SubOperator

paintpollz - depending on what TRS says, we might be able to get you retroactively in on this....PM me or "k3nj11" on sf.org

 

I've just been given the "ok" to pass along the groupbuy info for TRS. Guys over at SubaruForester.org are organizing it, with a 25% discount. The code works on a "complete kit" only, so it will work for the retro-quik system (or any other complete kit). If anyone is interested in ORDERING WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO pm me and/or get in contact with the guy organizing it (k3nj11) to get the code.

 

Link to their thread is below. The link is to the first page, but the group buy talk starts around page 8 or 10. The "finalized" talk starts around page 15-17.

 

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f85/morimoto-mini-h1-bi-zenon-projector-install-96594/

hmm, the thread at sf.org was closed. Now I wonder how close to 25 participants there were - TRS said they won't ship until they have 25 orders with gb reference.

It's probably a maximum current that you can draw from the BIU for the internal light and if you exceed it then it will melt down. A lot of electronics is also sensitive to static electricity so synthetic clothing can also be a culprit - especially in the winter when the humidity is low.

BIU transistors that handle dimming lights are rated at 30W.

I attempted this mod. Got too ahead of myself and put the diodes in backwards. There is no longer dimming of the dome light so I put everything back to "stock." I bought a used BIU at a local junk yard for $50 and now my dome light dims again. But when I try to start the car, it does not start. Key goes forward in the ignition, but no clicking or anything. Do I have to have Subaru "program" the new BIU to my ignition or is this one I got crap? I am using the original BIU now cause my car starts but no dome light dim.

I fixed my BIU, in my case the problem was different but I think the cause is the same - fried 3377 MOSFET transistor in BIU. Here's link to my post (rather long), hope this helps:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/diy-05-bl-bp-stereo-heat-switches-mirror-switch-illumination-177954.html

Do you have any protective film on the headlights ? And did you have to focus the TRS lenses at all or does assembling the TRS projector in the order shown take care of that ?

My low beams are severely out of focus, I am thinking about taking the protective film off one light to see if that's the reason. very impressed with your retrofit, thanks for pics !

Disclaimer: In addition to functions of lighting described below, BIU is responsible for a lot of other things in the car including recognizing immobilizer chip in your car keys. If you damage BIU and end up getting it replaced, you'll have to reprogram the car keys at the dealer to make them work with new BIU. Do not attempt this repair if you are not experienced soldering fine electronics. You've been warned.

Subaru BUI repair. BL/BP BIU part # is 88281AG10A.

History:

A while ago during a prolonged day out in the open field on very hot day I turned the lights on (I had my DRL disabled at the time) and noticed some smell of burning plastic that quickly went away. Everything seemed to work fine, the outside check confirmed the lights being on, so I thought the smell came from some one else's car. Lights were turning on and off without issues, stereo and clock worked, so I didn't get too concerned. Only when I was leaving for home that night I found that the night illumination on the stereo was not on, so I couldn't see any knobs and buttons in the dark. The clock and instrument cluster illumination was on and could be adjusted, and my first thought was some connector got loose and I simply need to plug it back and everything would be fine.

Investigation:

What I found was this: illumination was completely lost on stereo (including climate control), heater switches and mirror switch (irony is the illumination adjust knob is there, heh...). Illumination worked and could be adjusted at instrument cluster and clock.

According to Illumination wiring diagram from Opie's vacation pics, the three units with broken illumination were wired from BIU's pin A5, and the clock and instrument cluster seem to get the illumination level commands from BIU via UART or CAN as I was not able trace same illumination wire to them. This explained why clock and instrument cluster had illumination working and stereo/heater/mirror switches did not. Moreover, according to wiring diagram, illumination circuit was getting straight battery power on feed and was draining to BIU's A5 pin. 12V were coming from battery properly, but same 12V were on draining pin, and after I disconnected BIU I connected that end to ground and stereo/heater and mirror switches were all lit, but could not be adjusted. It looked like BIU was the problem. Plugging in another BUI that I acquired from LGT member confirmed this – the stereo/heater switch/mirror switch illumination came right up and worked properly.

