VICS operation - how to add
 

I'm currently tuning a 97 motor with a 99 head. He used to have a BEGI IM with 70mm TB, but removed it to try to pass emissions and reinstall EGR and run the stock computer with the turbo wired open, but then just registered the car in an area without emissions.

We've talked about swapping to another IM like a squaretop, but then I noticed he had installed a 99 IM, not his stock 97.

So he has the VICS butterflies, and I'd like to be able to activate them and take advantage of the system at least.

I don't have much experience with the setup, what does it all entail? Right now the actuator is just open to atmosphere, so that should mean they are allowing better top-end, but It's suffering in low/mid because of it.

What all else do I need besides the solenoid to allow operation so I can price out parts to see if it's worth it. Is that it plus a check valve or is there a vacuum chamber as well? and who wants to give me their spare parts?

thanks bros.

nothing special. vacuum line with a solenoid routed to the can on the mani
have it switch open at 5400 or 5600 with your massivesplooge wizardry

That's easy enough. I think i'll work on adding it.

But I'm assuming I'll need a check valve or sorts too since you need vacuum to keep them open, and I should be powering them below 5200 and deactived after?

I guess I could look this all up, but I want you guys to hold my hand like a noob.

Wait vac opens them? Mine are spring loaded to be open. I thought vac closed them when you energized the noid. Mine's not currently connected because I dont have the connector for the noid and I need to steal an I/O on the aem for it since I'm out of I/Os.

closes/opens; whatevers. you need vacuum to do the opposite of whatever is happening without it.

:brain:


I have a plethora of spare outputs still available. You wanna know how noob I am? I thought the 96-97 had a knock sensor, so I got the knock module all setup and then when I was trying to find where the knock sensor is on the harness, I faceplamed like a bitch.

:laugh:

Pre-99's use honey badgers instead of knock sensors.

check the back of the manifold - the check valve and vacuum lines may still be attached. If they're not still attached, you've probably got a vacuum leak.

there's a "built in vacuum reservoir" inside of the mani, which may be nothing more than just the lines / internal piping, but it is effective at storing enough vacuum behind the check valve to close the solenoid 2 or 3 times, this means boost doesn't impair function.

Other than that, you simply need the electronic solenoid and the actuator, which, again, could still possibly be attached to the manifold.

I didn't notice the solenoid, but the actuator is there for sure. I kinda remember the vacuum reservior being built in now that I think about it.

I'll do a little poking around at lunch today to see what I can find and maybe try to get this done over the weekend. I think I have a spare solenoid I could use, if not ill try to find something local, since it's just an on/off and not PWM.

Oh, I could just use the purge solenoid and only have to really just rework the vacuum lines and add a wire to the MS harness. EZPZ.

ok here's what I found:

there is this usless solenoid attached -

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366215122

It's connected to the manifold in two spots, one right by the actuator as seen in the pic, then to the nipple just behind the TB on top.

looks like it goes back to OEM wiring; unsure what that would be for on a 96-97.

Tee'd off it is a check valve:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366215122

this goes back to the pruge solenoid, then out to the canister.


there's also two solenoids that drive the EGR here that are useless:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366215122


so really, it looks like I have all I need to hook it up easily, it's just a matter of plumbing it correctly. I guess I need to look at the 99 FSM and review the plumbing and see if I cant make this happen tonight.

That noid in the first picture doesnt look like a vics noid, the vics noid is brown.

yeah, i dunno what it's for without looking at the wiring diagrams, and it's in a factory plug. I have no experience with stuff past 93, so who knows. but it's usless and I should be able to use one of the three solenoids present.

here's the 96-97 system, unsure what it is:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1366216149
Looks like it's the PRC solenoid and the "check valve" is actually the pressure regulator. I need to rework his vacuum routing regardless it seems.

no it cant be the fuel regulator, duh...i dunno, must be a three way check valve.

okay, looking at the 99 FSM.

do i have this straight:

basically, there's a port on the radiator side of the IM on runner #1, that connects to a check valve, then back to the middle of the IM to the under the top half, then another port next to that goes to the solenoid then to the actuator.

?

those 3 solenoids are:

fuel tank (evap) purge solenoid
egr vent solenoid
egr vacuum solenoid

okay I can see the line with the check valve is still attached, so I'll pull the upper tonight and hook it up to work using the PRC solenoid and win at life.

the line comes out of the center of the intake manifold, then through the check valve, and back into the intake manifold near runner 1 - the intake manifold contains an area here which is simply used as a sort of "vacuum accumulator", then you have a short line that comes out of the vacuum accumulator which goes to the solenoid, and finally the solenoid when activated, applies vacuum to the actuator, and when unactivated, applies atmospheric to the actuator

Wait, that line that goes across the runners near the fuel rail from runner 3 to 1 where the is a t nipple is for the vics? Uh oh mine isnt plumbed correctly.

thank you. the diagrams in the 99-00 FSM suck balls compoared to the 90-97 ones.

I have enough to go on to make this happen tonight.

Can someone just point out which nipple to use for the VICS activation behind the check valve, it's not apparent to me and the FSM isn't much help???


Check valve in place, going from #3 to #1:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366233919


Vacuum port A went to B (see next picture):

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366233919

Vacuum port C went to the FPR
Vacuum port C goes to A (see previous):

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366233919


Vacuum Port D went to the EGR solenoids sensor things
Vacuum Port E went to the EGR valve
Vacuum port F went to brake booster
Vacuum port G went to PCV:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366233919




Maybe I'm missing something here????

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...CS1_Page_1.jpg

whoops, looks like I got you turned around....

The flow of vacuum starts along the first runner, runs through the check valve towards the third runner, then goes into the vacuum canister, out the vacuum canister and through ***a vaccuum nipple which points straight down between the bottom of the third and fourth runners*** which runs to your solenoid, and then back across the front of the manifold to the actuator