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ECU Schedule

The ECU found in the Subaru Automobile, at first sight would seem a formidable problem to convert to aviation use, but after the years have passed the mountain no longer seems as high and each wire has a clear function which is applicable to the aviation application. Much of the automotive wiring relates to auxiliary functions such as fan control, air conditioning or connection to the transmission. Once these components are peeled away there are a relatively few sensors, all of which are necessary and desirable had one designed the system for oneself.

The connector set shown below is the view that the observer has when looking at the end of the ECU. The "No Connection" (NC) pins are those that are occupied by sensors or connections that are not necessary for application to aviation. The pins may be removed from the connector using a small screwdriver and some care thereby leaving spare pins in the event of damage at some point.

Establishing the power pins and the ground pins is probably the single most important operation since once this is done there is little that can damage the unit. In the automotive application there is a special sequence for shut down that allows the engine to remove unwanted fuel from the charcoal canister. Although this is a nice feature to have from the environmental aspect, space and weight limitations dictate that these features are removed and we can rest assured that our power plant will still result in less pollution than the common Lycoming or Continental units. To this end the wiring can be cleaned up significantly by connection all of the power connections together and coupling them to a single master contactor that I have identified as the "Ignition Contactor". Once the "Ignition Contactor" is activated power is made available to the five pins on the ECU plus the power to the Fuel pump relays. I also power my "Grand Rapids EIS" from this "Ignition Contactor so that engine monitoring is available right from the start. A liberal use of polyfuses and surge suppressors protect the electronics against over current and over voltage.

The following table describes the pin connections to the ECU. All pins are identified but not all pins are used in the aviation role. I Have mounted the ECU within an aluminium box which has three output connections:

  • Cannon xxx pin connector,

  • DB25 Connector connecting non-essential elements to the engine computer, and;

  • High power connections through a set of screw connectors.

 

 

  Pin Number

Function

Wire Colour / Stripe

Signal Type 

Intermediate Connector

Pin Character

Comments

Engine Stopped

Engine Running
B59 1 Fuel Injector #5 White / Green 10 - 12 V 12V pulsed Cannon

i

 The ECU grounds the injector to energize.
2 Control Unit Power Supply White / Red 12 - 13V 13 - 14V     This should be connected to the ignition master contactor.
3 Water Temp Sensor Green / Yellow 0.7 - 1.0V 0.7 - 1.0V Cannon W Connect to water tem sensor
4 Recirculation Gas Temp Sensor Green / Red         This component is used only on the Californian Car so as long as B62 - 4 is left disconnected there is no connection to this pin.
5 O2 Sensor #2 Yellow / Blue 0.6V 1.0V Cannon T Connect to O2 sensor on engine. Make sure the wire is shielded and grounded at the ECU B59-17
6 O2 Sensor #1 White 0.6V 1.0V Cannon S Connect to O2 sensor on engine. Make sure the wire is shielded and grounded at the ECU B59-17
7 Cam Angle Sensor Red 0V Pulse Signal (+) Cannon s  
8 Crank Angle Sensor #2 White 0V Pulse Signal (+) Cannon r  
9 Crank Angle Sensor #2           Cam Angle Sensor Black 0V 0V Cannon g  
10 Crank Angle Sensor #2 &   Cam Angle Sensor Black 0V 0V Cannon V Shield
11 GND Black / Red 0V 0V Cannon p Ground For Control System. Connect this to the engine block
12 Fuel Injector #6 White / Yellow 10 - 13V 12V Pulsed Cannon K The ECU grounds the injector to energize.
13 Control Unit Power Supply White / Red 10 - 13V 13 - 14V     This should be connected to the ignition master contactor.
14 GND           Connect this ground to the engine block.
15 Back Up Power Supply Orange 10 - 12V 13 - 14V     This should be connected to the ignition master contactor.
16 Engine Torque Control Light Green         Remove this wire. It is not needed.
17 O2 Sensor#1

