MartinS

Any clue in the fact the crank pos sensor spikes to 14,000 RPM? What explains that? Presumably, that's when the event happens which causes the engine failure. What stumps me is why the engine keeps spinning freely (including attempts to re-start) until it jams much later. What has caused an apparent crank jam and what is the common event which could cause all of this? I'm not sure whether to start pulling things apart (and if so where to start) or buy another used engine...

I would say yes but the engine is locked in both directions. Anything where the valve is dropped or the timing is off or timing chain broken, I would expect the engine still to be able to turn backwards. i.e. the engine is jammed against the valve but you should be able to turn backwards a little and pull the piston away from the valve. Ok, I noticed this morning there is a significant oil leak somewhere around the RH intake valve sensor or could be the actuator. There's oil on the top of the RH head where the injectors are but I can't tell if it's from the actuator at the front of the engine or the sensor at the back. The whole deck is damp with oil which is dripping down at the front of the engine. Although it could be the RH exh pos sensor but I think it's from above that. Strikes me not a coincidence. Not sure I'm on the same page but the RH cam actuator is actually new. Could a failed pos sensor cause the engine to fail? I'm not sure why the engine is jammed. Almost like it's a separate problem but it's just too coincidental. Might have to pull the trans and see if something's jammed in the flywheel. I just can't think this is two separate issues but I can't think of one issue which will cause these problems... To clarify, I'm calling the front of the engine the front as it would be in a Tribeca ie where the timing chain cover is. The engine is reversed of course because it's in a Vanagon so the RH of the engine is actually on the driver's side of the van. I'm orienting the issues so the LH engine is pass side van and RH engine is driver's side. This is how the ECU is oriented in terms of timing. Another thing I don't understand: I just put about 4-5,000 km on the van with no VVT. Intake and exhaust actuators at baseline. If the RH cam actuator failed, the cam would return to baseline where the engine should run just fine. I'm not understanding something here...

Took timing cover off, timing chains all in good condition, tensioners in place and working, valve timing marks all pointing in same direction suggesting there's nothing wrong with the timing. Can't turn the engine to go to #1 at TDC but 95% sure the timing is ok. Which leaves me with the question: why did the engine turn over freely then jam when I cranked it last night when the engine was cool then jam suddenly? Oil at lower end of marks but enough, VVT was working just before failure so there was oil pressure. Cannot turn engine with a socket on the crank bolt (either direction which suggests not piston against valve). At a loss, will keep investigating tomorrow.

Sorry, thought I'd clicked on 'anyone with link' but it still said 'restricted' This should work: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S03bEa8IqB5e0Zy4Qet-zJrnul35z7BZ/view?usp=sharing

ok, just went out to see if engine would re-start cool. Cranked with starter, crankshaft turned maybe a turn or two, clunk, stopped turning. I've heard this before when a friends interference engine snapped a timing belt. I replaced the chain tensioners and inspected everything but, unless someone has a better explanation, working diagnosis is slipped or broken timing chain. Or maybe an individual valve problem. Is that consistent with the log file? I'll have a closer look tomorrow or the next day and see if I can confirm. Whatever it is, I was thinking it was electrical until it locked up this evening. Strange presentation given it spun freely on the over-run after it quit and I actually tried to re-start it (seemed to spin freely on starter motor), then used the starter motor in first gear to roll a little further of the highway. Meant to say: replaced the chain tensioners and inspected everything about 4,000 km ago

Sorry to have to post again so soon, was test driving to day collecting a log file to fine tune AFR with new VVT cam angle table and engine suddenly failed. I was travelling in 4th gear at approx 2600 RPM and went to downshift to 3rd to collect date at higher RPM. The engine stalled when clutch pedal depressed but restarted immediately on letting clutch out. At this time, the Trig1 error counter reports 1 error. The engine continued to run well subjectively. The engine runs for around another minute at about 3600 RPM at which point the recorded RPM jumps to 14,000 RPM (engine did not surge, just died, no identifiable engine sounds or surging etc), Trig1 error counter jumps to 4, LH inlet pos error counter jumps to 4, and RH inlet trigger counter records 1 error at which point the engine is not running (but no apparent mechanical issue, just the sound of an engine on overrun with no combustion occurring). The only other thing I can see unusual on the log is that about 30 sec prior to the engine failure (about 30 sec after the stall between 4th and 3rd downshift), the LH cam position sensor starts showing the LH cam running about 10 deg less advance than the RH until failure (they are essentially the same previous to this). Here is the Log file. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S03bEa8IqB5e0Zy4Qet-zJrnul35z7BZ/view?usp=sharing Any insight greatly appreciated. Sorry, should read downshifted to collect data at higher RPM

