Power Mode Switch Installed, Very Pleased

[2.5InchTrueDual]

So, I found myself very pleased with the results of about $5.00 and 2 hours of labor. I am now able to engage Power mode at the mere push of a button. I decided the best location to mount the switch was beside the parking lights switch which in the long run, has to be the worst. Not only did I have to mount the switch, I had to cut away a large amount of the plastic that deals with the parking light switch to allow room for the terminals, but I managed to do a good enough job not to disrupt the parking light switch function. If anyone is thinking of doing this mod, think of a better location. I'm using a On/Off push button, I think its a SPST ( Single pole, Single throw)?? but I dont know. Push it once its on, push it again, its off. But after I got the switch situated it was on to the wiring. I found it easier to push the wire into the TCU harness while it was still connected to the TCU, plus this way you wont risk bending a pin on the male side of the TCU. I striped about an inch of insulation off the 18 guage wire and cut about 5 strands of wire off and twisted the rest together and just shoved it in the connector. I used the 10mm nut that holds the inside fuse panel steady as my ground. I was thinking of using the screw that holds the under steering wheel cover inplace behind the mirror adjuster, but I wanted to make sure the ground was good and i've had bad experiances using dash sheet metals.
So, in conclusion, I think this mod has got to be one of the BEST BANG FOR BUCK mods out there! I would suguest this mod to anyone as long as you use a better location than I did. The pay off is well worth the clostrofobic feeling you get from dislocating you're sholders and shiming you head under you're brake pedel. I think the car feels like it should have from the factory. It feels like its getting its stuff together faster and just feels more positive. Like I said, It feels like a car with 230 hp and nearly 3800 lbs should feel. I love it and highly suggest it!!!
Will

[SomethingElse]

Interesting. Does power mode time out, or stay on the whole time the switch is depressed? What else does it do besides delay shifting?

[Nomake Wan]

Heh, my original plan was to take a whole 'nother parking light assembly and fit it where the coin holder is, then wire up its harness so that it was connected to the TCU. This plan got foiled because there is pretty much no clearance behind the coin holder; with the bolt in place holding the trim in, the coin holder barely clears!

Make sure that wire is in there nice and secure though... I got around the issue of possibly having it knock out by getting a TCU harness, taking out one of the pins (with wire still attached of course), pushing that pin into A4, and then wiring it up from there. This way there's no chance that the wire will come out of the TCU, and it will always have a clean connection.

I also opted out of a switch... I just can't bring myself to turn it off.

EDIT for SomethingElse: It stays on as long as pin A4 in the TCU is grounded (i.e. his switch is on). It actually changes the entire feel of the car. It isn't just like mashing the pedal all the time. Somewhat hard to explain what it does without just letting you drive one set up that way. The one word I'd use to describe the change is "responsive."

[STeeL25T]

Forgive my noobness, this is the first I've heard of this kind of thing. What needs to be done? Do you need to buy anything somewhere you are you just moving a pin?

Whats a TCU lol

[2.5InchTrueDual]

I agree, " responsive" would be the correct word. The shifts arnt hard unless your hammerin the gas to the floor. The car drives as it normally would but just a little more responsive, or as in my original post, as the car should. I havn't really drivin the car to much with the switch on but as far as my jaunt cross town goes, it feels more like a sports car than a luxo-cruzer. Its just a 10X more fun car to drive. I had a heck of a time finding the TCU but after reading a few posts and looking at a few pics, it was one of the easiest mods i've done. I would rate it a 2 on a 1-10 difficulty scale. Installing the switch was the worst part of the whole mod. I wish Subaru would have had me in mind when the made the parking light switch. I've never seen so much stuff fly out of a connector before!! it took a little doing but I got it all back together. All in all I think I spent 95% of the time on the switch, 2% on wiring, and 3% on locating the damn A4 Pin!! Well worth the effort!

[2.5InchTrueDual]

TCU is the transmission control unit and you need about 2-3 feet or 18 guage wire, a good ground, a 2 position switch, and a good mounting location. If you ground the A4 pin in the TCU's wiring harness (4th up on the back side of the removable clip on the TCU) It will engage power mode when grounded.If you want full time power mode simply run your wire to a good ground and it will be on full time.
I'm glong to look at Radio Shack to see if i can find a terminal that will fit in the wiring harness and give a better connection then just stuffing wires in holes!!
Yeah, Thanks Nomake Wan, After i saw the Idea, I just had to jump on the bandwagon, and i'm damn sure glad I did.

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by Nomake Wan

Heh, my original plan was to take a whole 'nother parking light assembly and fit it where the coin holder is, then wire up its harness so that it was connected to the TCU. This plan got foiled because there is pretty much no clearance behind the coin holder; with the bolt in place holding the trim in, the coin holder barely clears!

I have a second parking light switch in place of the coinholder. It fit no problem...

I use it to "turn off" the power antenna.

[Crazy_pilot]

If you live somewhere that doesn't get snow, or only small amounts, you could use the winter/summer wiper switch under the dash and keep your wipers in summer mode year round. This is not an option for me

[nextse7en]

This is where I mounted mine.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/photopost/...wer_switch.jpg

[It's Just Eric]

Im working on mounting mine the same. Up untill recently, I just had it grounded to a screw on the steering column two inches away

[Nomake Wan]

Originally Posted by STeeL25T

Forgive my noobness, this is the first I've heard of this kind of thing. What needs to be done? Do you need to buy anything somewhere you are you just moving a pin?

Whats a TCU lol

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39133

Enjoy. TCU = Transmission Control Unit

[ShiuludeSVX]

Originally Posted by nextse7en

This is where I mounted mine.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/photopost/...wer_switch.jpg

Dhooo.......... That's the spot I've been lookin at for a change in the future.
Now I gotta come up with somewhere else.

[92LSiLver]

So....how well does the Power Mode mod work for those, like me, who drive like they stole it, WOT 24/7?...I didn't sell my 1990 C4 and buy an SVX to take grandma to church on sundays!...I just want to be sure this mod will help the tranny hold up longer..otherwise not waste the time and just go 5 speed. My trans seems fine...shifts crisp 1st to 2nd to third...a little drawn out 3rd to 4th. Trans was dealer rebuilt 30k ago and when I bought it last week, the service dept said the trans is great and shifts like new...yeah ok...if you say so
I want crispy shifting 1-thru-4

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by 94blackSVX

So....how well does the Power Mode mod work for those, like me, who drive like they stole it, WOT 24/7?...I didn't sell my 1990 C4 and buy an SVX to take grandma to church on sundays!...I just want to be sure this mod will help the tranny hold up longer..otherwise not waste the time and just go 5 speed. My trans seems fine...shifts crisp 1st to 2nd to third...a little drawn out 3rd to 4th. Trans was dealer rebuilt 30k ago and when I bought it last week, the service dept said the trans is great and shifts like new...yeah ok...if you say so
I want crispy shifting 1-thru-4

With you driving description and already having a 3-4 flair, start saving up for a 5 spd swap.
Depending on where you are in PA, Either SVXfiles (west) or TomsSVX (east) both have very capable shops and can help you out...

[Nomake Wan]

If your transmission already has problems, this mod isn't going to help. If it doesn't have problems, this mod isn't going to hurt (remember, it is an OEM feature in Japanese and European cars!!).