Birty Dastards Jeep Club
Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: tony750cc on December 06, 2010, 08:41:30 PM
-
Well its almost 2 months now being without the jeep. After the ECU failed it was sent to an Autoelectricians in Cardiff who initially was adamant it wouldnt be the ecu....even though i was pretty sure it was....after about 2 weeks of testing and various tinkering he decided the ecu needed to be sent for test/repair. It was sent to BBA-Reman, took them almost 2 weeks to send it over to Germany to Bosch for additional testing. Final verdict....its buggered. Eventually they send old unit back so i start the hunt for the right replacement ecu.....sounds easy??? wrong!! it has to be from a 2003 model as nothing else will fit. Tried every jeep breaker i can find, tried posting ads on all the parts finder type sites....despite several leads all of them turned out to be different part numbers. I even tried jeep.....not one in the UK and he didnt think it was even still available....and if he did mange to find one its almost 700 pounds. So im left with a 7 year old jeep that is almost worthless and possibly not fixable unless i get real lucky. Not a great situation to be in! If anyone else has any ideas on parts the Bosch number is 0281 011 094 the second load of numbers P56044 418AB. Otherwise i may be breaking a really nice jeep except it wont run!
-
You should bypass the dealers and call up Jeep UK customer services.
-
Just curious, but what's the reason you can't use an ECU from a different year? Are they different engines or won't it physically plug in?
Have you looked into the possibility of some form of custom aftermarket ECU? I know it's not ideal, but it might be an option if you truly can't find an other alternative.
-
Try JeepSpares4u. 01455209950.
They did have a couple of Grands the other week.
-
As mentioned, can you not get an ECU bespoke made to match your requirements.
I had a Megasquirt ECU custom made for one of my cars (mazda MX5 MK1 Turbo) requirements, specifically designed to suit my custom Turbo install.
Should cost alot less. Off the top of my head try Link ECU or Megasquirt. I know of a Range Rover running Megasquirt and it was designed to increase the cars power.
James.
-
Just as a word of warning.
You should check this sparky isn't going to charge "storage" at the end of all this if he either can't fix it or you find some other route out of your misery that he can't profit from.
Any 'Ummming' or 'Eerrrrrring' on his part and you might suggest taking the vehicle home 'to give him room' (Red Dragon Recovery or similar) until he can fix it at a mutually agreed time in the future.
That is not to say he really will ever see it again it just keeps you in control of the costs.
-
As mentioned, can you not get an ECU bespoke made to match your requirements.
I had a Megasquirt ECU custom made for one of my cars (mazda MX5 MK1 Turbo) requirements, specifically designed to suit my custom Turbo install.
Should cost alot less. Off the top of my head try Link ECU or Megasquirt. I know of a Range Rover running Megasquirt and it was designed to increase the cars power.
James.
They wouldn't be able to replicate this one. Too complex.
-
By the way, who diagnosed it? Jeep ECUs are about the most reliable on the planet.
-
The ecu was sent to BBA-Reman who sent it off to Bosch, they diagnosed it as faulty. Ive read on other sites and from one of the breakers that it has to be an exact part, the unit fitted to the 2003 model is different to the 2002, 2004 modesl etc.
Shame about the megasquirt idea as id hoped that may be a possibility.
Im going to have to go back to jeep and start the ball rolling for a new ecu or it gets broken for spares or repairs, im reluctant to do this as i face a potential to take a huge loss on it!
-
And tried Jeep spares, they dont have one! he did say the ecu would be specific to that year as the numbers would be different.
-
Sorry if I'm going over old ground, but if you DID change the ECU for a different year what other parts would need to be swapped out?
Is this feasible, as we seem to be looking at some major costs or loss of a reasonable vehicle otherwise.
Are we talking of a few black boxes and some looming or the whole power plant?
Any ideas Mike?
-
You should bypass the dealers and call up Jeep UK customer services.
:iagree:
-
The 2.7 was only available for '02,3 and 4 model years. Personally, I can't see why one from any of the 3 years wouldn't work. HOWEVER, they are not plug and play. You would have to get a Jeep dealer to reprogram the security system, set up the injector tolerances and load any software updates. A i have alerady suggested, a call to Jeep customer services would possibly produce the elusive component.
-
Calling Jeep Customer Services can't hurt - Mike knows what he's talking about too :greggmo:
-
The ecu was sent to BBA-Reman who sent it off to Bosch, they diagnosed it as faulty. Ive read on other sites and from one of the breakers that it has to be an exact part, the unit fitted to the 2003 model is different to the 2002, 2004 modesl etc.
Have you tried any other ECU's? Not saying they will work, but if in doubt I can't see the harm with trying and seeing, even more so if you can get a 2nd hand one on a return basis.
