Hi All, just mulling through a few questions in my head and could really do with a hand to answer one of them. I'm planning on using my Ford Focus Mk2 as a donor, engine/gearbox/cluster etc but don't like the steering wheel/column/swithches etc!! Would it be possible to use one from a VW Up and get it to talk to the electrical system? I'm planning on a custom loom so does anyone see any potential problems? Thanks in advance all...
Depends on weather you are using the Ford ECU as the PAT's wiring and sensor needs to be connected?
Excuse my ignorance, what are PAT wiring and sensors? As the car will be mid engined, sports orientated, do you think the Ford ecu would be best or get a better programmerable one?.. Thanks for the reply...
PATS = Passive Anti Theft (immobiliser)
The question of is the Ford ECU best is difficult to answer.
Pros-
Cheap if with donor
No roaling road set up required
Loom should be with donor car
good engine characteristics, smooth easy to start ect
built in immobiliser!
Cons
limited tuning potential
no flexability for future parts upgrade (ITBs, turbo ect)
Im sure others could add to the lists
The only reason I mentioned it was that I retained the original ECU and the PATS (Passive Anti Theft System) which was one of the benefits of
retaining the Ford ECU. If you use one of the later ECU's they can be tuned for more power. Mine was tuned by a PumaSpeed memory upgrade. There
are advantages of the Ford ECU in that you can use the original engine wiring loom and sensors including the throttle body. If you go down the
aftermarket ECU and Throttle Body route then it will be at a cost and I doubt very much better performance unless you tune the engine. I did the best
of both worlds getting 155bhp from a Ford Sigma 1.7L enigine doing a fast road cam and porting. I get 50Mpg on a run (not on the track tho).
Recent trip to Anglesay race track:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qg6p8yzjppdqlrg/AAB8MaInXUZ1-0uJDquz0V4Ta?dl=0
My point is you don't have to spend a fortune to get good performance.
I think (though am often wrong) that the UP has electric power steering . Thats built into the column so you might be adding a whole load of (unnecessary) complecity into the job using it.
Ahh, ok, got you... I'll have to look a bit more in to the UP setup but if it's just the column on to a normal non powered steering rack then shouldn't be a problem, hopefully! Would wiring the stalks cause any problems do you think? Still pondering on the ecu situation as not yet fully understanding what I want from the car but thank you for the answers... Do I need a pat's system or could I find a different way of immobiliser?
VW UP! does have an electric power steering column and as Addi says it may be more trouble than it is worth.
I can't find a wiring diagram either on Audodata online or my copy of Elsawin (VW OE technical data) but it is likely that the column switches
are multiplexed and communicate with the body control unit (which does all the actual switching) via CAN BUS.
Not saying it can't be done but may be easier to stick with something more proven in a kit car.
[Edited on 3/9/15 by DW100]
quote:
Originally posted by villagehoppa
..............Do I need a pat's system or could I find a different way of immobiliser?
quote:
Originally posted by villagehoppa
Ahh, ok, got you... I'll have to look a bit more in to the UP setup but if it's just the column on to a normal non powered steering rack then shouldn't be a problem, hopefully! Would wiring the stalks cause any problems do you think? Still pondering on the ecu situation as not yet fully understanding what I want from the car but thank you for the answers... Do I need a pat's system or could I find a different way of immobiliser?
Short answer .......YES will it be a simple swap? Well not hard anyway....but since you are asking .....i suspect its not going to easy for you as i am betting your knollege of electrics is basic and your going to need a bit more than basic knowledge to convert the switches