O2 Sensor #2

 Yellow Shield Shield Cannon U This connects to the shield of the O2 sensors.
18 N/C            
19 A/C Compressor Control Green / White 0V 0V     Remove this wire. It is not needed.
20 Engine Torque Control Black / Yellow   on = 0V, off = 5V     Remove this wire. It is not needed.
21 GND (Water temp Sensor) Blue / Black Sensor ground Sensor ground Cannon R Connects to the low side of the water temp sensor.
22 GND Black / Blue Control System Ground   Cannon R Ground For Control System. Connect this to the engine block
 
  Pin Number

Function

Wire Colour / Stripe

Signal Type 

Intermediate Connector

Pin Character

Comments

Engine Stopped

Engine Running
B60 1 Throttle Sensor Black 0V 0V Cannon EE Ground for Throttle Sensor
2 Throttle Sensor White Signal Signal Cannon t  
3 Throttle Sensor Red 5V 5V Cannon FF  
4 Airflow Sensor Red 10 - 13V 13 - 14 Cannon n  
5 Airflow Sensor White 0 - 0.3V 0.8 - 1.2V Cannon P  
6 Airflow Sensor Black 0V 0V Cannon DD MAS ground
7 Power Steering Switch Green / White 5V 5V     Remove this wire. It is not needed.
8 A/C Clutch Control White / Black         Remove this wire. It is not needed.
9 Parking Switch Light Green P=0;          other = 8V P=0;           other = 8V     Remove this wire. It is not needed. (When this wire is removed, and the Neutral wire is removed, the ECU thinks that it is in gear and working normally.)
10 Neutral Switch Light Green / Yellow N=0;          other = 8V N=0;           other = 8V     Remove this wire. It is not needed. (When this wire is removed, and the Park wire is removed, the ECU thinks that it is in gear and working normally.)
11 Vehicle Speed Sensor Yellow / Red 0 - 5V 0 - 5V     The speed sensor needs a signal to make it believe that it is working. If no signal is received The "Check Engine " light will illuminate. The signal may be sourced from any of the injectors or coils and will indicate about 50 MPH at 5000 RPM. Do not exceed 5 volts.
12 Ignition Switch Black / White 10-13V     when on 13 - 14V   when on     This should be connected to the ignition master contactor.

 

  Pin Number

Function

Wire Colour / Stripe

Signal Type 

Intermediate Connector

Pin Character

Comments

Engine Stopped

Engine Running
B61 1 Crank Angle Sensor #1 White 0V Signal ( + ) Cannon NN  
2 Crank Angle Sensor #1 Black 0V 0V Cannon GG  
3 Crank Angle Sensor #1 Black 0V 0V Cannon MM Shield
4 Common shield connection for Knock Sensors #1 & 2 Yellow 0V 0V Cannon N Shield
5 Knock Sensor #1 White 2 - 4V 2 - 4V Cannon CC  
6 Knock Sensor #2 White 2 - 4V 2 - 4V Cannon m  
7 Select Monitor Signal Lt Green / Red     D Sub   This wire can be removed if no instrument panel monitoring is required.
8 Select Monitor Signal Brown / White on = 10 - 13V, off = 0V on = 10 - 13V, off = 0V D Sub   This wire can be removed if no instrument panel monitoring is required.
9 A/C Switch Brown         Remove this wire. It is not needed.
10 Starter Switch Black / Yellow 0V 0V     When the starter is activated the ECU needs to change its mode of operation. Connect the wire that goes to the starter solenoid to this pin so that the ECU receives a 12V signal while the starter is operating.
11 N/C            
12 Read Memory Blue / White 5V 5V D Sub   This wire can be removed if no instrument panel monitoring is required.
13 Test Mode Orange 5V 5V D Sub   This wire can be removed if no instrument panel monitoring is required.
14 Fuel Pump Discharge Flow Control Red / Orange   High flow =0V

