Driveline noise - *now with ECU failure!*

The front passenger side wheel area has developed this click noise, which isnt quite a clunk but is loud enough for pedestrians to hear. When the noise began I was just driving down the highway in a straight line when the steering wheel suddenly pulled right. At the time, I thought it was built up ice in the wheelweels from spinning the tires in the snow as people with AWDs are wont to do. Since I cleared the ice out, the click showed up from time to time, eventually getting worse.

Driving around a corner under acceleration seems to be when the click is most likely to happen, although it will click under acceleration in a straight line, accompanied by a twitch in the steering wheel. To me, it seems like a spline of the axle, or whatever part is directly driven by the axle(or both) may be stripping.

Diagnosis? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[OMFGeofffff]

It's probably the joint in the axle going bad. I think you may have to replace the entire axle? I haven't done one on my car yet so I couldn't tell you for sure. My axle was clicking on my nissan nx and the bearings inside of the joint was destroyed.

 

Replace the axle. Your problem will go away

 

From Raxles.com:

Continuous "clicking" sounds on sharp turns usually indicates a worn outer joint.
Usually the sound is loudest on the joint opposite of the turning direction.

Just posting this in case anyone else has similar problems and uses the search function /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Ill be sure to post when I get the problem figured out. If anyone wants to speculate further, Id appreciate the input.

 

Found a torn cv boot. I get a loud popping noise at the outer cv joint when the steering wheel is turned, so I will be ordering a new one from raxles.com and installing it ASAP. I also found that upgraded axles are too expensive for my busted ass, which is unfortunate ( DSS level 2 front axles ).



Anyway, the car has been sitting in the driveway for about a month, and when I tried starting, it I get nothing but some erratic clicking from the passenger side footwell. I'm guessing the clicking is the microcontroller on the ECU resetting. The ECU capacitors haven't been replaced, so thats the first thing I'll be checking tomorrow. I found keydiver's site ( Shiny new ECU ), and discovered that a replacement ECU, if needed, can be bought from him for a sh*t ton less than from the dealer.

Any other ideas as to what could cause the same symptoms?

 

[Wizardawd]

The clicking is actually from a momentary loss of signal to the EFI relay (in the footwell), which is controlled by the ECU. So yes, sounds like a new ECU or get your current one repaired if it would be finacially feasible. Usually a non-start will mean several components on the board fried and replacing all those along with the labor will set you back more than another ECU would. But, this question would probably be best left to keydriver since he can give you a better idea for repair cost vs replace.

As for axles, I get mine from Advance Auto Parts. $60 and lifetime warranty. And I would look at the other joint too.

Wiz

 

You were right, the ECU is toast. It looks like something actually exploded , judging from the black marks on the inside of the case and the little black plastic kibble spread across the board.

The discoloration on the board is pretty widespread. Also, the black chips(?) with the arrows actually split open and partially melted.

 

[Wizardawd]

Isn't that one of the common signs that the ISC motor is shorting out? An exploded ECU? Only time i've actually seen something like that was from a backwards battery. Looks like a new one might be a better route considering the damage.

Wiz

 

Mm, I think its the other way around, meaning discoloration on the ECU can cause idle issues via the ISC drivers (see voltage/idle thread ). Apparently, the ISC traces on the ECU run really close to the leaky capacitors that everyone is supposed to replace (see the link on "exploded" in my previous post). Since there is discoloration right beneath the capacitor which is closer to the center of the board, I think the discolored ISC traces would be a likely culprit if I was having idle issues. Idle wasn't a problem up until the engine would no longer crank over. Unless theres a different issue you are referring to? I guess I could always test the ISC unit anyways, it couldnt hurt.

Regardless, the axle is still in the car. I can't get the ball joint from the lower control arm off of the steering knuckle. Borrowing a pickle fork from a friend tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes. I posted a question about regarding what kind of grease I can use for the ball joint here , as I'm replacing the torn boot.

*EDIT* Now that I think about it, there were some idle surge issues, just not enough to cause any apparent problems. That is, until the ECU failed...

