Megajolt install on '82 Vanagon

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Jadewombat
Posts: 1447
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2002 12:01 am

Megajolt install on '82 Vanagon

Post by Jadewombat »

A friend of mine has an '81 or so Vanagon he was complaining runs like poop and the power was too low. He's not too technical and was actually asking about a shop that could do a Subaru swap. In my mind, uhhh, no. After the 10th or so swap a shop "may" be qualified to do a reliable swap for someone like him, otherwise he'd be making a lot of return trips when it didn't run right, ran too hot, etc.

Anyhoo, I convinced him to not do the swap, yet, and sink $600 towards this wasted spark conversion. I checked compression and we have a good strong patient of 120-150 all around, although some leaks. #1 intake runner was loose which would explain the poor running, cold start injector is no good as well as aux. air valve, otherwise OK runnning FI LJet.

I'm a certified welder, don't like to rush, and really don't like drilling extra holes. I was not about to take the fan housing off and do a hidden trigger wheel so I went with a small trigger wheel from DIY. I welded and powder coated akl of the brackets. A few things I learned this go around:

-Cheap plumbing hose wise the metal weave works well for the shielding, 😊
-Megajolt units have a USB now, so much nicer than having to crossover cables twice
-The 4" DIY saw-toothed trigger wheel will only work on the narrow end with the VR sensor, not the flat side (at least i couldn't get it to work on the flat side
-The tach out signal is way too low for the ljet ecu,I hooked into the #10 wire (or #12 works) to the coilpack and it works fine now. No need to buy the ASL tach adapter
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Last edited by Jadewombat on Sun Aug 26, 2018 1:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Steve Arndt
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Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2001 12:01 am

Re: Megajolt install on '82 Vanagon

Post by Steve Arndt »

It is a good idea to have the injectors cleaned. Balanced AFR is important the stock EFI runs these things quite lean.
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Jadewombat
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Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2002 12:01 am

Re: Megajolt install on '82 Vanagon

Post by Jadewombat »

Cool, is there a place you use? He has new fuel lines we need to change out at some point.

The adapter on the fan hub is an 1 1/8" socket (fits perfect) welded to a section of tube I cut on my lathe to length and a rectangular tab welded on so I could bolt the trigger wheel. Almost no runout. I'm not worried about it disrupting airflow to the fan, the picture doesn't do it justice but it doesn't take up much space and I drilled speedholes in the VR bracket to make sure, 😊. A couple of more pictures.
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Steve Arndt
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Re: Megajolt install on '82 Vanagon

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Jadewombat
Posts: 1447
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2002 12:01 am

Re: Megajolt install on '82 Vanagon

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