How to Convert a Vanagon to Microsquirt

By 10degnorth
Disclaimer:
The author of this guide and its contributors cannot be held responsible for any
damages that may be caused by the improper use of this guide or its processes.

Index
I. Intro
II. Options
III. Process Explained
IV. Parts
V. Timing and Grouping
VI. Documents
VII. Tools

I. Intro
The Megasquirt system is an open source engine management system that can
be adapted to nearly any engine platform. It has been used on by many aircooled and
MK1 enthusiasts to achieve higher performance numbers. The Megasquirt ECU
capable of running a V8 engine while its smaller sibling the Microsquirt (MS) is more
suited for running 4 cylinders or less.
With a MS system you are able to develop your own custom tunes that tailor to
your preferences from more power to higher fuel economy and everything in between.
Adding a megasquirt system to an existing 2.1l WBXer allows you to ditch your
antiquated and NLA sensors and ECU in favor of a modern solution that has had
millions of hours of testing on various vehicles and is very well supported.
I designed and implemented the MS system in my van over the course of a year
at a total cost of approximately $878 ($958 if you count the fried O2 sensor) while
working on it every couple months when I had time. A motivated individual may
complete this project in a conservative estimate of two months working weekends and
evenings or two weeks working all day everyday. I was inspired to take on this project
because I was tired of replacing old sensors and my van was running very badly on the
original system. I had both systems installed simultaneously because I did not want to
give up driving my van while I worked on installing the new system, this worked fine up
until I needed to finally remove the original ECU when I also removed the rest of the old
system that wasn’t tied into the new one. This project uses some of the engine control
infrastructure that is already present such as the ECU and fuel pump relays; these could
be replaced if desired, however that won't be covered in this guide.
 From my experience, this is one of the best possible upgrades that can be done
to a stock WBXer. The general ideas of this system can be implemented on any
waterboxer engine and really any engine at all since Megasquirt is open source.

Notes: Microsquirt does not support full sequential since it only has two injector outputs
and two spark outputs, however it can support semi-sequential. If you’d like full
sequential then use a Megasquirt 2 ECU.

II. Parts
A. Microsquirt (MS) ECU.
1. Price: ~$300
2. Notes: Can be had with harness for $379 from TheDubShop
3. Link: http://thedubshop.com/microsquirt-with-long-harness/
 4.
B. 8ft universal MS harness.
1. Price: ~$79
2. Notes: All wires are labelled with their purpose and color coded.
3. Link: http://thedubshop.com/microsquirt-long-harness/
C. Innovate LC-2 wideband O2 sensor.
Price: ~$135
1. Notes: The LC-2 conveniently threads into the stock O2 bung on
the vanagon.
2. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Innovate-Motorsports-Digital-
Wideband-Controller/dp/B00FFTAJPC/ref=sr_1_1?
dchild=1&keywords=innovate+lc2&qid=1586044363&sr=8-1
D. IGN-4VW (MK4 coil pack).
1. Price: ~$30 - $65
2. Notes: Also known as the Bosch 0221603006, this is the coil pack
from a number of MK4 VW’s, mainly the 1.6l.
3. Link: http://thedubshop.com/ign-4vw-coil-pack/
4. https://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-LUPO-BEETLE-PASSAT-POLO-
IGNITION-COIL-0221603006-0221603009-12919-/
291240630798#vi-ilComp
E. Universal spark plug wires (LS2 coil connectors).
1. Price: ~$55
2. Notes: Any universal wires work, these are just the ones that I
used, they're MSD brand.
3. Link: http://thedubshop.com/universal-air-cooled-spark-plug-wires/
Oxy/Wasserboxer crank trigger and wheel.
4. Price: ~$140
5. Notes: Allows for the ECU to know the position and timing of the
engine.
6. Link: http://thedubshop.com/crank-trigger-package-wasser-oxy-
boxer/
F. Intake air temp sensor.
1. Price: ~$29
2. Notes: This package has all the parts to connect the sensor to the
wiring harness.
3. Link: http://thedubshop.com/intake-air-temp-sensor-package/
G. GM 3 bar MAP sensor.
1. Price: ~$55
2. Notes: Essentially replaces the MAF in measuring load on the
engine, buy it with the pigtail, it will make your life easier.
3. Link: http://thedubshop.com/gm-3-bar-map-sensor/
H. 4mm vacuum hose.
1. Price: ~$0.80/ft
2. Notes: Needed for routing vacuum port from intake plenum to the
MAP sensor.
3. Link: http://thedubshop.com/microsquirt-with-long-harness/
 I. Plastic or metal threaded nipple.
1. Notes: Found mine at ace hardware for something like $0.25.

