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islandman
01-01-2016, 07:58 AM
OK, so I think I have found an ideal donor car (or so I thought).


I have hopefully secured a 2006 Subaru Legacy R 2.0L Tourer (Estate), first registered in December 2006. Obviously its a UK model. It produces 162 bhp and has done 90,000 miles.


Now I was kind of happy with this until I started reading about the CANbus versus older cars without it. My plans was to use the entire loom, dashboard (hopefully), steering column and gauge cluster at a minimum. So I thought that would make my life simple.


I have now started to read that the CANbus equipped cars use the signal from the ABS as the Vehicle Speed Sensor. Obviously I won't have ABS and hence no sensor inputs etc..


I can't find definitive information on whether the Subaru Legacy had the CANbus system introduced in 2007 or 2006...


Any help, ideas or thoughts.......am I screwed by going for a later motor?

islandman
01-01-2016, 08:43 AM
may have found a solution http://www.subarugears.com/subatronics/index.html

Even if I don't know whether I need it or not yet :dunce: still can't find if the UK 06 Legacy uses CAN Bus

islandman
30-01-2016, 08:41 AM
Finally removed the front engine wiring loom and the compartment bulkhead loom. Its is no small task and not one I want to redo in a hurry (I still have the rear loom and doors to go!). You have to take the entire dash (I wanted that anyway), front wings etc.. and almost strip the car completely to get it out. It fought me every step of the way, but its finally out and fully labelled ....phew!

http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww131/islandmanhere/SAM_0166_zpsibaaxpki.jpg (http://s713.photobucket.com/user/islandmanhere/media/SAM_0166_zpsibaaxpki.jpg.html)

http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww131/islandmanhere/SAM_0172_zpsmmxwrfcj.jpg (http://s713.photobucket.com/user/islandmanhere/media/SAM_0172_zpsmmxwrfcj.jpg.html)



http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww131/islandmanhere/SAM_0152_zps5gzimatz.jpg (http://s713.photobucket.com/user/islandmanhere/media/SAM_0152_zps5gzimatz.jpg.html)

And yes I know I still need to take the steering column also, but I also need to steer the car around before its disposed of.

edmorton
30-01-2016, 09:15 AM
That looks involved...!

The wires look to be in pretty good condition though. Are you reusing the complete dash?

Buffy
30-01-2016, 10:52 AM
I think the phrase " Rather you than me" comes to mind.........:giveup:

You don't do things by half do you.:facepalm:

So you are going to fit all of that wiring loom into the nova? If that loom was a tree, all I needed was a twig to get mine going.

I truly admire your bravery.

Make sure the labels dont fall off...................

steve
30-01-2016, 06:43 PM
Wow

islandman
30-01-2016, 07:13 PM
That looks involved...!

The wires look to be in pretty good condition though. Are you reusing the complete dash?

Yes, its needs to be cut on the passenger side to remove just past the air vent. This video of a Eureka using it is what inspired me to give it a try. I was hoping to offer it up to the Nova body this trip but simply run out of time. So its all warpped up awaiting my next visit for Stoneleigh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB0HYERXRQI

islandman
30-01-2016, 07:20 PM
I think the phrase " Rather you than me" comes to mind.........:giveup:

You don't do things by half do you.:facepalm:

So you are going to fit all of that wiring loom into the nova? If that loom was a tree, all I needed was a twig to get mine going.

I truly admire your bravery.

Make sure the labels dont fall off...................

I bought a labeling machine that does laminated labeling just for the job.They won't rub off and are resistant to oil etc.. BUT that doesn't mean I called each connector by the right name. I had to write on a few "????":blushing:

I plan to use most of the loom except for the ABS, Airbags etc.. The engine and gearbox are covered with sensors, 3 on the gearbox and about 8 on the engine, then another 2 on the exhaust. I must admit I am wondering if I have bitten off more than I can chew!

steve_d
31-01-2016, 09:57 AM
............. Its is no small task and not one I want to redo in a hurry.......... It fought me every step of the way, but its finally out and fully labelled ....phew!.......

