Unwell Ibiza - Suspect ECU failure

[Gorbstein]

I'm just looking for a second opinion before I send my ECU off to get rebuilt.

Started having various electrical gremlins such as EPC and engine management light on randomly. Then became hard to start.

Now it won't start at all. With ignition on the fuel pump does not prime and the warning lights mentioned above are on (the EML is flickering). There is no spark from any of the plugs.

Have replaced the battery, the fuel pump relay, and have checked continuity of wiring.

I had a look at the ECU and it was swimming in water as is common on these cars. I took it out and put it on a radiator for a night, but no change.

Today I bit the bullet and opened up the ECU. It has signs of previous water ingress so I'm assuming that the ECU is shot and causing symptoms of no fuel or spark.

Anything else I should check?

Has anyone had success from ECU Doctor? I assume I can't just get another ECU from a scrappy as the immobilizer won't match up?

 

[bazpro]

had a similar problem with mine before christmas. the rubber grommet was missing and it had took in water.
it cut out while driving, started back up then cut out again.
anyway when i took the ecu apart i sprayed it with electrical cleaner and cleaned the water damaged bits with a fine brush, once it was all clean i used a hair dryer to dry it out then placed it under a radiator all night.
sealed it up the next day and plugged the gromet hole and its never missed a beat since.
i also wrapped it up in a bag and placed a plastic lid over the top of it with a cut out for water to run off.
might i add the ecu wouldnt connect up to my mates diagnostic computer when it was wet so ended up changing a few sencers on the off chance it was then but it was all down to the ecu.

worth a try doing it yourself just make sure its bone dry when u but it back together

 

[Gorbstein]

Excellent idea to give it a bit more TLC and try again. I did spray it with electrical cleaner but it's still marked. A small brush and some attention to the bits where water got in is probably worth a try.

Also interesting to note you couldn't communicate via cable. Mine is the same, it recognises the car connection but fails connecting to the ECU. So it's looking more likely I've found the culprit.

Cheers!

 

[bazpro]

i changed the cam and crank sencer thinking it was them, but it started doing strange things with the ignition on without the car running like the fans kicking in and stuff so thats what led my pal to pull i ecu out and see why its going mental.

 

[Gorbstein]

Legend! I gave it a good scrub with some extra contact cleaner, and in the process noticed that the earth on the PCB was really badly corroded. Took some sandpaper to it, and also sanded the inside of the ECU casing to get rid of the muck and crystallisation.

That, plus cleaning then tightening the grounds on the bodywork and she started first time. Magic!

Noted that the drainage channels under the wiper scuttle were blocked, probably causing the ECU to sit in a puddle.

Next challenge is finding some more of that black goo to re-seal the casing. Then it will be getting sealed against world war 3.

 

[bazpro]

i just used clear silicone, then wrapped it in a bag then few blobs of silicone ontop of the bag, then use a old tubaware lid to cover the ecu and cut a notch out for the water to run off into the channel.
the water was getting down the plastic bit on the windscreen where it had come away a bit (think its had a new screen) so sealed that bit up to.
fingers crossed

 

[Gorbstein]

Glad you mentioned the bit against the windscreen, I just checked it and it is a bit loose, probably from when I redid all the wiper linkages last year. Worth a dab of sealant there.

Cheers.