Please please Don't let amateurs work on ECUs please please

[Terry Posten]

Something that on the surface looks to be such an easy job can be screwed up WAY to easily.

Installing electrolytic capacitors backwards results in instant death.

Failing to top solder the caps can cause intermittent issues.

Failing to remove all the acid will lead to death.

Failing to use proper tools will cause board damage.

The list goes on and on.

For those of you that have never had the ECU out of the car, take 20 minutes and remove it and check to make sure everything has been updated. If the original caps are still installed, they will leak and it will cause failure.

Do this BEFORE you start having issues and the cost is $50 or less. Wait until you have problems and the cost is triple or higher.

If you want to know how to tell if your ECU has been working on, the two larger caps (1 is a 47uf and 1 is 100uf) will be fully seated flush on the board and have the manufacturer name of "Rubycon".

This also applies to non-turbo 6G Galants and 1G Talon/Eclipse/Laser.

This also applies to Automatic Transmission Computers.

Don't wait to long and don't cheap-out.

 

[Rausch]

Wait- you recap TCU's too? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Hmmm....

 

[donniekak]

I'm pretty sure that if you looked at a mitsubishi TV made in the early 90's it's caps would be leaking.

 

[Terry Posten]

Quoting Rausch:
Wait- you recap TCU's too? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Hmmm....



Yes, and I have been told now that someone is even making custom eprom chip programs for them (like Keydiver does for ECUs). I now have started socketing them as well.

 

I re-cap boards for all the Indy locals and I've seen some horrible solder jobs by even the ECU repair places.

"Do not remove stick, will void warranty." it says. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif I'm surprised it ran at all like that! The last one I looked at had really, really long cap legs. The caps were bent over then super glued down to the board.

 

[Terry Posten]

The ones that have that sticker are the ones you have to really worry about.

I never hide my work.

And yes, I have seen the legs so long they are grounding out on the case as well. Should have listed that one.

 

[Andy_S]

For something as delicate and requiring such attention to detail as ecu work, trust an enthusiast before anyone else. Nobody cares more about your parts than a member of the same community. Thats my thoughts at least.

 

[stevep]

You can count on them being hacked up if it has a rebuild sticker or keep out labels on it.

The only think these guys are interested in is how fast they can move it to the works pile. If it fails not all of them will come back and they will just thrown another off the pile at you.

I don't want any of them coming back. It costs me and wastes my customers time and money.