Quote:
Originally Posted by fullCircling
I think you just answered my ultimate question that I've been mulling over in my head for the past couple months. I've got a '97 legacy that I want to cram ALLLLLL of the features of an '08 STI into, drivetrain wise. Dual AVCS heads, stock ecu, vdc, si drive, 4 channel abs etc.
I want to do this in phases, so my first phase would be installing the minimum to properly run the stock ECU and dual AVCS heads. If what your saying about CANBUS ECUs is true, then the engine ECU is seperate from the computers controlling ABS, VDC, SI drive, DCCD, etc. Is that right?
Any info you could be provide would be much appreciated.
I was referring to new vehicles for other new vehicles. Your current car's computer takes care of everything from the ABS sensors to the Engine controller. It doesn't have CAN bus and doesn't control the engine seperately.
I was speaking theoretically as i work i'm engineer in a similar field. Our machines can have 2-3 different engines which fit into the same Chassis. Of course we've been exclusively CAN bus since the 90's and our machines are much larger. It makes sense to localize and use a separate ECU. Fitting a different engine is very simple like it used to be back in the 70's. The machine control module takes care of everything, the ECU just worries about the engine. All of the sensors for the engine are prewired into the ECU harness, so swapping just involves the normal fluid lines, motor mounts, mating to the gearbox, and then the ECU plug which is just 2 plugs which connect it to the machine.
I know smaller cars haven't taken this design approach yet, they tend to want to use one main controller for as much as they can, including the engine. Then they just use CAN bus for the couple of other sensor/system modules they have. But i think soon, with all the new sensors and inputs being added to vehicles, it'll make more sense for them to use a dedicated Engine controller and swaps will be like i said.
If someone had the service manual for a 2012 impreza, and the new 2014 Forester XT. I could tell you how difficult this might be as far as wiring is concerned. However, i speculate, that the reason the impreza and XV do not have a turbo engine yet is because the CVT for the turbo model may be bigger??? So the transmission possibly doesn't fit?