Low flow = 4 - 7V

     The SVX has a jet pump in the fuel tank to move fuel from one side of the transmission tunnel to the other side. It uses the return fuel to power this jet pump but it does cause a lot of vapour. In aircraft use this is unnecessary so this wire can be removed along with the fuel pump modulator.
15 Select Monitor Connector Blue / Yellow     D Sub   This wire can be removed if no instrument panel monitoring is required.
16 Engine Revolution Output Yellow   0 - 14V pulsed D Sub   Connect this to your tach. It sends a pulse for every cylinder that fires. I.e. three pulses per revolution.

 

  Pin Number

Function

Wire Colour / Stripe

Signal Type 

Intermediate Connector

Pin Character

Comments

Engine Stopped

Engine Running
B62 1 Bypass Air Control Solenoid Valve Brown / White Closed End = 6V Closed End   h  
2 Bypass Air Control Solenoid Valve White Open End = 7V Open End   J  
3 Radiator Fan Relay #2 Control Green / Black on = 0V, off = 10 - 13V       Remove this wire. It is not needed.
4 49 State & Canada/California ID Lt Green / Red         Remove this wire if it present. Only Californian ECUs have this wire.. It is not needed.
5 Self Shutoff Control Brown / Black 10 - 13V 13 - 14V     This should be connected to the ignition master contactor.
6 Canister Purge Control White / Red on = 0V, off = 10 - 13V on = 0V, off = 10 - 13V 15 ohm Resistor    
7 Ignition Coil #4 Lt Green / Black     Igniter AA  
8 Ignition Coil #2 Lt Green / Red     Igniter JJ  
9 Ignition Coil #3 Brown / Black     Igniter KK  
10 Ignition Coil #1 White / Red     Igniter w  
11 Fuel Injector #3 Blue / Red 10 - 13V 0 - 12V pulsed Cannon y The ECU grounds the injector to energize.
12 Fuel Injector #2 Blue / White 10 - 13V 0 - 12V pulsed Cannon x The ECU grounds the injector to energize.
13 Fuel Injector #1 Blue / Black 10 - 13V 0 - 12V pulsed Cannon d The ECU grounds the injector to energize.
14 GND Blue     Cannon b Power Supply Ground. Connect this ground to the engine block.
15 GND Black     Igniter   Ignition Ground. Connect this ground to the engine block.
16 Ignition Coil #6 Blue / Black     Cannon L  
17 Radiator Fan Relay #1 Control Yellow / Black on = 0;           off = 10 - 13V on = 0;           off = 13 - 14V     Remove this wire. It is not needed.
18 Auxillary Air Control Valve Brown / Black         Remove this wire. It is not needed.
19 CHECK ENGINE light Red / Yellow     D Sub   This wire controls the CHECK ENGINE light. The ECU grounds this line when it wants the light to illuminate. Connect a light (no greater than 1.4 watts) between this wire an the 12V found in the ignition master contactor.
20 IRIS Control White / Green on = 0;           off = 10 - 13V on = 0V;        off = 13 - 14V 15 ohm Resistor    
21 Ignition Coil #5 Blue / Yellow     Cannon j  
22 EGR Control White / Black on = 0;             off = 10 - 13V on = 0;           off = 13 - 14V 15 ohm Resistor    
23 Fuel Pump Relay Control Green / Black on = 0;           off = 10 - 13V on = 0;           off = 13 - 14V     The fuel pump relay should be connected, one side to +12V at the ignition master contactor and the other side should be connected to this wire.
24 GND Blue / Black       c Injector Ground. Connect this ground to the engine block.
25 GND Yellow / Black     Cannon A Injector Ground. Connect this ground to the engine block.
26 Fuel Injector #4 White / Blue 10 - 13V 0 12V pulsed Cannon z The ECU grounds the injector to energize.

 

 

 

Last Updated:    Wednesday, March 21, 2007

 
 

 

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