ecm questions.

[meders]

no one has any rebuilt ones for sale. was wondering if anyone can recommend a technician that does this. i had an old friend, that teaches electrical engineering at the local tech school, replace the (2) 47 microfarad capacitors that were seeping and had severely corroded legs. the other one was ok.

car fired up and ran, sorta rough then idle settled and was normal, then turned it off. now it starts but idles low(400rpm) then dies.

anyway, i was told by a fox gt owner that when the computer goes into closed loop is when it starts failing. i've owned the car 2 years and it came with CAI and no cats, other than that all stock.

any help or repair tech referral would be greatly appreciated.

[JerryPHX]

Just checked online to see availability of a ECM. Rock Auto has none in stock but O'Reilly's (sp?) does. I used 1993 Mustang, 5.0 since I don't know the year or what car you are talking about.

Remember, after a ECM or battery is disconnected the ECM has to relearn everything. Years ago a dealer tech told me to start the car and hold the rpm's at 2500 rpm for two minutes then idle for one minute and then two minutes at 2500 rpm then let it idle before shut off (all this while parked).

Also, was the ECM "reflashed" after you had it open?

[meders]

it was not reflashed. what is that? i'll look t up. is it something i can do?

[meders]

sorry i forgot, i have a 91 schp w/ 5 speed.

[chp1982]

Finding one ended up being quite the task. No stores have the rebuilt ones.

If you're on Facebook, there's a guy named josh popper who sells rebuilt ecm's. He is also on eBay selling as Encore. Don't get thrown off by the prices. I paid 175 or so for one and sent him my old one for a core refund.

He even sends a video of it working.

[JerryPHX]

I was told back in 1986 or 87, by a Factory Rep that once a ECU (his words) was opened up and worked (on the inside), it "loses it's Operating System and had to be Re-flashed".

Just think of it as buying a new PC at BestBuy without an Operating system installed (software). Once you install Windows or some other system it will work fine. A ECU can work but doesn't know if it's in a 5.0 Mustang or a 6cyl F150, without the proper programming (called "apps" today). So it doesn't know what parameters to work towards. During that period, your ECU in your 92 visually looks just like the ECU in my 94 F150. It's what's programmed inside that counts.

At the time (1986) that could only be done at Ford (computer controlled engines were NEW back then). So it had to be sent back, but now the Speed Shops advertise that they can re-flash a ECU. I think a lot of places now have the programming. That's why if you buy an engine at a recycle yard the ECU goes with it.
I'm not saying you need this but it's something to keep "in mind" while your checking for lose/damaged wires, weak TFI or vacuum (sp?) leaks.

Do you have an ECU from a friends similar car (doesn't need to be a SSP) that you could swap out and then see how the car reacts?

Let us know what you figure out,
Jerry