No start issue-euro motor. ECU question:

[ddstl]

Randomly, my car wouldn't start yesterday in the parking lot after work. It gave no symptoms of a problem when I parked it earlier in the day. I did some troubleshooting and narrowed it down to a no-spark. Not sure about the coil, but I was thinking about trying another ECU. I don't have another 061 euro ECU to try.
Will a 059 work for the sake of troubleshooting the ECU, or can it be dangerous? I'm hoping it's electrical and not the motronic pin from the flywheel!!

[dworthy]

Hummm, my 86' euro motor came with the 059 ECU so it shouldn't give you a problem. Do test your coil, speed/reference sensors, and Main relay. I just bought a coil less than 2 years ago and it has taken a crap on me.

[ddstl]

Well, I plugged a 059 in and nothing. Plugged in good known relays, #1 fuse, and pulled a plug to visually check for spark. Cleaned speed/ref. sensor contacts with electrical cleaner and scrubbed them with a wire brush- nada. Ran out of daylight, so the car stays at work another night !@#$

The car cranks like crazy--I would highly recommend a Bosch battery to anyone--cranks for days. At least I know I have a good battery LOL!

Tomorrow I'm going back with a good coil and a pair of known good sensors. I appreciate the reply Darin.


[Edit by ddstl on [TIME]1127614213[/TIME]]

[dworthy]

Well what ever you find, I am sitting in the same boat as you. A new coil didn't get the beast running so now I am a sitting duck at the house. My battery is about to run out of juice, but it is 5 years old, and still holds a charge so...

[Matt]

You're not getting spark, right ? (verified via timing light)

the test for the crank/ref sensors are given in the bently.. just measuring resistance basically. they cannot be reversed either, so make sure you dont screw that up.

if you're sure you're not getting spark, and the crank/ref sensors are good, remove your DME, open it up, and look for cracked/cold solder joints on the BIG solder pads for um.. "output drivers" i think they were called

search for cracked-solder motronic and i bet you'll find a link. I had an M5 no-start and this turned out to be the problem. Had the solder joints reflowed and it was great.

Note that a separate _compatible_ ECU should have fired the car, if it was known good.

[ddstl]

Still no start :@

I tried everything but swapping in new sensors yesterday, so I'll put those in today. It's got to be the problem as I can't think of a thing I haven't tried. I've thrown every part at it other than the sensors, and am running out of ideas. I am not 100% sure the ECU that I tried was working, so I will also try the 059 out of my red car today and get back w/results. If nothing works, I'm just going to get the MoFo towed home and deal with it later!!!

Getting plenty of fuel and power to the main relay, so I'm betting one of the sensors, or the ECU have taken a turd on me. Let's hope so--I hate defeat!!!

[dworthy]

Oh yeah, I know what you feel, I just want to slam the hood and curse at the car. :@

But she is my baby, and I have to take care of her... and yes I will try another coil. It seems the one I bought is also out of wack as well.

[canyoncarver]

i have a spare 061 if you need it.............

[ddstl]

Thanks for the offer, Jimbo. Turns out it was only a bad sensor.

jv