Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Ecu repair

Shinehead

Oct 31, 2018
3
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
3
Greetings everyone,like to introduce myself first ,im in south Africa and and in automotive industries ,joined the forum as always having trouble with ecus electronics,can one kindly advise if anyone has knowledge with ecus.
Kind regards
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
6,514
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
6,514
I'm surprised you have so many issues with ECUs - they are generally very reliable.

Either way, finding information on them is almost impossible although visible damage such a blown FETs should be straightforward unless the reason is elsewhere.
 

Externet

Aug 24, 2009
891
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
Messages
891
From the maaany ECUs I have dealt with, I have seen only one failed. Because some genius reversed the battery.
Ignorance of automotive electronics makes technicians to want to replace the ECU in a total guessing mode. Like in the days of VCRs, they wanted to replace the heads because did not troubleshoot nor understand how worked...
First step is to read error codes. What shows up ?
 

Shinehead

Oct 31, 2018
3
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
3
From the maaany ECUs I have dealt with, I have seen only one failed. Because some genius reversed the battery.
Ignorance of automotive electronics makes technicians to want to replace the ECU in a total guessing mode. Like in the days of VCRs, they wanted to replace the heads because did not troubleshoot nor understand how worked...
First step is to read error codes. What shows up ?
Hi , thanks for reply,most of the time issue with jump starting and modules and ecus go dead,and in times i get ecus that dont communicate with diagnostics machines which is my concern and when fitted with another used one there is communication,when there is communication issue how do i diagnose the pcb,how do i identify a transiever ?
Kind regards
 

Shinehead

Oct 31, 2018
3
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
3
Hi
From the maaany ECUs I have dealt with, I have seen only one failed. Because some genius reversed the battery.
Ignorance of automotive electronics makes technicians to want to replace the ECU in a total guessing mode. Like in the days of VCRs, they wanted to replace the heads because did not troubleshoot nor understand how worked...
First step is to read error codes. What shows up ?
Hi,thanks for reply, its not possible to read error codes as the diagnostic machine dont communicate with ecus,my intention is to identify the power supply chips and communication transceivers etc ,to try and test the components on pcb .
Kind regards
 

Externet

Aug 24, 2009
891
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
Messages
891
To repair something, you must know how it works. If schematics or service manuals are not available, you are left to guessing.
To guess, Check power supplies, 3.3V, 5V, 12V... whatever is present in the power pins of many ICs. Next, see clocks, data lines activity in memory chips, microcontrollers.
Next follow the communication lines to the external world, there should be chips handling the OBD protocols; identify traces to such communication IC; check if there is data out/in at its corresponding pins. Hard to probe with boards coated.
If ICs numbering can be followed to their data sheets, it is of great help.
I suppose the manufacturers of such ECUs do not want tampering with their units and that is why are secretive in their design. It is a safety issue and lawyers are always ready to sue and profit from unauthorized servicing in the age of dispose, buy new.
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
6,514
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
6,514
ECUs will have over voltage an (probably) reverse polarity protection fitted. When they are called into use they generally fail to a short or open status and those defective parts should be identifiable.

There will be dedicated serial data comms devices too - Google the protocol to see how the data can be generated and if a dedicated device is used you can trace/replace it.

As already noted, ECUs are both very reliable and decide that shouldn't really be messed with - more so I you can't find technical data for them.

You might want to Google the open source ECU project where you will find such devices that are fully documented and available for more and more motors as their popularity grows.
 
Top