2.
J. Grounding block
1. Notes: I bought a generic one from Amazon. The purpose is to
ground all the sensors for the system in one place that is then
grounded to the SENSORGND wires in the MS loom.
2. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Terminal-Distribution-
BUSBAR-Terminals/dp/B07C55B8LB/ref=sr_1_2?
dchild=1&keywords=grounding+block&qid=1586047724&sr=8-2
K. Fuse block
1. Notes: Once again, this can be generic. This will be used to
distribute 12v power from the ECU power relay next to the fuel
pump out to the rest of the new system.
L. EV1 connectors with pigtails.=
1. Notes: You’ll need 4 for the fuel injectors and 1 for the stock coolant
temp sensor.
2. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Injector-Connector-Pigtail-Wiring-
Splice/dp/B01N4OV86O/ref=sr_1_3?
dchild=1&keywords=ev1+connectors&qid=1586049932&sr=8-3
III. Tools/Materials
A. Wire cutters.
 B. Crimpers.
C. Crimp connectors.
D. Ring crimp connectors.
E. Wire splice connectors.
F. Heat gun.
G. Heat shrink tubing.
H. Plastic split loom wire sheathing.
I. Spark plug crimpers.
J. Soldering iron (optional).
K. Bulk extra wire for sensor grounds and 12v loom.
IV. Timing and Grouping

A. Batch-fire
Batchfire on a waterboxer engine works by grouping together
cylinders into 2 groups which may either fire together in a true
batch-fire configuration or individually in a semi-sequential setup.
The wires in the harness are labeled as INJ1 and INJ2 for banks 1
and 2 respectively. The Vanagon firing order is 1-4-3-2 and the
 cylinders are laid out as above. Bank 1 of injectors will generally
include cylinders 1 and 2 while bank 2 will be cylinders 3 and 4.
This arrangement simplifies wiring as INJ1 will go to the right side
of the engine bay and INJ2 will go to the left.