You know, that happens to me...and I do tend to engine brake until late. Wasn't stalling much at all until we got some 37 degree temps last 3-4 days and it's been happening more often. I will get the speed sensor working (will need it when I upgrade to get cruise control and Exhaust VVT going) and try that as a lockout. Although mine much more gradual so far, it looks very similar to your VVT settings table for the WRX so I think I'm on the right track. I'm up to a max of about 35 deg from about 2500 to 3500, looks like I can be a little bit more aggressive (the 3.6 has up to 50 deg intake advance) and will spread the range a little. Is making a HUGE difference to drivability. Much more than I thought it would. Thanks for all your help Adam, despite all my discouraging initial trigger issues, this is turning out better than I'd hoped!

Cam angle test done, with new numbers, both cam angle sensors able to 'sync' with cams at 0 degrees with blank target table, played with cam angle target table, cam angle positions in runtime values say the cam angles matched table, seemed to be working!! Entered in a conservative tune on the cam angle target table (ramped up cam angle to a peak of 30% advance at WOT between 2500 and 3500 ROM tapering up from 1200 RPM and MAP of 10, ramping down above 3500 RPM). Cam angle sensor says it's working, drove the van...HOLY CRAP, there's a lot of torque I'd left on the table which I'd only been able to access above 4000 RPM without intake VVT! So worthwhile doing this. Next question: do you or anyone else have an example of near stock VVT tuning for an EZ36 engine or know where I can find one? A photo of a table would be fine. I understand the principal and that intake timing advance is for lower-mid RPM but I won't be able to get the vehicle to a tuner with a dyno and LINK experience for some time and would like to have a conservative tune in place. It's a heavy vehicle and just the little bit more torque I've found has made a huge difference to drivability. Final question: I haven't looked at the speed sensor yet but am I correct in thinking the G4 cannot act as a cruise control anyway so there's no rush for me to fix it as that is the reason I wanted a speed sensor?

Hmmm, mine is set exactly the same except I turned Dig 1 on (now off) and my trig 2 offset is 190.0 ATDC. I've tried to find this info online with no luck so I'm going to assume you're correct (which has always gone well for me!) and re-set mine to 130. Does it make sense my engine would have been running fine with the LH Inlet cam offset at 190 deg? Also, most of my filtering is set at level 2 or 3 which I think I turned up months ago when I was having trigger issues. Have turned them all back down to Level 1. Being 190 instead of 130 would explain the 'synch error' I assume... Will run cam angle test...

Ok, trouble shooting on VVT input done (haven't tackled the speed input yet). Now have a signal on RH intake as well as RH/LH exh cam pos sensors (although I won't be able to run the exhaust VVT as I don't have enough outputs with the e-throttle module taking up one too many. I didn't realize I also have to turn on Dig1 as LH intake sensor even though it's also trig 2. The strange thing now is: on the runtime tables, I have a signal from Dig inputs 1 and 2 and they say they are LH and RH intake cam sensors respectively (which is right). At idle (700rpm), with the lockout set at 500 RPM, the LH intake says there is a 'sync error' and it counts approximately one error per second on the counter. The RH intake sensor has no errors until the RPM gets above about 1000RPM then error counts accumulate quickly. During all this, if I look at the trigger page, there are no trigger 2 errors at all (which is the LH intake cam sensor) and the engine runs well. Can't say I understand why LH intake sensor would be working fine as Trigger 2 but accumulating errors as LH Int pos sensor. Not sure what to do about this...

Ah, thanks Adam, I didn't know this about the sensors. Will do testing...

I tried both with pull-ups on and off, made no difference...

