Does the ecu ground through its brackets in any way?

[99ishVR-4]

Quick question, I am doing some powder coating on the interior center console supports. I dont think they do, but want to make sure, does the ecu or mfi relay ground through their metal brackets at all? I would take my ecu case off and see myself but its rebuilt and under warranty. Thanks

[stealthee]

Not that I know of. I have had ECU's just laying on the floor to test things and the car fired right up.

[GTOJOE]

I can't comment on ours but usually yes they do. Usually the screws that hold the ecu into the housing are ground points so then the housing is screwed/bolted to the car. I could not change the contact points of any major component.

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[anyonebutme]

99 ECU's have a plastic case......

I've run my car with no case or MFI relay grounding before.

[99ishVR-4]

Alright well if anyone knows for sure, please post up. I know for a fact that these cars run with the ecu lying on the carpet. I also know that the ptu is supposed to ground through its metal bracket but I have seen a car running fine with it just dangling there with no bracket at all. Just want to make sure it is right, I know there are grounding wires at their connectors, just wondering if they were designed to be grounded through the casings as well. I thought of the 99 ecus case being plastic, but after looking at some pics of them, they have metal brackets to mount them.

[$$$PIT]

My question is... why would you be powder coating brackets that no one can see anyway?

[99ishVR-4]

My question is... why would you be powder coating brackets that no one can see anyway?

All of those brackets are bare steel, no protective coating of any type to prevent rust and most of them have lots of surface rust. I am redoing my whole car and I would like it to be entirely rust free if I can. I hate spray paints durability so powder coating is the next easiest thing for me.

I would just mask off the mounting areas for the ecu just to be safe but I found that those bare metal areas that were masked off start to rust, and then the rust can creep under the powder coat. So now I'm trying to only mask what is absolutely necessary. I have been searching for a secondary coating to put on the masked areas that prevents rust, is electrically conductive, dries, and lasts long but it doesn't seem to exist outside of zinc plating first and then powder coating.

For now, I have just been polishing the masked areas and applying a light coat of antisieze, but I hate how messy it is.

[Beef6]

My ecu is not bolted to the mounts either without issue.

Can anyone verify the ptu grounds through the bracket, how about the coil packs?

[futurevr4man]

i am 99% sure the ptu DOES ground through the bracket. there is a metal plate on the bottom of the ptu itself, so if it doesnt i would be amazed.

[anyonebutme]

i am 99% sure the ptu DOES ground through the bracket. there is a metal plate on the bottom of the ptu itself, so if it doesnt i would be amazed.

Metal plates are also used as heat sinks in a lot of applications.