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[rossi123]

Hello all I need some advice so here goes I've just replaced my abs ecu after getting it back from BBa reman, it was tricky but do-able defo put spacers on when refitting or you'll swear lots,
Anyway here goes I started car and no probs it was nice having trouble free driving with her then put fuel in and when I started car it had traction control light on which I was kinda expecting because it says that it can happen in maintenance so I thought no probs, however later in the day it started but cut out and then started fine, the next morning it happened again but this time I had to rev it a little to get it started ( it seemed like choke wasn't working, I know it doesn't have one) but when i got in car to come home from work it was fine with no traction control light on and running beautifully again later it happened again so I cleaned idle control valve and even got another one to fit which didn't work so my question is
Does the abs ecu affect idle I know it affects Tc but can't see how it would affect idle.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Paul

[Boditza]

from my knowledge the engine isn't affected by the abs ecu.. even the brakes work perfect without abs. maybe you touched something or snapped. try a pedal trick and see what codes you get

[Chris_H]

I would suggest your running problems are more likely related to something else you moved/disconnected while doing the ABS ECU although the TC light is a worry.

ABS ECU affects a surprising number of things IIRC. Speedo gets its pulses from it so that dies, TC light comes on, Speed-sensitive PAS will get stuck in whatever weight-setting it was in when the ECU last gave it a speed reading, speed-sensitive ICE will have its volume not noticing the 50mph threshold, immobiliser will not know the car is moving when it is and MAY be disabled (watch the double-negative there!).

I think that's an exhaustive list and the last one doesn't get mentioned much but I seem to recall identifying that from the circuit diagram.  It's also the only one that might potentially cause running problems but I've not heard of that happening.

[Jimbob]

the program, well lack of program to be exact on an ABS ECU does affect idle somehow.

The car in the guide was mine, and that ecu was a brand new one.

It was fitted, and forever had an idling problem and one of the things that led to Steve selling the car.

the car would idle too low, and would stall for the 1st minute or so if the revs werent maintained.

I bought it, and liking things to work took it to a tech2, had 3litre, auto programmed into it, the car was running at the time, the engine note changed as the revs altered, and it never stalled again 


All said, doesnt help your problem.
You have either caused an issue with the work youve done...
or the refurb hasnt actually fixed  your ecu / damaged in transit.
I guess its possible ecu's got mixed up and you may not even have got your own back.

[Varche]

the program, well lack of program to be exact on an ABS ECU does affect idle somehow.

The car in the guide was mine, and that ecu was a brand new one.

It was fitted, and forever had an idling problem and one of the things that led to Steve selling the car.

the car would idle too low, and would stall for the 1st minute or so if the revs werent maintained.

I bought it, and liking things to work took it to a tech2, had 3litre, auto programmed into it, the car was running at the time, the engine note changed as the revs altered, and it never stalled again 


All said, doesnt help your problem.
You have either caused an issue with the work youve done...
or the refurb hasnt actually fixed  your ecu / damaged in transit.
I guess its possible ecu's got mixed up and you may not even have got your own back.

Gulp! I hadn't thought about that as a possible downside of reconditioning. My latest S/H one has failed after only a few months so I will mark mine before I send it off for recon.

[rossi123]

So basically retrace my steps through the removal an fitting procedure and see what that brings up any more ideas feel free to post
Thanks again
Paul

[rossi123]

Defo my ecu so do you think putting 3.0 auto elite programme would cure it or is more likely something is loose for it too be intermittent, don't mean to sound stupid but don't really know where to go from here ??
Paul

[Jimbob]

If it was a program issue - it would be constant and permanent.

The intermittant TC light worries me, suspect it is the ECU, in one way or another.

Do you have access to a code reader capable to talking to the ABS ECU? Such as Tech2, Vaux/op com at all?  Where are you someone may be able to do a read for you.

[rossi123]

I'm in St Helens Merseyside well near Warrington cheshire
That's what I thought if it was a programme issue it would stay on
do you know anyone in the area that does the code reading, my girlfriends brother did one last time but not sure he knows what he's doing with it the last time he did one he said it had fault on rpm but he never had engine running
Paul

[Jimbob]

ahh yes the old 31 - no rpm, yes quite normal with the engine on
(unlike 19 which is a problem)

Not sure of anyone of the top of my head in that area..Someone may shout up though.

But if you find yourself down the motorway near Chester, drop me a message, and ill see if there is anything obvious.

[rossi123]

I'm off work on Friday so could do with sorting something for Friday morning so if nobody pops up or you don't mind I'll pop over it's only 25 mins from me
Paul

[Jimbob]

Yup, working myself, but can arrange to work from home, fairly flexible on time (9:30 -9:45, and 11-12 I am busy though).

Drop a pm if noone more local appears and I can put the "My Naff Code Reader" on it, can check a lot of the live data, check the ABS ecu out - assuming it is responding at the time), and see if anything obvious jumps out 

[omega si]

What about disconnecting the multiplug off the abs ecu and see what happens with the idling/starting then?

[rossi123]

well i haven't thought of that one but there has been developments for instance when the car is in sports mode the rev's dont change like they normally do when the tc light is not on also it seems laboured and not very smooth when tc light is on all of which leads me to think it has got to be abs ecu but it's in for tech 2 in next couple of day's so i'll keep you posted, i have a feeling that i'll have to take ecu off again because it's faulty but gotta try tech 2 first

[Jimbob]

Well, Paul popped round and weve done some diagnostics and got to the bottom of this one....The ECU has no program!
This is detailed in the maint guide, but has previously only applied to brand new ABS ecu's, this is the 1st time we've seen this issue on a refurbed one.

So the fix, is to get it on tech2 for a config change.
We also had a not present Crank sensor
and a few old gearbox codes.

All cleared out, ready for the next code read.

We also found a knackered check strap bush, but I had run out of replacements.
The thermostat has also gone
Aircon needs a regas, maybe more

So a fair few jobs for another day.

Live data for logging purposes follows....