I may have solved the speed sensor issue. On reading online posts it looks like this unit is the same as the Buslab unit (maybe that's where I got it actually) which can be hooked up as 5V for Subaru ECU's but also 12V for others. I have it hooked up as 5V, will try switching to 12V power supply. Hopefully that will give a stronger signal.

Hi, continuing to progress with my Subaru EZ36 tune. Having a 2 similar problems which are stumping me with digital inputs. I've wired DI2 to be RH Intake VVT pos sensor and DI5 to be ground speed sensor. Everything looks fine and the wiring is correct for both. The runtime and all other indicators say those two inputs are 'off' at all times and I'm not sure why. The VVT sensor is wired the same as the LH intake (which goes to 'trigger sensor 2') but works fine. Could this be a bad sensor? Strangely, one day the ground speed sensor started working but was jumping around randomly so, following 'help' file info, I switched it to 'falling edge': no signal, switched back, no signal. The speed sensor is a 5V supplied by Subarugears which reads off the 5 lobe axle output shaft on the trans. Has power (light on) and is grounded. I've snugged it up to the axle shaft so there's almost no air gap... Am I missing something simple or should I go through everything again? Sorry, should read: LH intake pos works fine.

OK, used new electronic board but soldered to my original tach mechanical components. Now works perfectly. Don't know what's wrong with the 'restored' mechanical components of the new gauge but acts like perhaps it's magnetized. Original acts as it should, now have a working tach! Easy to adjust to be pretty accurate with the multiplier setting. Thanks again!

Thanks Adam, just got to that today and have a working tach...not very well but it's definitely the tachometer, signal is great, tach response is a strange and sticks in place like it's magnetize. I'll figure it out.

Darn! I have it assigned to an ignition aux! That would explain it. I missed that it mattered. Thanks Adam, I will re-wire and let you know...

Hi, VW Vanagon with Link G4 Xtreme running Subaru EZ36. I can't get my tach needle to budge. Have checked all the wiring and I'm getting all the correct voltages at the tach and the signal from the G4 is wired in correctly (I get a signal at the tach with the engine running). The tach is a VW unit modified by a Subaru-Vanagon conversion company to work with a Subaru ECU in the Vanagon. I would say maybe it's faulty except I modified my tach following online instructions to have it read a Subaru ECU and it didn't work so I assumed I screwed it up. Is there a problem driving a tach modified to accept a Subaru ECU tach signal with a G4 (I assumed the Subaru signal would be the same but...) or am I just really unlucky and have 2 dud tachs?

Does the ECU measure from the zero point or does it measure the total swing of voltage in the trigger signal? Just out of interest to understand it better. Of interest, and a little too late for me, my friend with the oscilloscope has a friend who's a retired Subaru tech. He called him to see if he had a timing wheel I could have in his pile of accumulated parts (didn't). When my friend told him the problem he said something to the effect: "oh yes, the wrecker's yards around here damage timing wheels all the time. They are still throwing engines around like it's 1960...". Oh well, lesson learned. Yes, there are positives. I think restoring the engine harness ultimately will serve me very well as will the star point ground setup. Also made me make sure all my wiring was correct, replaced some questionable plugs, and made sure all my sensors and actuators were in good condition. Tidied up a lot of the routing of the wiring in the engine bay and checked a bunch of the systems...sooooo painful though! Still, while it's 9 mos later than I'd hoped, that engine purrs. Very exciting that I'll be able to move forward with the project now. Can't thank you enough Adam. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I move into the tuning part of the process.

Back together, PROBLEM SOLVED!!! First 'scope is cranking, overcorrected a little on the tooth before the flat, teeth after the flat pretty good: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RFacToRtrQYvwfWi_C6PackMtupQHNlN/view?usp=sharing About 2400 rpm, tooth at beginning of flat (which didn't look like an issue before) not increasing in voltage much but faulty ones look good: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i46Dj4rmUqwSTuwemPbDM_0AVVo1sUTf/view?usp=sharing This is about 3500 rpm, same deal with tooth at flat but no trigger errors, no misfire: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m1PoVHsTuFIjTxXAdju1sUyhdajFBP0g/view?usp=sharing Had the engine up to 5500 rpm (which, realistically, it will rarely ever achieve in day to day use) and no trigger errors. Ran a bit rough but I think because of lack of tuning, not trigger. I'm actually in shock. After 9 months of chasing electrical gremlins, I can't believe it was this. Do you think that tooth at the beginning of the flat will ultimately cause problems? I'm thinking maybe I'll order the new trigger wheel and put it on in the future. Anyway, thank you so much for your help on this Adam. You figured it out despite me!

