---Ed McKinley wrote:

Ron Bloomquist and I used a Subaru wiring diagram to be sure the
wires
went where they're supposed to. I would be very nervous right now

if

I hadn't had the diagram.

Ed;

Are you referring to the wiring diagram in the Chilton's Subaru
Repair
Manual or did you get one from Subaru (or elsewhere).

Warren Chapman

Alternator wires are separate but mine stayed co-mingled with the
remainaing wires. Doesn't matter as long as they go where they're
supposed to. You will eventually have several separate wire groups
as
noted on the blueprint and some of the wires go from point to point
without passing through point the computer.

Ron Bloomquist and I used a Subaru wiring diagram to be sure the
wires
went where they're supposed to. I would be very nervous right now if
I hadn't had the diagram.

--- In subaruvanagon@..., "Warren Chapman" <tallsound@m...>
wrote:

ONE QUESTION for those who have done this before????.

I ended up with the alternator connections completely separate from
the rest of the wiring. Is this correct??


Warren

Ed McKinley, here, new member of this new list. Getting in on the
ground floor. Imagine what our stock will be worth in a few years.

I am also in the middle of a Kennedy conversion. Putting a 91 2.2 into
an 85 Weekender. We have had the vanagon for 8 years and want to keep
it. 173k on an original water boxer engine. Valves, rings and pitted
heads repaired 102k ago. Runs like a champ but has consistently low
compression in two cylinders, one each head, varying from 60 to 90lbs
each. Plagued with air and gasses in the cooling system. Purging the
system only works for a short while. I believe there is are slow leaks
through the head gaskets into the coolant system.

Decided to do the Subaru conversion (after several serious threats from
my friend Ron Bloomquist). I have completed the wiring harness
conversion and will be futzing with the engine this weekend. New timing
belt, valve cover gaskets, cam and crank seals, before the engine goes
in the van!

Ron's experiences and help have been invaluable to me and information
from the Meyers brothers has been very helpful. They have come up with
clever fixes and tips like soldering a copper wire ring around the
copper water pipe to simulate the ridge on a water hose connector pipe
to help hold the hose in place.

I thoroughly enjoyed the wiring harness puzzle. Very stimulating and
was sad to see it removed from the dining room table where it resided
for over 2 weeks (my wife, however, was happy to see it go.) I spray
glued the blueprint to a piece of plywood to provide a ridgid work
surface that would not harm the table.

I tested continuity on every wire and used a Subaru wiring diagram to
make sure all wires went to where they are supposed to. Cross
connection continuity tests produced some alarming results until I
unplugged the computer. I was getting continuity between hot and ground
in all the shielded wires as well as others. With the computer out of
the loop everything tested fine.

Kennedy recommends bypassing the engine ground plug and ground directly
to the engine. Ron and I discussed this at length. I decided that
Subaru pretty much knew what they were doing even though I can't see
where their ground wires are going to. I have kept the eight ground
wires attached to this plug. I did splice some or all of them in with
one or two left over wires needing grounding and will ground them to the
engine creating some redundancy. That reminds me to make notes as to
what I did in case there are problems or questions later.

Hope it works!

After only three days we have 29 members in this group, including
luminaries Hobart Kennedy (KEP), Ron Bloomquist(Roadcow website) and
Tom Myers (of Eurabus/"Vanaru" website fame)(where's Dick??),
WELCOME TO EVERYONE!!

I'm a Luminary? Knowing Ron is certainly an honor, but Luminary?

Tom (Urabus)
--
+------------------------------------+
| CycoActive Products tel (206) 323-2349
| 701 34th Ave fax (206) 325-6016
| Seattle, WA 98122 USA
| webpage:
| e-mail: TomMyers@...
+------------------------------------+

Hello folks,

I'm glad to find this resource available. As my title indicates, I
am "on the fence" on whether to convert or not convert. Most
knowledgable folks that I've spoken to here in CT suggest the Subaru
as well. Is it really better then a Jetta or GTI ?

This is an interesting question. I've heard you have to wind those motors out and the van becomes less 'driveable'. This is due to the extra weight of the van, and not enough low-end torque. It's hearsay though....

I have an 86 Vanagon GL that I use as a work vehicle for carpentry
and the like. It hurts to have it down and can't afford to be w/out a
vehicle for too long. I have a moderate amount of mechanical ability
and I struggle with auto electrics; how long of a process can I
anticipate in converting my vanagon ?

