[EDIT] Pictures in thumbnails are the ones of bad quality or out of focus.
[EDIT 1st of may 2008] High idle current draw problem with fix.
Problem regarding the installation using just +12v battery power makes the jeep lose all power if not run for a about a week.
The thread here will help you on your way to make the jeep draw less current: http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... sc&start=0
Hi guys.
My little saturday project on my KJ was installing an EVIC which I went to purchase yesterday from a wrecker. My unit is from a Grand Cherokee Limited from 2000. No idea if it was petrol or diesel. Part# of this EVIC was 56042271AB.
I used the guide on http://www.jeepkj.com/evic/ you can see there are four wires that you need to install.
On my setup you only need three. You can connect the pink and blue/white together at the EVIC and use this wire in the B+(fused) in the ODBII plug. EVIC comes on when I start the car, and goes off when I shut off the car. It acts exactly like the radio does. Alternatively you can do like me, install all 4 wires and splice both pink and blue/white into B+(fused) on the ODBII plug. Same thing you get, but with more flexibility, if you wish to install the blue/white wire into another hot-on-ignition signal.
This information can save you the trouble of trying to find some wire which is hot when the ignition is on. The B+(fused) is always on but can be used for both power wires as shown here. This install will give you high parked current draw, see added thread link for details of how to find a real ignition switched output. If you don't let your jeep stay parked for more than a few days this will not be a problem.
I bought some electrical cable used for 3-phase systems. 3 phases and one ground, in total 4 wires which is exactly what I need for this thing.
Before anything was done, I went and checked under my front grille for a sensor:
Yep there is a little plastic thingy on there indeed!
Next up was ripping out the overhead lights from the KJ, leaving a little hole:
I wacked the cables into the little hole on my left side, towards the A-pillar of the car. By unscrewing the left side sunblocker I could stuff the cable far enough into the interior to reach it from the sunblocker:
Next I removed the A-pillar plastic cover and got the wire down and re-connected the sunblocker. Took the wire and pushed it into the small hole near the A-pillar.
Stuffed a lot of wire down there and went on my knees to remove the panel at the pedals, unscrewing these:
Got hold of my wire and pulled it for installation:
Now comes the really terrible part! I couldn't get the wires into the ODBII thing, and wanted it to look transparent to the poor sensored word who will buy this car from me later on. So I did the worst I could and cut the wires going to the ODBII plug:
Using those plugs I could splice my wires onto the ODBII port without fussing around with the plug itself. Installed looks like this:
We then proceeded to cut into my beloved car interior, and BEHOLD, we got the plastic cover with thread for screws PREINSTALLED. This could NOT be easier!
Put the little EVIC in and fired up the car, here we GO:
Sweet mother of joy! Temperature sensor works, menu works, fuel consumption works, direction works! Briefly said THE THING WORKS PERFECTLY!!!
Here's one happy KJ owner! YEAH!!
PS: The temperature sensor would be pre-installed on MOST KJs as it is needed to activate the aircon at the right temperatures in FLOOR mode. Without one, how would the KJ know when to start its procedure? Most Sports got one is my verdict!
UPDATE:
1) One oddity. When I select "auto lock doors" they will not auto lock until I tap the speeder firmly.
2) EVIC instant MPG works fine since it's an older EVIC
3) EVIC calculated fuel consumption is optimistic. Example: It shows 10.5l/100km when it in reality is 11l/100km (11l/100km by hand calculation pumped fuel vs measured distance (GPS calibrated) )
and not even the darn temperature, which is what my wife was looking forward to have...