Ok, trans off, trigger plate/wheel off. Looking at it, looks fine. I definitely did inspect it initially; all coming back to me now I'm in there. Looking more closely though at the two teeth you identify, they are definitely not ok. Subtle but definitely slightly out of line. First pic, the teeth are in a straight line instead of on a curve. https://drive.google.com/file/d/15ErdoFo8FGWkAyHm0oXhqqCmbwLnu1MR/view?usp=sharing This one's a little more obvious but still subtle: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JB0iY2wWCrSjMRNAMFxwvtQU5n6DGi8u/view?usp=sharing There are none of these in NA and Subaru won't commit to a delivery time. Scrap yards don't want to take one off the engines they're trying to sell. So, I've bent it as straight as I can get it and will get it back together and run it tomorrow. https://drive.google.com/file/d/18BYLcgyB6Q1-7GakWHgdkaVunOjk5DyZ/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JdhFwpCKx_x6ZY81nxECQ6wESPHUDCVt/view?usp=sharing Since the teeth which are slightly damaged are the ones you identify, I'm actually optimistic this is the problem and the fix. Just hoping I've been able to straighten them enough. Will let you know tomorrow or next day. Fingers crossed...

Ok, it's good news/bad news. The bad news: I can't really inspect the crank sensor wheel with the transmission in place. I have a small bore scope and tried today; there's just not a space big enough to get the scope in and look. I can see it when I remove the crank positions sensor but really only one tooth at a time making inspection impractical and nearly impossible. The good news is twofold: it's not a horrible job to remove the transmission, and the sensor plate is not part of the new flywheel. It is a pressed metal plate which sits over the end of the crank with the rim bent over 90 degrees and ridges pressed into it for the sensor to read. I honestly did not inspect it closely when installing the new flywheel so my bad. It most definitely could have been damaged by the wreckers yard when they removed the engine from the vehicle, separated it from the transmission, and moved it around in preparation to ship. I'll order a new plate on Monday morning. Hopefully will have it by the end of the week and will install and test. I'll let you know if there's anything obviously wrong when I take the old one out. Fingers crossed!!

Ok, this is a different line of enquiry altogether. I'll have to wait until Saturday to have a look. Anything you can think of I could do to test the structure or magnetism if there's nothing visual?

You know, I also wondered about that but it's a brand new flywheel which has the trigger as part of the casting so I rejected it as a possibility a while ago...before nothing else has helped. Easy to inspect as there is a cover play on the bottom of the bell housing. Will look on Saturday. I guess even if the tracing is asymmetrical, if those waves could be brought up to the same level as the rest, there wouldn't be any trigger errors? Sorry, cover plate on the bottom not play

Ok, back up and running. Have a series of 'scope pics and a run log. This is all with new star ground setup, rebuilt engine harness, RH cam position sensor switched to LH cam. First, engine unplugged at engine harness. Cranking: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_vS65YGb-xJLy4_X_Zja7TRynZJBsLvL/view?usp=sharing Engine plugged in to ecu harness, ecu fuel injectors programmed off (ecu and everything else on): https://drive.google.com/file/d/15ukH276R-if6W9lJFljYzD8QK1PO1l2A/view?usp=sharing Idle: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r_V3FNw01fJm8ISBFaLRPox63yRiqhSC/view?usp=sharing Running smoothly at approx 2000 rpm: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12I-oaZy40L35MdMMamE1Mws8V1So6CX7/view?usp=sharing Missing at approx 3000 rpm (is smoother than before harness rebuild but still missing, not sure what that means): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tcIT8UqYnLunJZI_QDk-Y1B9aac5lxBY/view?usp=sharing Logging file from engine start to approx 3000 rpm: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EaAPzyINt1kaeRg_7DuVJOeAC5FPRUie/view?usp=sharing