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HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 28 Sep 2017, 10:16
by 89 Transporter
Here's a good one for you, firstly, I'm in Aus, so engines are like hens teeth here!
I bought an 89 T25 minus its 2.1 engine, more recently i bought an 84 T25 donor vehicle that has the 1.9 WBX engine, I'm looking for advice on how to connect the electrics to the main wiring harness as its is all totally different, thanks in advance

Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 28 Sep 2017, 16:09
by itchyfeet
is the 2.1 digijet or digifant?
1.9 is actually much more simple than a 2.1 but you could try using the 2.1 injecton on the 1.9
get some pics up helps us to see what you have, remember your specs may be different to ours
pics of engine bay, black box wiring, both vehicles.
we can talk you through what you need but as far as I know its quite easy , the whole 2.1 loom removes and you fit the minimal 1.9 loom conne ted in black box.
I assume the 2.1 is a late van from your username and the 1.9 is early so what are you doing about cooling system? I assume keeping the 2.1 late system so some plumbing needed too
Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 28 Sep 2017, 17:27
by Mocki
Just swap alll the 2.1 stuff over to the 1.9 and carry on?
The engines are exactly the same , everything that bolts on is with injection will become the same spec as a DH engine
Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 29 Sep 2017, 10:01
by 89 Transporter
Hi all, I dont have any 2.1 injectors etc, so will have to work with all the 1.9 stuff, here's a few photos of the Donor bus and the 89...

The 1.9 donor engine

The donor engine bay

The donor ecu

The main wiring junction box in donor

Engine modules in donor

The 89 (recipient) engine bay

Th 89 main wiring junction box

Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 29 Sep 2017, 10:30
by 89 Transporter
itchyfeet wrote:is the 2.1 digijet or digifant?
1.9 is actually much more simple than a 2.1 but you could try using the 2.1 injecton on the 1.9
get some pics up helps us to see what you have, remember your specs may be different to ours
pics of engine bay, black box wiring, both vehicles.
we can talk you through what you need but as far as I know its quite easy , the whole 2.1 loom removes and you fit the minimal 1.9 loom conne ted in black box.
I assume the 2.1 is a late van from your username and the 1.9 is early so what are you doing about cooling system? I assume keeping the 2.1 late system so some plumbing needed too
Thanks for the advice Itchyfeet, I dont have any of the 2.1 components so will have to work with all the 1.9 motor stuff, I've uploaded some pics

Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 29 Sep 2017, 10:32
by 89 Transporter
Mocki wrote:Just swap alll the 2.1 stuff over to the 1.9 and carry on?
The engines are exactly the same , everything that bolts on is with injection will become the same spec as a DH engine
Thanks Mocki but like I said to Itchyfeet, dont have any of the 2.1 stuff , injectors etc, so have to use all the donor parts

Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 29 Sep 2017, 10:56
by itchyfeet
That 1.9 donor is an injection engine, we don't get those in uk
I'm wondering if its digifant as I don't recognise the ECU, can you take a pic of the 1.9 distributor?
strip the engine wiring loom for the 1.9 injection system out of the van and get some photos.
do the same for the 2.1 loom.
the engine wiring loom unplugs from the main loom
once its out it will become clearer what to do.
how is Sunny Perth these days?
Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 29 Sep 2017, 11:28
by 89 Transporter
itchyfeet wrote:That 1.9 donor is an injection engine, we don't get those in uk
I'm wondering if its digifant as I don't recognise the ECU, can you take a pic of the 1.9 distributor?
strip the engine wiring loom for the 1.9 injection system out of the van and get some photos.
do the same for the 2.1 loom.
the engine wiring loom unplugs from the main loom
once its out it will become clearer what to do.
how is Sunny Perth these days?
Hi Itchyfeet
I think I will do that, do you think I will need additional wiring to/from the fusebox etc? Or should I be able to connect it all at the main junction box in the engine bay?
Perth has been wet n windy for a while, just into spring now but still a bit cold, not complaining though!!
Heres a photo of the Dizzy

Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 29 Sep 2017, 14:02
by itchyfeet
looks like a standard digijet dizzy on the 1.9
should be pretty mucy plug and play, I'm wondering if the old 2.1 was a digifant becuse if they are both digijet then the difference in looms may be early to late, do you have a pic of the old engine/distributor?
did you remove the old engine yourself?
there is not much connecting to the engine loom from the main loom so once we have established what you have then we can advise what to connect.
Is there still no 'mot' in WA?
Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 30 Sep 2017, 00:22
by 89 Transporter
itchyfeet wrote:looks like a standard digijet dizzy on the 1.9
should be pretty mucy plug and play, I'm wondering if the old 2.1 was a digifant becuse if they are both digijet then the difference in looms may be early to late, do you have a pic of the old engine/distributor?
did you remove the old engine yourself?
there is not much connecting to the engine loom from the main loom so once we have established what you have then we can advise what to connect.
Is there still no 'mot' in WA?
Hi Itchyfeet, I didnt get the 2.1 engine with the 89 T25, It does have its wiring and ECU though , so took a pic, its a Digifant.
Yep still no "MOT" here as long as you keep your car rego (TAX ) up to date, so mine will need an inspection when its up and running, dont need to worry about welding though as its totally solid!

Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 30 Sep 2017, 09:57
by itchyfeet
Right so thats why its all so different.
Still like to see pics of the Digijet loom for the 1.9, as said we don't get them here so I'm interested to see if its the same as a 2.1 Digijet which we do have.
Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 30 Sep 2017, 10:04
by itchyfeet
do you have the afm and idle speed valve, not on your picture.
seen here on my 2.1 digijet
DJ Engine bay2 by
Paul_Barr, on Flickr
Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 30 Sep 2017, 12:28
by itchyfeet
In the interests of teaching myself a thing or two I have been through my spare 2.1 Digijet loom, identified all the plugs and labelled the pics.
Please compare yours with this carefully there could well be differences.
P1080567a by
Paul_Barr, on Flickr
P1080588a by
Paul_Barr, on Flickr
P1080590a by
Paul_Barr, on Flickr
Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 30 Sep 2017, 15:25
by 89 Transporter
itchyfeet wrote:do you have the afm and idle speed valve, not on your picture.
seen here on my 2.1 digijet
DJ Engine bay2 by
Paul_Barr, on Flickr
Hi Itchyfeet, thanks for the photos,I dont have anything from the 2.1 engine at all apart from the ecu, I have removed the 1.9 wiring and will compare with your photos, there seems to be a lot more wiring on the 2.1!, will upload some pics tomorrow

Re: HELP!! Fitting a 1.9 WBX in place of a 2.1WBX !!!!!!!!
Posted: 30 Sep 2017, 16:02
by itchyfeet
No you don't understand, the 2.1 your van had was probably an MV with Digifant, I'm not talking about that.
The 1.9 you have has Digijet so should be very similar to my engine pic, ignore the difference in engine capacity between your donor and my engine its the Digijet engine management system you are intetested in.
You will need the AFM and idle control valve or you are not going to get it going.
E D I T just seen the AFM/ air filter on the side of the pic of the doner, its a square air filter rather than round because its an early design.
The donor engine bay
