know the L series did but I'm doubtful that I could transfer the guts of the speedometer over and have it all work as it should if it were to fit properly in the first place.  Is there any way around this or should I just focus on fitting the neutral switch?  The brumby will be going 5 speed L series box eventually (that is looking like shuffling up the list as this will take longer than I anticipated).

 

I also want to run my AC - is there a wire that I can reference to the AC signal to tell the ECU that the AC is on?  Any details on this would be appreciated!

 

I have to extend some sensor wiring - namely the AFM and the O2 sensor's wiring.  Is there any way that is recommended to do this - or anyone know if the shielding can be added (and soldiered to the remaining shield mesh) to avoid interference?

 

Is it ok for permanent power to reference the positive 12v at the ignition switch?  It'll be fused.  I ask as this will be a shorter run for this wire rather than going all the way to the battery on the other side of the car...

 

I'm wanting to run the anti pollution gear too.  Call me nuts, but I want this to run properly/factory and do the right thing in the emissions department - simply to cover my butt in the event it gets tested for whatever reason.

TomRhere sorted me with a bare SPFI inlet manifold - a piece that I was missing from the kit (THANKS MATE!).  The only problem is that I thought all the gear to go on the inlet manifold was included from my mate that bestowed me with it (Tweety - the EA81 powered panther trike for those that remember it).  That's not the case. 

So now I'm wondering, is the EA81 EGR device compatible with the SPFI setup or do I need the specific SPFI unit (or will MPFI work?)?   Same purge control solenoid shared with the MPFI setup?  If so I have each of those to get me sorted.  I'm hoping the EGR pipe to the head is easily modified from the EA81 or an EA82 carb intake manifold.  If not pls let me know as I'll have to find one stateside...

 

The funky O ring under the throttle body seems to have shrunk a little.  Is there any way of sealing this area without that O ring, or should I be shopping for a new one stateside (if still available)?  I can't see me refitting the current one without pinching it and causing my engine to fill with coolant...  Or is there a trick to fitting it - like gently warming it up to allow it to stretch/expand?

 

I'm not sure how the crank ventilation system works on this.  From pics I've found tonight all I can see on the EA82 SPFI's is that each cam bank ventilation pipe comes into a T piece then into the back of the intake pipe.  Is this correct?  Am I simplifying this system too much?  How should it be hooked up to the EA81?

I think I've left the PCV out of this equation (also need to find one of these).

 

What is the other little opening/port behind the first "U" in SUBARU on the intake pipe?

 

Other fun stuff:  I'm missing all vacuum hard lines, so that should be fun to work out what I need there.

 

I'm looking forward to having this on my EA81 - and hope it sorts out a pinging issue I'm currently experincing.  I believe this is from the original carb being tired.  So thought it a good time to swap over to the SPFI kit.

 

Being that my vehicle is Right hand drive, the ECU will be located above the passenger's feet, wiring for ignition/start etc will be extended over to the ignition switch via a fuse panel.  The rubber gommet on the passenger's side is not used for anything so pulling the wiring through that should be some fun and will hopefully look neat once done.

 

And to show off my Brumby (need to get some dents sorted, the driver's door really lets the whole car down):

 

 

No, you can't have my 5 poster (bullbar).  Build one yourself - many of you seem to have awesome fab skills!

Yes, that is my actual number plate

 

And one with Tweety after having this SPFI kit on it, then going draw through carb supercharged until finally settling on a freshly rebuilt EA81 with a weber:

 

 

I'm looking forward to hearing from the gurus to help me get this sorted and running like a dream!

Regards

Bennie

 

 

[el_freddo]

ECU pics to help identify if this is the early or late black ECU.  I'm hoping for the later black unit!

 

 

And the missing wires/pins from the ECU plugs:

 

 

I've read that I'll need the neutral switch wire, so I'll add that in.  For the vehicle speed sensor it seems to come down to whether I have the later ECU or not.  AC signal would be good to work out as I want to run my AC and have the ECU idle up to take up the extra load of the AC compressor when in operation.  If anyone knows what I need to do here I'll be very appreciative!

 

I'm keen to get on top of these two issues before I go ahead and start laying the wiring out in the engine bay.

 

Cheers

 

Bennie

[ausubaru92]

Can you find ecu plugs off another car that has has the same type pins and nick the pins out of it?

Vehicle speed sensor can be done with a magnetic hall sensor and a magnet glued to the tailshaft

[Subaru Scott]

Your speedo should have a speed sensor. I believe they all did after 83. When I EA82T swapped my 86 hatch, it was in there.

Can’t be much help with the SPFI, I never messed with them really. GD has actually been advising against it lately because of parts scarcity, and less low end torque than the Weber.

 I would triple check your diagram/harness. All FI systems utilized a speed sensor, and would go into limp mode without one.

Good luck with the swap!

[ausubaru92]

What about something like Megasquirt, Speedunio or something similar controlling either the SPFI throttle injector or get someone to machine a pair of injector bosses into the ends of the carby manifold just before the heads.

They use off the shelf sensors for IAT, coolant and absolute pressure (no air flow meter) and you could even use the carby distributor as the crank angle sensor (as injection wont need to be sequential) 

 

[el_freddo]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'm trying to keep this low budget so working with what I've got is the goal - and to make it look as factory as possible...

I've been supplied some plugs as suggested for the replacement pins.

I've used a cam/crank angle sensor as my speed sensor for the aftermarket cruise - the one with the kit was lost. It works a treat so I could always mount a second sensor. I think tapping the ECU and cruise into the same sensor could be asking for trouble. 

It's looking like I'll be blocking off the EGR - the engine doesn't have one currently. And I'm yet to look closer at the whole evap/charcoal canister setup to work out how to plumb in the purge control solenoid. 

Moving forward with this, the ECU is mounted in the glovebox, intake manifold cleaned up. Now to get a few bits and pieces from my parts cars at m&d's place (an hr's drive), so need to plan that accordingly. Intake manifold gaskets are ordered too.

With the AC wiring - control and reference, I'm casing what needs to be done here. 

I've read about GD's thoughts on the SPFI conversion. And while I can see where he's Cingular from I'm willing to work through issues of old sensors etc. Low end torque loss over the weber shouldn't be an isse for me as I'm in this for detonation reasons and I want to see if I can squeeze more fuel economy out of the brumby while still having a fun cruiser. 

Eventually an EJ22 will probably be dropped in. A cheeky snail on the side might make an appearance for S&Gs  Dreams though, other priorities seem to have a habit of changing these plans...

Cheers

Bennie

[Subaru Scott]

There should be an empty 17 pin connector there around the steering column intended for use with the factory cruise control.

The yellow w/red wire is the one coming from the speed sensor in the speedo.

Least that's what my 83 US manual is showing.

[el_freddo]

We never got cruise control options on our subarus until the libertys came out in '89.

I've got an instrument cluster in bits and can't see anything that resembles a reed switch like the L series clusters have.

I plan on dropping the long cluster in with the six gauges - I'll check this out and see if there's a speed sensor built I to it, but I'm not hopeful since it's from an '83/84 model sedan.  My brumby is a '90 or '91 model...

Cheers

Bennie

[Subaru Scott]

Yeah, I’m sure none of the DLs would have had one. The GLs (6 gauge) should.