 

Maybe I should search a bit more before I make dumb posts like that. A good article on ISC and related ECU issues is found at DSMISC.com . It even points out the related parts of the ECU board. Soo, I'll be testing the ISC as soon as I can get a multimeter. BTW, if anyone knows a good link that explains what the various parts of the ECU are or what they do, please post it.

P.S. This thread should probably be moved to the newbies forum...

 

Yes, don't just assume that it was the bad 47uF cap that caused the ISC drivers to blow. It can also be caused by a shorted ISC, so you really should pull yours out and test it before installing the new ECU. There's nothing worse than installing a $250 ECU and then watching smoke pour out of it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif

 

On that note, I just tested the ISC and its crud. When I pulled it out, a pool of coolant drained out of the throttle body. So, I need to figure out whether I can just just screw the thermostat all the way into the FIAV a la RRE , or if I need to replace the O-ring in the FIAV too.

 

[Wizardawd]

The o-rings are cheap, replace both of them (FIAV and ISC). Good thing you tested the ISC b4 a new ECU.

Wiz

 

I'm not sure if I would bypass the FAIV if I was in North Dakota. I got along fine without it here in South Florida, but if your car sits outside in the winter you will probably need it for cold starts. As someone else said, the FAIV O-rings are cheap. Just be sure to use a good quality impact-type screw extractor to try to remove the screws that hold the FAIV to the throttlebody, or you WILL strip them out.
Until you get a new ISC, just leave it unplugged. The new ECU won't throw a code or anything.

 

I ran with the FAIV Blocked off in 10-20deg weather with no issues this past winter, It would still idle a bit high on its own at first and started with no issue at all, ever.
While the concept of How Should work is cool, If it's cold enough out to freeze your TB plate closed you probly shouldnt be out there in the first place /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif
I'd gladly take My car won't start in -50deg weather > Possibly Frying my Precious eprom ECU with a Heated Throttle Body... lol

Also If you let the car warm up like it say's on the visor, the faiv would never be needed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif .

 

Well, I'm pretty happy when it even starts in -15F or below. Never had the pleasure of my TB freezing shut tho. I'm planning on retaining the FIAV. If its lasted 19 years and 170,XXX mile until failure, I'm ok with just replacing the gasket instead of blocking it off in order to possibly avoid not starting at all. I have enough trouble getting it started when it gets really cold because its my DD, especially since bumfuck prairie ND can get down to -40F. If it was warmer here then I'd definitely block it off, but as long as the FIAV gasket doesn't leak (which it won't anymore), I'm not worried about frying another ECU.

True story about letting it warm up, but sometimes I just gotta be at work and I don't have time to let the engine idle for 10 min because I woke up late after one of them whiskey nights.

 

Quote:
True story about letting it warm up, but sometimes I just gotta be at work and I don't have time to let the engine idle for 10 min because I woke up late after one of them whiskey nights.



Man I find myself in that situation often too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

Finally got all the right parts and replaced the half shaft. I decided to use a new unit from O'Reillys instead of the Raxles shaft. Prying the half shaft off of the transaxle was a pain in the ass. There isn't enough room to fit a good sized prybar between the transaxle and half shaft with everything mounted to the car.

Whiles I was waiting for various parts to come in the mail, I decided to ditch the A/C. Well, 2 of the upper radiator mount screws sheared off in the cross bar. Whilst attempting to remove the first sheared screw, my spiral screw extractor broke off flush with the sheared surface. The best drill bits I can find so far are cobalt steel, but even those won't bite into the hardened tool steel of the broken extractor. A friend suggested we 'melt it out' with his acetylene torch, but until the ECU arrives in the mail the car isn't moving (to get to his house). I'm not sure if that's a good idea, either. How can I remove the screw?



PS - If anyone wants the A/C components, I'll let them go cheap. Compressor, condenser, lines, fan, and brackets. All components are functional. PM me. I'm keeping the receiver drier to convert into a catchcan /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.