Repair:

Subaru BL/BP BIU part # is 88281AG10A.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110558&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1465399645

Taking out the BUI: it is located right under the steering column and the holding bracket is bolted to the steering column. You'll need to take off couple of plastic panels to gain access to two bolts that hold the bracket. It is going to be blind job – but doable. 3/8 ratchet with 10mm socket worked great for me. Do not try to pry the BUI module from the bracket – you don't need that to get the PCB out to begin with, and most likely you'll damage the bracket or casing or both. Take your time and undo the two bolts and take the BUI with the bracket out. First undo two plastic clips holding the harnesses on the sides and three connectors, use flat head screwdriver for side clips.

Now, the BUI PCB is fixed in BUI casing with some silicone that acts like glue, and makes it pretty much impossible to pry out the PCB (asking me how I know). I used heat gun to warm the casing and soften the silicone – then I was able to slowly pry out the PCB using two screwdrivers. The silicone is in three spots – all of them on the back of the casing, on the other side from connector, in two corners and in the middle.

When you take the PCB out, it is going to look overwhelming (at least for a guy like me) to take on it.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110559&d=1326685385

Fortunately, when I was googling “Subaru BUI repair” I came across a post from Forester owner who had taken on BUI he fried and was able to fix it. Here is the link to that post:

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f85/body-inegrated-unit-dome-dimming-circuit-data-repair-83167/

Forester owner fried his car's dome light dimming circuit and found that broken part was a MOSFET transistor NEC 3377 rated at 30W, his solution was to replace it with pin-out compatible NTE 2987 MOSFET that is rated at much more assuring 100W.

Well, guess what ? The same MOSFET 3377 that the post above is referring too is found in BL/BP BUI ! Ours actually has 2 of them mounted on PCB. And while pin A5 on Forester BUI drives the map lights, on Legacy BUI the A5 pin drives the stereo/heater/mirror switches illumination; the second 3377 on BL/BP BUI drives the map lights and it is wired to pin B3.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110560&d=1326685385

Second 3377 on BL/BP BUI drives the map lights and it is wired to pin B3:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110561&d=1326685385

As suggested, I got the replacement MOSFET NTE 2987 (two of them) and replaced the 3377 on the back of PCB with 2987. I got them online, with shipping it amounts to <$20 for both.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110562&d=1326685385

I had to get creative due to sheer difference in sizes of two parts, so I found a different mounting location – see pictures. I admit that having a heat sink is an overkill but I had some old VGA cards laying around so I fabricated two small heat sinks.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110563&d=1326685385

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110564&d=1326685385

Warning: the mount locations I used for both replacement 2987s use existing holes in PCB with ground – I used insulating plastic washers and stands. If you select the same locations, make sure you insulate the drain of 2987 from ground similarly to what I did – otherwise you do some damage to 2987 or most likely your BUI PCB that will be much harder to fix from there. You've been warned.

So replacing the 3377 on the back of PCB brought my stereo/heater/mirror switch illumination back to life. With that, and knowing that the B3 pin from map lights uses the same idea of floating positive ground and has identical 3377 part I went and replaced the other (still working) 3377 with another 2987. I plan on using the map lights at some point to hook up either puddle lights or foot well lights (or both), so I decided to beef BUI up while I was there anyway. Everything worked fine with second 2987, my dome and map lights dim properly.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110565&d=1326685385

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110566&d=1326685385

Other findings:

Now , if you look at the picture of PCB where the B3 connected 3377 is located, you can see empty place and contact pads that look exactly like another 3377 was meant to be there. I think this was a provision for some option that USDM Legacy/Outback do not support but BUI could – puddle lights, foot well lights, may be map lights dimming from the factory ? I didn't spend time trying to figure out which connector/pin is goes to though, leaving it to you to find out.

As far as BUI connectors go – the A5 pin is BW (black with white strip) wire on largest connector, B3 is brown wire on the smaller connector on the apposite side from A connector. Wiring/pinout for connectors and BUI can be found in Opie's vacation pics (Sections “Illumination and Clearance”, pages 5001-5006, BUI pinout is (strangely enough) in “Lan System Diagnostic” - “subaru select monitor” section).