B. Wasted Spark
1. In a wasted spark configuration 2 cylinders receive spark at a time
only 1 of which will be in the combustion stroke hence the name
wasted spark. The IGN-4VW coil pack contains 2 coils next to each
other which are divided by the connector and silver heatsink in the
middle. Each coil drives 2 posts and therefore two cylinders. Each
post is labelled A, B, C, or D. Coil 1 controls posts A and D while
Coil 2 controls posts B and C. Like the batch-fire setup, cylinder 1
should be on coil 1 same as cylinder 1 being in bank 1. Therefore,
cylinders 1 (upper right when looking in from the rear) and 3 (upper
left) go on coil 1 while the other 3 cylinders belong on coil 2. Since
each coil controls 2 cylinders at once it is irrelevant which post is
used for either cylinder, I had the following configuration (numbers
are cylinders, letters are posts): [ 1A 3D ] [2B 4C ]
V. Process Overview
A. Decide if you need sequential injection or not (the vast majority do not
need sequential, more info here https://www.enginebasics.com/EFI
%20Tuning/Batch%20vs%20Sequential.html)
B. Order parts from the list below, most links are to TheDubShop since I
prefer to support shops who are dedicated to our community directly,
however some non VW specific parts can be purchased elsewhere from
other MS distributors. You MUST purchase the Oxy/Wasserboxer crank
trigger from TheDubShop or make your own, this is the only bolt on one
available. Some parts like the coil pack may be found on eBay and many
of the general electrical materials can be found at a hardware store.
C. Read through this whole manual.
D. Study the wiring diagram and understand what needs to go where, pay
attention to the 12v section. Do not cut any wires off the loom unless you
are sure they are not needed. I did not remove any wires from the loom
until the van was running and driving.
E. Pull the crank pulley and replace it with the one from TheDubShop that
has the missing tooth gear, it may seem difficult to do with the engine in
and it is, however, it can be done. For ease of swapping pulley you may
consider dropping your engine or installing the pulley prior to putting the
engine in.
 F. You will need to decide where in your engine bay to mount the following,
mounting these may require some fabrication of custom bracket (more info
on all this later):
1. Coil pack.
2. Fuse block.
3. Ground block
4. MAP sensor.
G. Run the whole loom from under the bench seat to the engine bay, I used
the original cutout for the stock loom and even managed to reuse the
rubber boot that seat the cutout, however I wouldn't recommend this, get a
new firewall grommet to make your life easier. I also found there was a
conveniently sized home in my firewall already that I was able to run the
other end of the loom through and into the engine bay.
H. Roughly mockup the routing of wires through the engine bay.
I. The 4mm nipple will need to be installed in your intake plenum.
J. The intake air temperature sensor (IAT) will need to be installed
somewhere before the plenum, the MAF is easily drilled into and tapped
for this purpose, however you may prefer to find another solution and sell
your MAF as a core to recoup costs.
K. The grounds from all sensors will need to be routed to a central location
and grounded on the sensor ground wire on the MS loom.
L. 12v will need to be pulled from the ECU power relay for the ECU power.
M. For the rest of the components pull power from the fuel pump relay and
distribute it across the engine bay to all components that require it.
N. Connect signal wires to components around the engine bay based on the
diagram provided in the documents section, this includes MAP, IAT,
FIDLE, INJ 1&2, SPK A&B, CLT, TPS 5V, VR1-, O2, Tacho.
O. Sheathe or protect all wiring in some way to protect it from dust, moisture
and engine heat.
P. Turn the key on to do a sensor logic test.
Q. Either load a base MAP or a generic map and test start, use the throttle to
keep it alive until it gets warmed up.
R. Start tuning or driving depending on the course of action.
VI. Process In-Depth
A. Acquire all tools, parts, and supplies as mentioned earlier.
B. Once again, it’s important for you to understand the parts of the system
and how they connect together. Below, you’ll find a description of each
component and the wiring diagram in the document section displays how
things connect,
1. MAP- The Manifold Air Pressure sensor measures the pressure
inside the intake manifold and is one of the two main components
that contribute to the Speed-Density formula for calculating required
fuel. The MAP is most often mounted near the intake plenum with a
vacuum line running from the plenum to the sensor. The MAP
should be mounted so the vacuum port is facing down, this allows
for any condensation that may form inside of the vacuum line to
drain out and down and not pool in the sensor’s port. Has its own
connector.
2. HALL- The Hall Effect Sensor measures the engine RPM and
position and is the second component in the Speed-Density
formula. The Hall sensor is made up of two parts, a gear with a
missing tooth and the sensor itself. The gear will be mounted on the
engine’s crank pulley. The sensor works by measuring where the
missing tooth is every rotation and the ECU uses that information to
calculate RPM and location. When this is first being setup you will
be required to input how many degrees before TDC the missing
tooth is in relation to the sensor (more instruction on this later).
TheDubShop makes a kit with a direct swappable crank and bolt on
the Hall sensor.
3. IAT- The Intake Air Temperature sensor measures the temperature
of the air flowing into the engine. Uses a specific connector.
4. F-IDLE- This is the wire that controls the Idle Stabilizer Valve, I
used the stock ISV rather than an aftermarket one. You may wish
to use an aftermarket one for the sake of using new parts or having
more control for closed-loop idle. The stock valve is capable of 2-
wire PWM actuation which allows for closed-loop idle. To put it
simply, the ISV is controlled via the CLT sensor and opens a set
amount depending on the coolant temperature. In the more
complicated closed-loop idle configuration the ECU aims to keep
the engine idling at a set RPM that is based on the CLT temp. To
connect the ISV you will have to reuse the stock connector as I
have not been able to find an aftermarket source for them.
5. INJ- The Injection System delivers fuel to the injectors. A four
cylinder engine will have two banks of injectors, on the waterboxer
those two banks will be left and right. Looking in from the rear of the
van the right side will be bank 1 and the left side will be bank 2.
This is because cylinder 1 should be on bank one. The injectors will
connect with EV1 connectors which can be purchased from VW
specific shops or Amazon.
6. SPK- The Ignition System works to provide spark to each cylinder
in place of the stock distributor setup. Initially I intended to reuse
the stock coil and distributor, the issue with that is that the
distributor is computer controlled by the stock ECU that is removed.
To solve this I expanded the system to use an ignition coil pack out
of a mk3/4 inline VW engine. This allows for complete control over
the spark Map (not to be confused with MAP). Has its own
connector.
7. CLT- The Coolant Temperature sensor measures the temperature
of the coolant. The reading from the CLT is used to scale the
values required for warming up the engine. The stock coolant
sensor may be used, be sure to wire in the one that is connected to
the ECU stock and not the one connected to the dash light. The
CLT sensor uses an EV1 connector.
8. O2- When running the ECU references three separate tables, the
Volumetric Efficiency (VE), Spark, and Air Fuel Ratio (AFR).
Regarding fuel delivery, the VE table is the primary table while the
AFR is secondary. The ECU uses these three tables to decide how
much fuel to give the engine. The O2 sensor is positioned in the
exhaust system before the catalytic converter. The O2 sensor
measures the AFR of the engine based on exhaust gas. Petrol
engines run the most efficiently at 14.7:1, anything higher than 14.7
is leaner (more fuel) and anything lower than 14.7 is richer (less
fuel). Values across both tables will vary from 12’s to upper 15’s.
The O2 sensor must be run to a wideband controller which is then
wired into the ECU. Mount the controller out of the weather,
 preferably under the bench seat next to the new ECU.

