Wiring the Subaru aux lights, part 4: parts and pieces

I guess you’ve realized by now that these installments aren’t really in any logical order. This time around, I’ll introduce you to the various parts that will come together in wiring the auxiliary lighting on the Subaru.

There’s a lot of stuff going on up there. Let’s have a look, shall we?

Wiring the Subaru aux lights, part 3: more diagrams! (switches)

So, you thought I was done with wiring diagrams? So did I. As it turns out, the wiring for the switches themselves is a little more complex than I can handle without putting something down on paper. The previous wiring diagram included a simplified version of the switches, but there is much more to take into account.

Wiring the Subaru aux lights, part 2: wiring diagrams

Wiring diagrams can be an interesting mental exercise. They are just so logical - like looking at a road map - but keeping track of what is flowing where and which polarity is which can make your brain hurt.

Wiring the Subaru aux lights, part 1: new bulbs in OEM foglight switches

You may remember, long long ago, I put some fog lights on the Subaru and built a light bar. Well, now it’s time to actually get some light out of these by adding electricity. The wiring job will be more complicated than the light installation, I think, and will be broken up in several parts.

I have managed to scrounge some Subaru OEM foglight switches from the junkyard, and those will be the means of adding and removing blinding light from the road ahead.

Adding a ceiling fan to the garage

Especially in the winter, with wet and snowy cars moving in and out of the garage, I tend to have problems with moisture on the floor and in the air. One of the solutions for this problem is a ceiling fan.

Boost leak testing part 2 - sealing the IACV leak

In part 1 of boost leak testing, I erroneously thought it normal for the idle air valve (IACV) to leak boost when the car was off. As it turns out, I was wrong, and the IACV is a common and rather large leak that needs to be addressed. The part in question is pictured below.

Testing for boost leaks

Having a leak in your turbocharged car’s intake is like having a small hole in a balloon that you’re trying to inflate. Every turbocharged car seems to have a leak or two, and the only way to find it is to pump it full of air and see where it’s escaping.

For that we need some pipe caps to fit the various intake pipes.