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View Full Version : More Problems: ECU May have carked it!!



Blazin'
23-10-2008, 10:50 AM
Hey guys... It's been a horrible fortnight for my TP... it really has.. last night driving to a friends house, *stutter stutter stutter* STOP... oh **** I thought... yes... indeed i should have...

Well, I called the RAA out and he checked over everything, and he told me most likely that my ECU was shot.

OK, a bit of background the last few days the car had been stalling if I gave it a short rev... or even not, sometimes it just stopped when revs came back down to the 800rpm mark... I heard a small ticking coming from under the bonnet and I decided to investigate, and noticed the throttle controller (is that what its called?? i duinno, when the engine is running, you push it and rev the engine) moving back and forwards and ticking, it eventually stopped. it appeared as if it was trying to level revs out... but the engine had stalled :S

So, I was planning to take it somewhere to get looked at later in the week when my trouble started last night. The boloke checked everything, fuses all good, fuel system all good, spark was weak but still OK. (Later I found out that the coil in the dizzy cap wasn't making proper contactm its snapped a little at the end. I have since replaced that and no better)

So the car wouldnt start.. it would crank and crank and nearly start. It really tried but just didnt.

I told the bloke from the RAA about my dramas last week. For those who dont know, basically, alternator fanbelt snapped causing sump seal to break and oil flicking everywhere, resulting in alternator getting wet with oil and not functioning properly and getting a flat battery, after sitting for a day or so the alternator seemed fine, and has been the last week and a bit, so I assumed the oil had dried up/dripped off and the alternator was OK. The RAA guy suggested that maybe when the alternator ghot wet, the electrical system suffered a surge and hence damaged the ECU.

Soooo... basically, I'm asking if anyone agrees that it could be the ECU at fault? I've had an opinion from an autoelectrician thismorning but don't wanna pay him $500 odd for a changeover ECU or $1100 for a new one. Called U-Pull-It and I can get an ECU for $55, and looked in my Haynes manual and it doesnt seem that hard to replace.

Are there any precations I should take replacing the ECU though. I am pretty sure I would need to get one of of a TP Elite EFI Model with all the same features mine (including like power windows/cruise control etc, or dont these things matter???) for it to be the same though right?? I will check model number and everthing before AI buy anyway to make sure they are the same.

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated? Or if the problem could possibly be due to something else?? :doubt:

Thanks All,

-Matt

Blazin'
23-10-2008, 06:26 PM
OK an update on what's happening. First off, I tried replacing the Throttle Positioning Sensor (TPS). I picked one up at the wrecker for $11. No difference. Tonight I've just removed the ECU as per the Haynes instructions, and am planning on heading to U-Pull-It tomorrow to grab an ECU from another Elite there.

Still any comments regarding the ECU would be much appreciated?

Thanks,
-Matt.

Blazin'
24-10-2008, 10:04 AM
OK update #2.

Bought an ECU thismorning, pulled it off another TP. I can't guarantee this one is working really, but I'm still getting the same problem after putting it in.

So, after this, we towed it up the road to get it looked at. The bloke was quite busy and said he'd need to fully charge up the battery to test it anyway, so we left it with him. I really didn't like his attitude though, I dont trust him. I told him I'm strapped for cash at the moment and I dont want him to do anything apart from diagnose the problem.

So, it is there now, prob at least until tomorrow morning...

Still, any responses to previous posts would be very much appreciated if anybody can help me out.

Matt.

magna buff
24-10-2008, 10:09 AM
wait till the battery is charged

the ECU wont function under 11 volts
clamp the earth to the engine of the car needing the jump from another battery

Blazin'
24-10-2008, 10:16 AM
wait till the battery is charged

the ECU wont function under 11 volts
clamp the earth to the engine of the car needing the jump from another battery

yeah OK thanks for that mate. When I think about it, the battery prob was under 11 volts cos I was fiddling around with it last night after I'd fully charged it.

Gah I'm kinda regretting taking it to that bloke now ****... Shoulda thought... Gahh... Ahh well, if the new ECU works and if the mechanic is a decent person then it will be OK... But I'm expecting him to say he needs to replace it. In that case I will say no. Even if I do need it replaced I'd rather take my business elsewhere...

Trotty
24-10-2008, 12:24 PM
just a question.... what is the alternator charging at? 14.4vlts? is it charging?

if the regulator is fried it can raise voltage upto 16vlts i think from memory. that can fry and ecu.

just make sure the regs working fine with a voltmeter before you fry the nex ecu.

Blazin'
24-10-2008, 05:04 PM
alternator had been charging fine according to dash. thanks though mate, appreciate that :D

GOOD NEWS! My car goes again! I am pretty sure I've been had though... He told me the rotor button was broken, but there was still a good spark, soI'm a tad confused about that. I reckon it fixed the prob by me putting the new ECU in, but since the battery wasn't full charge it didn't work when I first tried starting it. I reckon he replaced the rotor button as an excuse, bla bla bla... My conspiracy theory anyway, cos I really reckon rotor button was fine, RAA would have picked that up he checked everything.

The mechanic charged me $144, including
-$20 to charge battery!!
-$80 diagnostic
-$20 rotor button
+ a couple of other small things then GST

TWENTY BUCKS TO CHARGE BATTERY!!

Ahh well, I'm still happy my car is back, and its running sweet. Much better than before this **** happened. Total spend about $190 incl new ECU, TPS and what mechanic charged.

Thanks for the input Magna Buff and Trotty, much appreciated :D Beers on me ;)