Bad ECU or mechanic?

**Dark** · 08-09-2012, 09:47 AM

Not sure if im posting this in the right sections if not sorry ill try better next time.

Heres the story i have a 1997 vr4 and i was coming up to the 120K maintenance so i did some research and found this mechanic a bit of a drive away that has the knowledge and reputation to work on a 3s. So i drop it off at 120080ish miles (i know great timing!!!) but heres where things get iffy. I drove the car up there myself made it just fine but it has been running rich as well as bad oil pressure issues so i figured it was just a bad pump. Car sits for a few months...(yes months) and when he finally gets to it the pump is fine (yay!.. but wait) instead the bearings are shot! (this is where he shows hes a top notch mechanic) i went up to get some paperwork out of my car and he shows me the parts, the bearings are almost flaking so great catch! now its 3 months after that i still have no car and now it wont start... like all 6 injectors stuck open wont start... how likely is it that the ecu went bad just sitting there without any use for 4-6 months or did the mechanic do something that broke the ECU cause im 3000k down on an original 1600 quote and its starting to piss me off that i have no car since my other took a crap on me. Currently i have a friend that is having some trouble with his car (1997 vr4) and hes dropping it off at the same mechanic that i have my car at and tell him (the mechanic) to use his car to troubleshoot mine.

Electrically i have done alot to the car recently so if the ecu is bad i would understand... but it would have been bad Before i went to the mechanic.

recent additions
-Deft racing Lambo door kit I had to extend the wires on both doors by about 15")
-Viper Alarm system (5704) i was able to wire it all in myself except the remote start (need programmer for it) i drove with it for 3-5 weeks no issues.
-Shaved door kit (wired into the Viper alarm system along with the remote window controller for the viper system)
-aftermarket stereo and sound system (all have been disabled to discourage joy riding while at the shop its a habbit from back when i was in chicago. I saw my car go past with the mechanics working on it "bumpin the beets")

**CoreyB** · 08-09-2012, 10:16 AM

The ECU didnt go bad just sitting there. Either it is not the ECU or he did something that fried it. What makes you think the injectors are all open? Is it just flooding out? The first thing to check is spark, if you dont have spark, make sure the crank sensor is plugged in and properly installed. If you do have spark, check compression to verify the timing is correct.

**Emilie@GZP** · 08-09-2012, 10:40 AM

You need to be more specific on.what it is actually doing, not what you suspect. We can't help you otherwise.

It's not your ecu though.

The mechanic can't troubleshoot the problems with your car by looking at your friends. That's like saying fix my broken arm, by examining my brothers arm.

**CoreyB** · 08-09-2012, 11:57 AM

He could use parts from the friends car to fix the broken car though. Only if he doesnt know how to test the parts first, which he SHOULD be able to do.

**green-lantern** · 08-09-2012, 12:15 PM

Don't those alarms disable the coils or something if it thinks somebody is jacking it? Battery getting low from sitting tripped it off?

**Dark** · 08-09-2012, 12:44 PM

Mechanic says that it's a dead short in the injector driver and that it's sending 12v to all the injectors any ideas

**Emilie@GZP** · 08-09-2012, 12:45 PM

Reading the mod list (skipped it before)

It could be wiring related. We've seen a few ECU's blow on the newer models from radio wiring grounding out. Check your wiring. It could be related to the alarm as well. I really don't know anything about alarms and how they work though, so, I can't speak to anything specific, just that it's a possibility.

Pull the ECU out, and check for anything burned. If you aren't sure what you are looking at, take a picture and post it up.

**CoreyB** · 08-09-2012, 12:54 PM

I could be wrong, but I think the ECU is supposed to be supplying that 12V to the injectors all the time. I want to say it controls the injector on the negative side by supplying the ground.

**CoreyB** · 08-09-2012, 12:58 PM

3. Driver signal
Injectors release fuel when the valve opens. Fuel flow is relatively constant once the valve is open, so the longer the valve is open (the drive time), the more fuel flows. The valve opens when current flows through the solenoid inside the injector. Typically, battery voltage is applied to the injector and the circuit is completed through a ground path inside the engine control module (ECM). Using switching transistors, the ECM closes and opens the connection to ground to open and close the injector, respectively.

Stealth 316 - Fuel Injectors