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110567&d=1326685433

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=110568&d=1326685433

Hope this helps. I simply enjoy having my BP's cabin glow red again in the dark. Loving this car ...

Any possibility that this is spring-squirm? Coils (on stock or Bilstein shocks) compressed too tightly on each other at the rear and edging in and out, thumping/clanking on accel/hard turns from a stop?

FWIW I ran on Bilstein/Pink setup for more than a year before I got the Stage2 done. No growling sound. The day I went Stage2 (BNR16 , CNT DP) I had GroupN MT mounts installed as well. This is when the growling sound came in. So I don''t think it's the springs. Besides in my case I only hear it when DEcelerating. Never at take off - even though it may be simply washed out due to other noise at that time.

3 LGTs yesterday between 2-3PM on I95 south - two in Mass : 05/06 RBP sedan with bike rack getting off exit 18, and an 05 black LGT sedan closer to i495 - we waved; then silver LGT sedan (lowered ?) in Providence, also exchanged waves.

Few LGTs driving North on I95 as well. Yesterday felt like LGT day all around

Red GT sedan with HIDs Sunday afternoon on Rt 138 by URI Kingston campus going towards Rt 2. RI plates, looked stock. I waived but the driver didn't notice (I was driving wife's Tribeca).

Or may be driver looked the other way on purpose cause he knows there's couple days worth of work coming his way Just ordered parts !

Pretty sure I saw this guy on 95N this morning on my way to work. Don't think it could be anyone else. Thought wow, that Outback looks like it has a nice lift kit on it. As I passed him, I saw everything else and realized why it had a "superu" license plate. Anybody hear anything else about this one?

 

http://thesuperu.com/

I sat side by side with him in the traffic on 95N for about an hour this winter. Since his is lifted and mine is lowered, it was fun to chat

White LGT BP with TX plates tonight at 6:30PM in Warwick, RI. Tinted, may be lowered, stock wheels. Looks like you were lost.

Damn, white BPs are the sexiest cars ever.

SubOperator was that you behind me on 95 S this evening?

I don't think so, would have spotted another BP. There are few other RBP LGT BPs in the area, they're not on this forum though.

Thanks for the heads up

 

Edit: $7 and 10 minutes... All fixed. Now I only have to worry about getting pulled over for my exhaust...

NP, glad I could warn you about the light. The exhaust is not that loud imo, do you think it may be a problem ?

I am in Narragansett at URI.

Saw demo243 at the light before the round-about in Narragansett, about 4PM today. You took to the right from the round-about, I turned left towards Narragansett beach. I was in wife's DGM Tribeca.

demo, your right side stop light is out.

Wow I actually found someone on here! Yea that was me. Got that sticker from ihatestickers.com I laughed when I saw it and had to put it on. Your wagon looks good, nice and clean... unlike my dirty one. I am running the Greddy Evo2 catback... the sedan version so the tips are tucked... its loud but I love it. I was on my way up to the cape to go kiting... made my morning to find another LGT wagon.

 

Your from Richmond? Thats pretty close to me. I am in Narragansett at URI.

My wagon was so dirty that morning I had to find a carwash in MA out of shame.. What do you study at URI ? I did my MS there.

Morning of the 19th Navy LGT Wagon, looked like you had wheels (dark gunmetal) on 95N going into Prov RI.

 

I was in the Silver wagon with the box

I guess that was me going to school in Newton MA with my older son. Nice looking wagon of yours ! Liked the OEM+ sticker on the side What CBE do you have ?

81k. Thats also the second turbo. That was the replacement to the original. Bad replacement.

FWIW, I took mine VF40 out at ~78K (or 73, don't recall now) and it was just fine. I don't race or abuse my car (05 BP MT) but do autox and put an occasional WOT run just for fun.

The guy who bought it from me for replacement has ~130K on his stock VF40 and it runs great. Both turbos were at 3.5K OCIs since day 1.

I don't know whether it's the maintance that defines how long a particular VF40 lives or the quality varies wildly like with oil pickups.

That said, my car is so much better with BNR16G and Shamar's tune. Really love it.