10 replies to this topic

[mqm]

OK in between showers I have been trying got get my car started since before Xmas. The engine will turn but not catch and no sound from file pump and I can't connect to the ecu via a code reader.

 

As mentioned in other related posts I have tried the usual suspects and whether it is a coincidence or not the fault appeared a week after I had replaced the resistors on the heater.

 

In addition I also had a few bottle in the boot which I thought might have hit the relays.

 

Anyway I bought a Windows laptop to run OP-COM and also to run the TIS 2000.  The OP_COM won't connect (as expected) only pis 7 seems to work.

 

Sometimes the car will start and ecu connection can be made and all seems well until I try to start it again.

 

Working through the TIS I checked power to the ECU and no power (pin 18).  With ignition on or off.

 

TIS says there is a fault between the fuse FB8 and the ECU.

 

Checked the connector X3 and power to there to the ECU (pin13). Therefore I assume problem is somewhere between.

 

Any ideas?  

 

Mark

 

 

[Zoobeef]

We've just fixed one which had a brake in the violet wire coming out the black plug behind the header tank. This wire connects fuse 8 to the ecu. You may have an intermittent brake internally in that same wire.

[mqm]

Zoobeef I'm impressed.

 

How did you find the break so quickly, was there obvious damage or did you just unwrap the harness until you found something? I spent all day messing about with things as it took me ages to take the ecu connector off.  I'm still trying to understand the wiring diagrams on the TIS as they seem to jump around a bit and don't make much sense to some one like me.

 

I've identified that the violet wire between the X3 connector (the top black one next to header tank) and the fuse (FB8) being the problem but was dreading trying to find it as the wire seems to go right through the centre of the car alongside the gear lever/handbreak etc.  I also suspected that I may have crushed that wire when I took the battery out so was going to start at the front.

 

I'll now start at the X3 connector end.  How far up was your break?  The harness seems a bit tight near the loom of doom connectors so I suspect when I tightened things up a few years ago when I had problems it might have put more stress on the harness whilst taking the stress off the connectors.

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

[Zoobeef]

The break was on the ecu side of the black plug, only about an inch along. I spotted a very small amount of green powder which was the copper corrosion coming out a small hole in the wire. Have you done a continuity check between fuse 8 and one side of the black plug. And the other side of the black plug and the ECU? Or are you just not getting power down to the plug?

[mqm]

No continuity check.  Just no power at ecu or at the plug (X3).  I did get some voltage (8.5v) though when I switched the ignition on which seemed odd but that might have been through the ecu???

 

Will try continuity check and look out for green powder along the harness.

 

Fuse 8 supplies a lot of things over than the ecu.  However there is only one cable connected to the fuse.  Does it split off somewhere and if so do you know where?

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

[rhoran00]

Just wondering if you ever managed to sort this, and what the cause was? I've been fault finding the last few days after my turbo cut out on me last weekend. Sounds like my problem is very similar in that power to the ECU and therefore engine seemed to be intermittent. Have checked this morning and I have an Earth, a permanent live to X31 pin 18, and an ignition live to X31 pin 51. http://www.zincprote...ng diagrams.pdf was a godsend for doing this - a huge thank you to whoever put this together Just wondering if there is anything else I can check before going down a new ECU route

[mqm]

Hi mate

 

Yes I sorted it out.  I needed a new ECU after checking all the wires, connectors etc.

 

Bought it from ECU to go.  

 

http://www.vauxhall-ecu.com

 

 

I was really reluctant to drill out the security bolt on the ECU and it was a pain doing it.  Once I got to the connector I found out it has power etc and I think following a few more tests using the OPCOM and electronic manual I diagnosed the ECU.  

 

Fitting the ECU was a doddle and I now wished I had drilled out the security bolt that much sooner as it would have saved me a lot of bother.

 

Note you will need a new immobiliser as well and ECU to Go sell them already paired.  £299 new £199 s/h refurbished

 

Mark

[rhoran00]

Cheers for the response . I'm pretty sure I've bottomed it out as being the ECU too now. Took the plastic cover off and found the root cause of the issue (seems to be the substrate). In the process of getting a replacement so cheers for the tip-off of ECU's to go! Did you go new or second hand out of curiosity?

[mqm]

I went new as I was still planning on keeping the car.  It was only when I changed job and got a company car that I decided the VX had to go.

 

I did around 168k in the car so can't really complain.

 

Happy motoring.

 

Mark

[rhoran00]

168k?!? That's some going! Is the car still racking up miles? My cars only done 54k, but I'm pretty sure it's not the original ECU., although it appears to be a vx220 ECU as it had an a116 part number label on it. I'm exploring using a 1.2 16v ECU as its the same hardware and a local Bosch auto centre is happy to give it a go re-flashing it with a 2.0 map . If it works I'll repeat the process so I have a spare, if it doesn't, I'll go for a new one from ECU's to go

[mqm]

I sold it last year in the summer.  The guy already had a VX and was going to give the car some TLC.  Hopefully it will go back on the road but probably modified.  

 

Still miss it as I am stuck in BMW Tourer which has as much soul as a plastic orange.  I did all but 2,000 miles myself as that's all it had when I bought it.  These cars need to be driven and that's why I sold it in the end.  If it hardly got used it would soon play up.  Just going on holiday and leaving it for two weeks would upset it and I would have to give it some attention to get it back on form!!

 

Good luck with the ECU.