Do your wiring harness first. When done with the harness, tear into the car. Quite likely your wasserboxer will be broken-down by then anyway, so you can think of it as embarking on another normal pre-emptive maintenance exercise. Except this one may be your last.....

I've been reading the archives to this list, while the general tone
is very supportive and optomistic, I daresay that the project seems a
bit intimidating. This coming from a man that has rebuilt a 1.9L for
my 84, twice.

Sounds like you can do it. Just do one "connector" at a time. Do one per day and you'll be done in two weeks. Divide and conquer. Our wiring harnesses took perhaps 20 hours for the first and 16 hours for the second.

Any direct comments you can give to me to help me with this decision
would be helpfull. I should add that $3000 is about my limit whether
I convert, buy a rebuilt, or sell off and start anew.

My conversion cost less than $3000 (maybe $2999).

Tom
--
+------------------------------------+
| CycoActive Products tel (206) 323-2349
| 701 34th Ave fax (206) 325-6016
| Seattle, WA 98122 USA
| webpage:
| e-mail: TomMyers@...
+------------------------------------+

Hello folks,

I'm glad to find this resource available. As my title indicates, I
am "on the fence" on whether to convert or not convert. Most
knowledgable folks that I've spoken to here in CT suggest the Subaru
as well. Is it really better then a Jetta or GTI ?

I have an 86 Vanagon GL that I use as a work vehicle for carpentry
and the like. It hurts to have it down and can't afford to be w/out a
vehicle for too long. I have a moderate amount of mechanical ability
and I struggle with auto electrics; how long of a process can I
anticipate in converting my vanagon ?

I've been reading the archives to this list, while the general tone
is very supportive and optomistic, I daresay that the project seems a
bit intimidating. This coming from a man that has rebuilt a 1.9L for
my 84, twice.

Any direct comments you can give to me to help me with this decision
would be helpfull. I should add that $3000 is about my limit whether
I convert, buy a rebuilt, or sell off and start anew.

Thanks and I'll keep reading,
Arnold Daley

Mike,

I have a auto ECU in my truck and a 4 speed trans and it works perfect.
Hobert is right.

Jay
1985 Truck Vubaru

When I read messages posted in the Syncro list, also hosted by
eGroups, I only see part of the email address of the sender. I
assumed this would also be the case with our group. (I see the full
address but eGroups instructions to moderators says this would be the
case.)

Do all of you see full email addresses when other list members post
messages to the group?? If you do, let me know, and maybe I can set
the list parameters or get help from eGroups to change this.

I'll check with Steve Schwenk who moderates the Syncro list to see if
he can shed some light on this for me. I spam is one lifes worst
scourges and have received my share from posting to some other
groups,
but none from my participation in the Syncro list, so I want to do
everything I can to protect this list from those jerks.

Warren

Thanks Warren for setting this up. An idea who's time has definitely
arrive.

Our Spring Break Traveling Partners, Ed and Suzanne, have a 1985 Vanagon
weekender. They experienced the lurching wasserleaker phenomena during one
of our trips (for those of you who
have already forgotten the "good ol' days) and recently started experiencing
the famous leaking head phenomena. They were talking about getting their
wasserleaker rebuilt in spite of the fact I had shown them my conversion and
took them for a ride.

Recently we caravan-ed to a campsite that involved going over some hills
well known to Ed. At the base of them I slowed and stopped alongside the
road. He stopped behind me and walked up to my window to ask what "my
problem" was. I told him that "we are exchanging busses"! I hopped into
his and he took off in mine! Later he told me that that was the first time
he had ever gone over the coastal range in 4th gear!! <grin>

Ed currently has his wiring harness done and is about to install his 1991
Subaru Legacy 2.2. I am sure he will be joining this list soon. He did a
fine job on the wiring harness (better than me, truth be told!) and might
have some great suggestion concerning "wiring hell".

Finally, I would like to point out that our esteemed guru, Hobart Kennedy's
first name actually is Hobert! It took me years to discover that! In all
the time I have had it wrong on my ROADCOW webpage, Hobert never took
offence, whined or sniveled!! What a guy!

PS. Don't anyone suggest making a subaruvanagon sticker!!

Ron Bloomquist

At 21:21 5/15/2000, Warren Chapman wrote:

FYI... to protect list members from spam, e-mail addresses are only
available (according to egroups)to me as the group founder/moderator.

Except of course that they are in the headers of every message...

david
David Beierl - dbeierl@...

After only three days we have 29 members in this group, including
luminaries Hobart Kennedy (KEP), Ron Bloomquist(Roadcow website) and
Tom Myers (of Eurabus/"Vanaru" website fame)(where's Dick??),
WELCOME TO EVERYONE!!