Welcome to my world.
Spent hours with Patrick's loom laid out across the whole of my lounge floor whilst I cut out the unwanted bits.

Steve

islandman
31-01-2016, 05:13 PM
Welcome to my world.
Spent hours with Patrick's loom laid out across the whole of my lounge floor whilst I cut out the unwanted bits.

Steve

Did you use the entire loom, i.e. retained the lighting, wipers circuits, horn, washers, indicators etc.. and only remove the ABS, Airbag circuits etc..?

BTW the manuals should go out in the post tomorrow :thumbup:

steve_d
31-01-2016, 05:26 PM
I used parts of the loom.
Most of the circuits are based on switching the negative side of the circuit which would have been OK if using the steering column and its stalks plus the switches on the dash. Patrick wanted to keep the Beetle column and the period look of toggle switches so I've changed most of the circuits apart from those controlling the engine.

Are you sending the manuals direct to me or to Patrick?

Steve

islandman
31-01-2016, 05:29 PM
Steve,
Actually I would be interested to hear how you approached it. My current thoughts are something along these lines:

1. Lay rope out in the Nova where I want the loom to run and branching off where the various components will be situated, dashboard, engine, ecu, lights etc.. (this becomes my measurement template)
2. Take all the covering off the Subaru loom, identify each component and what I’m keeping and what I’m not
3. Cut out the cables I will not be using at the terminal blocks (too hard to get the pins out I think).
4. Then cut the cables as required and splice in new cable (preferably same colours) to extend or shorten the circuits to conform with the lengths of the rope templates.

Any advice or insights gratefully received

p.s. The manuals are being posted directly to you

steve_d
31-01-2016, 10:05 PM
It's a little simpler than that.
Most of the wiring you will keep will be between the engine and the two fuse/relay boxes and ECU. Unless you do major surgery to the loom you will not be able to get the boxes any further away from the engine than the bulkhead. I've fitted them between the seats on/through the bulkhead.

After that you may find the rest does not reach as far as the dash so you will need to do your rope trick in conjunction with the existing lengths.

Stripping the existing loom covering is a messy job due to all the adhesive but has to be done.
Take care when cutting out your unwanted circuits as both the earths and some of the common power supplies are daisy chained so be careful you don't break the chain. There are many sensor earths that go back to the ECU rather than just a nearby point on the body. They terminate at what looks like a connector from the rear but has a sort of 'comb' that plugs in the front shorting out all the pins but in groups. You can lever out the comb and see which pins are common.

Steve

Dirk
01-02-2016, 11:21 PM
I would agree with Steve's comments watch the earth's some of them are easy to miss I had several weeks of head scratching because I missed a couple of earth's, some of the sensors cables to the ECU are screened that I looped rather than shortened as well.

Dirk

islandman
02-02-2016, 12:48 AM
some of the sensors cables to the ECU are screened that I looped rather than shortened as well.

Dirk


Dirk, thanks for the advice, but I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "screened" and what you mean by "looping"

PaddyX21
02-02-2016, 06:34 AM
I would take it to mean 'sheathed' and 'coiled', presumably due to being hard to cut and join/re-terminate correctly.

Dirk will be back soon though hopefully!

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

steve_d
02-02-2016, 07:05 AM
A screened cable is used where you do not want it to pick up interference or 'noise' from other electrical sources. Sometimes this is done simply by twisting 2 wires together. Telephone wires and Can bus wires are done this way. The more positive screen is to have a wire braid cover over one or more wires. This screen is earthed but normally only at one end. In our case it is likely earthed at the ECU end.
Another point on earths is that it is important they remain grouped as they are in the donor and not just all bunched together.

Steve

Dirk
02-02-2016, 11:09 PM
Dirk, thanks for the advice, but I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "screened" and what you mean by "looping"

I think Paddy and Steve have answered the question. If you are mounting the ECU towards the front of the car you would not want to shorten the cables any way, I only coiled a few of them up because I mounted it in the rear window tunnel and that was only because it was the least likely place to get any water ingress.

Dirk

islandman
03-02-2016, 12:32 AM
Thanks for all the inputs, I need to put my thinking cap on to decide what strategy and placement I want to adopt now I guess