16v - Single plug to 3 plug

14th February 2011, 00:04

Hi guys,

I've got a single plug vts engine but I've got a 3 plug vtr. What's needed to convert the engine to a 3 plug?

- 3 plug loom
- 3 plug unlocked ecu
- Are the engine sensors the same or will I need 3 plug sensors?

Anything else needed?

Also, if I was to fit the engine as a single plug would I need to convert the whole shell to a single plug? Including interior loom, etc?

Thanks in advance!

14th February 2011, 06:19

The easiest way would be to get s single plug interior and engine loom and swap yours over although that would mean you would have to use analogue dials.

I know the plug for the injector loom is different and the coolant temp sensor is different.

Also coilpack is different too

14th February 2011, 07:10

id suggest it to be much easier to get a 3 plug engine loom personally lol
theres about 3 sensors the same on the engine. injectors are the same, but will need injector loom and most sensors. ecu.

14th February 2011, 07:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saxovch22

The easiest way would be to get s single plug interior and engine loom and swap yours over although that would mean you would have to use analogue dials.

this would be much MUCH harder!
to put a 3 plug loom on a single plug engine and have it all factory original you'll need to change the small injector loom, the coilpack, the alternator, throttle position sensor, coolant temp sensor, front oil sensor, and get a second lambda with wiring.

14th February 2011, 11:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saxovch22

The easiest way would be to get s single plug interior and engine loom and swap yours over although that would mean you would have to use analogue dials.

I know the plug for the injector loom is different and the coolant temp sensor is different.

Also coilpack is different too

That would mean stripping EVERYTHING to fit a single plug interior loom, that would be a massive pain lol.

Thanks for the input mate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olly

id suggest it to be much easier to get a 3 plug engine loom personally lol
theres about 3 sensors the same on the engine. injectors are the same, but will need injector loom and most sensors. ecu.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking lol thanks for the info mate, just looking for a 3 plug loom and unlocked ecu at the moment!

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeM

this would be much MUCH harder!
to put a 3 plug loom on a single plug engine and have it all factory original you'll need to change the small injector loom, the coilpack, the alternator, throttle position sensor, coolant temp sensor, front oil sensor, and get a second lambda with wiring.

I agree! Thanks for that mate. Do I really need a new alternator though?

and does the second lambda go under the car? I'm looking to get a decat anyway so might just blank the second lambda out, shouldn't affect anything should it?

15th February 2011, 00:44

Can anybody else confirm what's needed?

15th February 2011, 01:03

I've told u everything mate. Even if you're runnin a decat you need the lambda plugged in or you'll get an error code

15th February 2011, 02:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeM

I've told u everything mate. Even if you're runnin a decat you need the lambda plugged in or you'll get an error code

Agree.......

15th February 2011, 13:58

Doing the same ATM

you need

Loom
Unlocked ecu
Coil pack
Injector Loom
Alternator
Oil level sensor
Green and Blue temperature sensors

Not sure on the inlet manifold & throtle body sensors as I bought a complete 3 plug inlet

Also get a new crank sensor, only because a lot of people have issues with not starting after an engine conversion

16th February 2011, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeM

I've told u everything mate. Even if you're runnin a decat you need the lambda plugged in or you'll get an error code

Ok mate, cheers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon

Doing the same ATM

you need

Loom
Unlocked ecu
Coil pack
Injector Loom
Alternator
Oil level sensor
Green and Blue temperature sensors

Not sure on the inlet manifold & throtle body sensors as I bought a complete 3 plug inlet

Also get a new crank sensor, only because a lot of people have issues with not starting after an engine conversion

Simon, thanks for that mate. Really appreciate it

I'll start searching for those bits!

16th February 2011, 20:16

or you could search for crossover loom and convert your 3 plug car to single plug, this will also leave you with the option of running a preadtor stand alone ecu plug and play if wanted in the future

..... for the price of vts loom and sensors etc and all the fook on, you could source the crossover loom and run it all pretty much plug and play

16th February 2011, 20:37

inlet and tb sensors are the same iirc

16th February 2011, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackie_2k5

or you could search for crossover loom and convert your 3 plug car to single plug, this will also leave you with the option of running a preadtor stand alone ecu plug and play if wanted in the future

..... for the price of vts loom and sensors etc and all the fook on, you could source the crossover loom and run it all pretty much plug and play

Mate, that would be so much better as definitely planning on standalone ecu later on! Would the crossover loom plug straight on to my 3 plug interior loom though? And which one would be the crossover loom, how can I tell? Really appreciate your help mate

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeM

inlet and tb sensors are the same iirc

Will look in to it, thanks again

16th February 2011, 22:31

crossover looms were found on 2000 model and there abouts cars, member TIPSY on here had one not long back, they plug straight into 3 plug interior loom, youll know youve got one if its ecu side is single plug and interior side is the round type which looks the same as the one on your car

16th February 2011, 22:36

might have a cross over single plug loom, its the bigger round multi connectore i believe??
will have a look, if it hasnt been chopped to cater for my rewire lol.

