ECMTuning - wiki

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<h1>ECU damage/repair</h1> <div class="level1"> <p> This page is a collection of pages we're putting together to document ECU damage and repair concerns. We often receive ECUs that have significant corrosion from caps leakage or have severely botched socket jobs. We want people to see these pictures so they can evaluate their own ECU before it's even sent to us. We're hoping this will reduce the shock factor later when the ECU arrives here and we have to break the bad news. </p> <p> If you see that your ECU has problems, contact us offline to arrange for an estimate and/or repair. </p> <p> &lt;twdorris@ecmtuning.com> </p> <p> Generally speaking, we have to get the ECU in here to do an estimate. Estimates by e-mail just aren't practical because there are too many little things we can't see and not everyone sends decipherable pictures anyway. So expect to have to box the ECU up and ship it in if you want us to provide an accurate estimate. </p> </div> <h2>Botched socket jobs</h2> <div class="level2"> <p> Often someone will try to do the socket work themselves either to save a buck or to reduce down time. But <em>seriously</em>, if you don't <b>know</b> what you're doing, you could very easily be increasing your costs and down time while compromising your own ECU's working condition all at the same time. It's just not a good idea. </p> <ul> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=badsocket2g01" class="wikilink1" title="badsocket2g01">Botched socket #1</a> - Example of a socket job gone wrong on a 2G ECU</li> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=badsocket2g02" class="wikilink1" title="badsocket2g02">Botched socket #2</a> - A "shop" did this one for someone. And left him with a dead ECU.</li> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=badsocket2g03" class="wikilink1" title="badsocket2g03">Botched socket #3</a> - A "friend" did this guy a $128 favor. Thanks.</li> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=goodsocket01" class="wikilink1" title="goodsocket01">Good socket #1</a> - So what's a good socket job look like? Glad you asked.</li> </ul> <p> <br/> Motto: Friends don't let friends (or incompetent shops for that matter) socket their ECUs. </p> </div> <h2>Corrosion examples</h2> <div class="level2"> <p> Leaking capacitors and the resulting corrosion are the biggest problems the older ECUs face. This is a major concern for the 1990-1993 ECUs. This is less a concern for the 1994-1995 ECUs, but we've seen leaking caps on those too! It's far less common, but still something we have to check while the ECU is here. </p> <p> Look at these examples to learn how to identify potential problems yourself. </p> <ul> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=corrosion01" class="wikilink1" title="corrosion01">Example #1</a> - Example of how to identify corrosion</li> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=corrosion02" class="wikilink1" title="corrosion02">Example #2</a> - Leakage under the heatsink is harder to see, but more expensive to repair</li> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=corrosion03" class="wikilink1" title="corrosion03">Example #3</a> - A partially disassembled ECU to show just how extensive caps leakage can be</li> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=corrosion04" class="wikilink1" title="corrosion04">Example #4</a> - Just a collection of corrosion pictures to show more examples of what to look for.</li> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=goodcorrosion01" class="wikilink1" title="goodcorrosion01">Good Example #1</a> - Pictures of some nice boards for comparison</li> </ul> <p> <br/> Motto: Replace those caps <b>and</b> clean up the corrosive residue! </p> </div> <h2>Misc damage</h2> <div class="level2"> <p> These are examples of various types of damage we see here. Use this to help get an idea of what might be wrong with your own ECU when you are experiencing difficulties. </p> <ul> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=driver01" class="wikilink1" title="driver01">Blown ISC driver</a> - A bad ISC (idle stepper control) motor can damage the driver inside the ECU</li> </ul> </div> <h2>Other shops</h2> <div class="level2"> <p> Sometimes people will send us an ECU that some "other" shop has worked on before. Sometimes that's perfectly fine. Other times (more often), it's a miserable mess. Here's where you'll find examples of some miserable messes. </p> <ul> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=badwork1g01" class="wikilink1" title="badwork1g01">Bad work #1</a> - Clear RTV? Ugh. And what's that big long, ugly wire for!?</li> <li class="level1"> <a href="/wiki/doku.php?id=badwork1g02" class="wikilink1" title="badwork1g02">Bad work #2</a> - Wow. I have to at least give credit for even attempting this one.</li> </ul> </div>