If you wish to meet and/or network with others doing SubaruVanagon
conversions in your area, you may wish to add your location to your
signature block (as well as any other contact information you are
willing to divulge to fellow list members.

FYI... to protect list members from spam, e-mail addresses are only
available (according to egroups)to me as the group founder/moderator.

Warren Chapman
Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco Bay Area)
'90 Syncro Westy

QUESTION+++ Do you have Syncro specific air intake plumbing?? (If
so I don't have it in the kit I received.)

I understand that you have sold quite a few kits to Syncro owners.
The Syncro has special air-intake plumbing which is designed to allow
the Syncro to go through high water without sucking water into the
air intake. Outboard of the Vanagon air filter the air intake has a
special dust trap and then connects with another plastic pipe which
extends vertically inside the body panel to draw air from the vent
behind the last window. All of this plumbing is on the passenger side
of the vehicle. Your standard kit shows all of the intake plumbing,
including your special piping, air cleaner and intake silencer unit
on the drivers side of the engine bay.

Maybe I haven't read everything thoroughly, (haven't gotten past
wiring HELL yet) but I haven't seen any specific instructions for
Syncro's regarding this special air intake plumbing.

ALL YOU SYNCRO CONVERTERS PLEASE CHIME IN WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Warren C.
'90 Syncro Westy

开云体育

I am glad to have your website address as I have heard about it and can pass
it on the others.

Thanks,

Susan
Kennedy Engineered Products
38830 17th St. East
Palmdale, CA 93550

(661) 272-1147

Hi fellow Subaruvians,

Once you get past wiring hell and into trouble free motoring you might start
getting bored because there is nothing left to do but change the oil, now
and
then. Don't despair!

You will soon have time to think about camping refinements.

Here are a few of mine since Subaru lift off!



I'm wishing "Happy Camping" in the near future to those still in the depths
of wiring hell!

Ron Bloomquist
Vanaru - 1984 Vanagon/1991 Subie 2.2
ROADCOW - 1971 Willfailya/1981 Toyota Corolla 3TC

Hi,

Ok, we are in the group. We get questions daily about the Subaru Vanagon conversion. Let us know what you want us to pass on.

Anything I can't answer goes to Hobert for his input.

Susan

Hi Susan,

Have you seen my "Urabus" site detailing our Vanagon-Subaru conversion ()? My brother and I did two conversions last year at the same time. Our site gets about 300 hits a month, and I suspect we've helped to sell a few kits.

Such an excellent conversion! I thank KEP every time I start my Vanagon. Hobert was most helpful, and we recommend KEP highly.

thanks

Tom
--
+------------------------------------+
| CycoActive Products tel (206) 323-2349
| 701 34th Ave fax (206) 325-6016
| Seattle, WA 98122 USA
| webpage:
| e-mail: TomMyers@...
+------------------------------------+

开云体育

Drew Bedford wrote:

Greetings,

Great list idea. I've got a 1.9l Westy that I'm dying to Subarize.
First I've got this brand new rebuilt Wasserbox to sell. Gotta
finance
the Subaru purchase.

Drew,
You should have no problem selling that engine. Just advertise it on the
Vanagon list. I sold the 2.1 out of mine to a guy from Denver, met him in
Grand Junction to do the deal.
Larry
PC, UT

A rainy Sunday in San Francisco allowed me to concentrate on my
wiring and make some major progress. Finally, got it pared down to
the essentials with all the useless stuff cut away and all the
necessary wires taped together. Next step is measuring correct
lengths, soldering, taping, and tidying up.

A suggestion when building your harness: Move your check-engine light and the related connectors (the black and the green error-code connectors) such that they are accessible thru the license plate door.

Tom
--
+------------------------------------+
| CycoActive Products tel (206) 323-2349
| 701 34th Ave fax (206) 325-6016
| Seattle, WA 98122 USA
| webpage:
| e-mail: TomMyers@...
+------------------------------------+

A rainy Sunday in San Francisco allowed me to concentrate on my
wiring and make some major progress. Finally, got it pared down to
the essentials with all the useless stuff cut away and all the
necessary wires taped together. Next step is measuring correct
lengths, soldering, taping, and tidying up.

It seems silly to have such a huge box of waste wires and so few left
that are necessary. Hopefully,... someday future converters won't
have to go through this.

ONE QUESTION for those who have done this before????.

I ended up with the alternator connections completely separate from
the rest of the wiring. Is this correct??


Warren