-
how about taking a pic of th ecu and posting it on here and fellow jeepers can see if they run a similar ecu or if the one they have has the same connectors?
-
It's unique to the 2.7.
-
ok as its a merc engine would it be useful contacting them?
-
please do as mike says he is the best person to know for theis era truck
-
ok as its a merc engine would it be useful contacting them?
No, It's a unique unit designed to interface Chrysler and Mercedes technology.
-
OK i only suggested it as the sprinter runs the same engine as it was an evolution of OM612 Diesel I5 , thought it was a long shot but worth mentioning. oh well.
-
Most of the engine parts do interchange and are cheaper from Mercedes, but the electrics are an expensive nightmare.
-
how about taking a pic of th ecu and posting it on here and fellow jeepers can see if they run a similar ecu or if the one they have has the same connectors?
More than happy to have a look, if I know what I'm looking for. :icon_winkle:
-
well have been back to Jeep this time got a bit more positive response the part was located after about 20 minutes of phone calls etc, funny enough it was the exact part number that i had supplied him minus the first character, so at least im confident we have got the right bit. I have ordered a new ecu (697.50 plus vat) which should be here by early next week (they are coming from germany). I did enquire with them about setting it up they wanted 150 plus vat, the auto electrician wants 80 so i think it will be going back to him. Im now over a thousand pounds down on the car.
Im really hoping that it was the ecu that failed first and that caused all the other weird insturment readings...not something else that could potentailly happen again and wreck my new (expensive ecu). unfortunately the only way i can see to test it is to fit it and try it..........im keeping fingers crossed, but despite what seems to be the consensus of opinion i dont think its going to work!! ive got a bad feeling that something else is going wrong here! hope im wrong!
i will update again!
-
I have ordered a new ecu (697.50 plus vat) which should be here by early next week (they are coming from germany). I did enquire with them about setting it up they wanted 150 plus vat, the auto electrician wants 80 so i think it will be going back to him. Im now over a thousand pounds down on the car.
Tony, hope it works out for you. I would imagine that a stealer repair would be under warranty when it goes 'pop' again, does the other bloke give warranty as well ?
As far as costs go if the truck is back to 100%....£1000 will not buy you a truck with that level of looks, style, comfort, off-road capabilities, gizmo's etc.....
that's how I always fool myself into believing that the cost is warranted :icon_rolleyes:
-
I would be inclined to have the dealer fit it. £1000 down and by trying to save £70 you could miss out on a decent warrantied repair which may give you some claim to get a new part and free fitting should something bad happen when setting up this new ECU.
-
:imwitstupid:
-
:imwitstupid: x2
-
Before you commit. Apparently, the computer in the gearshift assembly can fail, disrupting the CAN bus and causing the diesel controller to lock up. This is often mis diagnosed as diesel controller failure. Refit the original diesel controller and unplug the gearshift unit (you have to remove the centre console.) If the engine fires up properly, there's your problem. As BBA and Bosch have messed with it, they may have deleted the skis key data so it might only run for a second or so, then shut down. Another telltale of this problem is wierd dash readings and if the dash illumination is stuck on.
-
Listen to the man above!
-
:iagree:
-
Listen to the Doc man....
-
:icon_winkle:
Well finally the jeep is running, put the "new" ecu (ill explain in a bit) on after getting the auto sparks guy to clone the codes of the old one, straight away i could see differences, before the temp gauge was indicating warm straight off and the fuel gauge didnt show anything (evn though half a tank) with the new one both gauges appear to work okay....the big test...it fired up staright away and runs with all controls working as they should. The jeep is back at last.
The weird bit about the ecu, jeep sold it to me as a "new" part yet when i had the codes done he tells me there was allready a code in the unit which he had to clear first, im wondering whether it came from another vehicle in which case i find that a bit annoying after paying 800 quid for the thing!
Its left me with a big doubt about the car now, im not sure if im going to trust it again! its taken 8 weeks and over 1000 pounds to sort this out!
-
not a good intro mate, but at least its runnin so isnt just a breaker, whatever u decide to do, but i would say stick with it for a while and see
-
Keeping fingers crossed for ya Tony.
-
I'm glad it's up and running, you just need to spend some time with it now, if you don't love it shortly I'll take it off your hand for a pork pie and a pack of wotsits.
-
I'm glad it's up and running, you just need to spend some time with it now, if you don't love it shortly I'll take it off your hand for a pork pie and a pack of wotsits.
Not a very generous offer there James considering its the Christmas season....... :headhack:
I will give you a roast turkey and stuffing sandwich,a box of mince pies and a Christmas pudding.