starter wiring

MostlyMonki · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 1:49 pm Post subject: starter wiring

thought i'd finished off all the wiring (bug with ej20 and rjes bellhousing), but the starter wont turn when ignition keys turned.

I've just run a wire from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid(what used to be the beetle starter wire), as well as the wire from the ecu to the solenoid thats required.

the starter turns fine when you bridge the solenoid and power connectors on it.

I might just have a dodgy ignition switch, but if not is there anything i might have missed?
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'72 Ratty Bug - Subaru EJ20 Turbo motor.

rjes · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject:

Sounds like it can only be a fault in the Beetle positive supply wiring to the ignition switch, a faulty ignition switch, or a fault in the wiring between the switch and starter......
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Richard,

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MostlyMonki · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject:

thanks Richard, thats what i suspected but thought it worth getting a second opinion. I'll get a new switch tomorrow and let you know how i get on.

by the way, is the live wire that supplies the fuel pump relay and the coil pack's supposed to be conected to the switched-live on the ignition (ie. on when the key is turned), or permanent live (in my case hooked up to the battery isolater switch)? i was expecting a click from the relay when i turned the key but didnt get one...

at the moment i've got it on the isolator (permanent when the key is in that). the only wire i have hooked up to switched live is one directly to the ecu.
_________________
'72 Ratty Bug - Subaru EJ20 Turbo motor.

rjes · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject:

It's very difficult to understand what you mean regarding the wiring connectors without much more info. Wiring diagrams, connector numbers, plus model and year of engine etc.

A quick look on a coupe, of diagrams showed that the fuel pump relay is not connected to the coils at all. Did you mean the injectors?

The ECU should have a permanant live and ignition switched lives. Many of the ignition switched ones are not wired directly to the VW ignoition switch wire though, they are created by the main (ignition) relay, which switches it's permanant live supply.
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Regards,

Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
Quality Subaru Powered VW Components
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rjes · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

Just seen in another thread that your engine is an early turbo. Looking at that diagram, the fuel pump relay feed is not connected to either the injectors of the coils?

I've taken 'supplies the fuel pump' to mean power to the contacts. Do you actually mean the relay coil? Also, if you suspect thet your ignition switch or power to is is faulty (the above mentiuoned starter problem), is there actually any volts at the ignition on wire when the ignition is turned on?
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Regards,

Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
Quality Subaru Powered VW Components
www.rjes.com

MostlyMonki · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject:

i just checked my pre-MY97 turbo workshop manual, and it has the yellow wire from the fuel pump relay connecting to the 4 yellow wires of the coil packs, which then go to the injectors (the same as mine is wired)

you're correct, i did mean the power to the contacts on the relay.

havent been able to check for current at the ignition wires yet (my volt meter packed up weeks ago and i havent replaced it yet. will do so this week).

Re: the permanent live to the ECU - as i'm using a battery isolator switch, and therefore when the isolator key is out there is no power to the ignition/fuse box, should i take this directly from the battery (with an inline fuse)?

Thanks for the help by the way Richard, really appreciated as i'm desperately trying to be ready for bugjam!
_________________
'72 Ratty Bug - Subaru EJ20 Turbo motor.

rjes · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:29 pm Post subject:

Definitely don't wire the permanant live to the ECU via your isolator switch if you have a choice. Not sure how this fits with the race regulations (if it's a proper race car), but if you do, you'll need to run a few tanks of fuel through the engine every time you turn the isolator off (or obviously disconnect the battery) before the ECU learns the fuel octane and maps the ignition accordingly. Once the ECU has lost it's memory, the ignition starts out retarded (fail safe), and learns where the knock limit is under all sorts of contitions. It takes at least a tank full to do this - probably more.

Just had a thought - if the current drawn on the backup wire is low enough, a stack of 4 small lithium cells (as used in computer bios / clocks, and watches, etc) would give 12V, last for years, and could easily be 'lost' in the system, so it looks like you've fully isolated power from the ECU. If this works it's be well worth doing on any race car, as they invariably get taken to pieces regularly.
I imagine if you regularly disconnect the power from the ECU in a race only car for whatever reasons, keeping the ECU memory live would be a very cheap method of tuning, and would probably make a noticeable improvement in ET's. Should I get investigaing it and making kits of parts if it proves practical???????
_________________
Regards,

Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
Quality Subaru Powered VW Components
www.rjes.com

doppelganger · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject:

MostlyMonki · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:50 pm Post subject:

I've sorted out the starter problem... i just had the live to the ignition on the wrong terminal on the isolator switch

. oh well at least i figured it out without too much hassle.

I'll be getting all my oils/fluids over the next few days and will find out if it actually starts then. couple of other little things to sort out first too.
_________________
'72 Ratty Bug - Subaru EJ20 Turbo motor.