C. Separate from the loom all the wires you need, don’t cut anything off the
loom until the engine is running on the new system. In the documents
section of this guide there is a highlighted list of all the wires that are
required for the install. Every wire on that list except for O2 and TPS will
need to be routed through to the back.
D. Route the whole harness from under the bench seat back to the engine
bay, you can use the original hole under the bench seat for the stock
harness. To make things easier I suggest wrapping this section of harness
in sheathing or whatever method of protection you prefer prior to running
it. Once the loom is through to the engine bay it spreads out and you won't
have easy access to that section.
E. Now is an opportune time to swap the crank pulleys. You will have to
remove your old one and install one that has a missing tooth gear
attached to it. This is no small feat with the engine in the van and is much
easier with it out. I managed to swap the pulleys with the engine in the van
by fabbing up a lock that used the holes on the pulley and braced up
against the engine block. Then, I removed the heat shield that butts up
against the rear of the engine bay to make more space. From there I got a
socket on the bolt that holds the pulley on and fashioned a breaker bar as
long as possible. It took two guys a little while to finally get that bolt loose
 and off. Then you need to use a puller of some kind, I had a three prong
puller that worked pretty well.
F. (installing pulley)
G. The order of how you wire up the engine bay isn't terribly important going
forward as long as you get it all done and done correctly. Attention to
detail is important here, I myself have never been gifted with patience and
made many mistakes as I was going through my own engine bay. Finding
a system that works for you, left to right seems ideal.
H.
VII. Setting up
VIII. Documents
 You have a couple of options when wiring up the 12v side of things relating to what is
powered off which relay. The method provided by the diagram is a general safe method to do
this however there are changes that can be made that would make things more efficient. In my
system I wired everything to the power relay and only the fuel pump to the fuel pump relay. This
configuration allows the sensors to read regardless of whether the engine is running or not and
gives time for the O2 sensor to warm up prior to the engine starting. I recommend this method
personally strictly for ease of use. The main thing to keep in mind when deciding what to run off
of each relay is that the fuel pump needs to be on a different relay than the ECU power to allow
the safety shutoff to work.
The microsquirt has a safety feature that cuts ground to the fuel relay and shuts it off
when it detects, through the Hall sensor, that the engine is not running. This prevents the fuel
pump from continuing to run in the event that there is a catastrophic event in the engine bay
such as a broken fuel line.