16th February 2011, 22:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackie_2k5

crossover looms were found on 2000 model and there abouts cars, member TIPSY on here had one not long back, they plug straight into 3 plug interior loom, youll know youve got one if its ecu side is single plug and interior side is the round type which looks the same as the one on your car

Sounds good. I now need a crossover loom! lol. Only problem is, I don't know what my 3 plug interior loom connection looks like so I wouldn't know what a crossover single plug loom looks like.

Quote:

Originally Posted by adzvtr

might have a cross over single plug loom, its the bigger round multi connectore i believe??
will have a look, if it hasnt been chopped to cater for my rewire lol.

I don't know mate but if you do have one, please sell me it! lol.

16th February 2011, 23:07

pm tipsy see if he still has one, if not adz may have his, if not im sure youll find one if you look, try wanted section

16th February 2011, 23:09

Legend, thanks for your help mate. I'll PM TIPSY and adz can you let me know if you find yours?

16th February 2011, 23:12

crossover loom still wont be plug and play. dials and rear lights wont work.

16th February 2011, 23:17

Would they definitely not work? What would I need to make them work?

16th February 2011, 23:22

i put a crossover engine in my 3 plug vtr, nothing worked properly. and a single plug loom whether its crossover or not doesnt have the fan connectors on so youd have to get a seperate fan and rad loom and put a temp sensor in your radiator.
for a full factory fit get a 3 plug loom

16th February 2011, 23:24

also, yours is an x reg. you sure its a 3 plug?

16th February 2011, 23:45

if your car has the big round plug, found near the right hand side of the radiator, then yes the cross over loom will work fine.
if your car has the small round plug then the original single plug will be ok.

16th February 2011, 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by adzvtr

if your car has the big round plug, found near the right hand side of the radiator, then yes the cross over loom will work fine.

it really wont. i put a crossover engine in a 3 plug vtr. the multiplug itself plugs in but half the wires dont match up

17th February 2011, 00:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeM

also, yours is an x reg. you sure its a 3 plug?

Well, here's mine engine bay mate..

That's a pain if the crossover doesn't work

17th February 2011, 01:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeM

it really wont. i put a crossover engine in a 3 plug vtr. the multiplug itself plugs in but half the wires dont match up

just done it m8, and the only thing we had to modify was the wiring to the fan, thats it, everything else works fine. rear lights dash the lot.
one other thing you can try is put a set of vts clocks in.
we havent done this yet, but will be as want the oil temp guage working.

17th February 2011, 01:25

Is that definitely the case mate? As I don't really fancy buying a crossover loom, single plug unlocked ecu, etc and find out it doesn't work?

What did you have to do to get the fan working? I'll be getting VTS clocks too.

17th February 2011, 07:47

random, but it definately didnt work on mine. half the wires on the multiplug didnt match the pins on the plug on the car. i ended up changing to a 3 plug. seems theres even more to it

17th February 2011, 07:59

I don't know what's best to do now? lol I would definitely prefer single plug as it's so much easier to find a unlocked ecu/get one unlocked, easier to remap and I'd love a pred standalone later on but not sure the crossover idea will work now?

17th February 2011, 08:48

Give it a try, 50/50 chance! Just get a loom, see if it matches up and if it doesn't sell it on.

17th February 2011, 10:17

I think I'll stick with the 3 plug, makes life easier.

17th February 2011, 16:37

i think on the cross over its a gamble. could work, may not.
so many different combinations.
for an easylive just go with the 3 plug.
we used a mk1 vts rad with the sensor in it, and took the fan signal from the bottom blue cable. that was all that was needed.

17th February 2011, 16:43

i would find a rallye enthusiast and get him to rewire it! lol as they have to rewire their plugs IIRC i recently got a large three plug loom redone into my single plug for not alot really like £60 which is much cheaper than the cost of replacing all those bits!

18th February 2011, 13:03

I decided I'll just stick with the 3 plug loom and ecu for now! Do I need a fuel return for the VTS conversion or should I already have one?

18th February 2011, 17:13

youll want a return plumbed in, as the vts rail houses the return. vtr doesnt.

18th February 2011, 17:16

Ah ok, thanks for that mate. Could I get a return from any vts?

18th February 2011, 18:06

hmmmmm, never heard of your probs lee, everyone ive spoke to only have issues with the fan..... im gonna remove everything from a p reg vts and put it in my 03 vtr on a crossover loom.... so couldnt really get any further apart in terms of the age of the cars, willl report back and update as i find out

18th February 2011, 19:10

ye m8 any vts return will do it, you wanna use all the vts fuel pipes from tank to fuel rail.

18th February 2011, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackie_2k5

hmmmmm, never heard of your probs lee, everyone ive spoke to only have issues with the fan..... im gonna remove everything from a p reg vts and put it in my 03 vtr on a crossover loom.... so couldnt really get any further apart in terms of the age of the cars, willl report back and update as i find out

That would be good mate, let us know how you get one

Quote:

Originally Posted by adzvtr

ye m8 any vts return will do it, you wanna use all the vts fuel pipes from tank to fuel rail.

Ok mate, thanks for that