Ecu? Injectors? Ignition? HELP

[PrimedTsi]

OK. THe car is a 1993 Mitsubishi Eclipse GST(FWD turbo) with a automatic transmission. I bought the car with several slight mods(UIC, K&N, & gauges). Well after about 2 months the car lost 1st and OD, just had 2nd and 3rd. Well the car is my daily driver so i still had to drive it, commute is only 20miles each way and i stayed under 60mph(about 4100rpms cruising in 3rd gear) well i drove it like this for about 3weeks and then parked it. Several days before i had parked it i noticed(well i had to put up with it!) that the car would go into a major limp mode, it would actuall only run on 2 cylinders(1 and 4). I had an old friend hook up his snap-on obd diagnostic tool to the car and found it had 2 codes. Faulty speed sensor(code 24 i believe) and code 44 (it was for a incorrect reading on the ignition system from what i remember). Now i replaced the speed sensor with a brand new one and BAM 1st,2nd,3rd and OD work again! But the major limp mode would still occur. Now this condition happens ANYTIME wether it be 10degrees or 90 degrees outside, nor wether i wussy-foot or rag it. It comes in and out ALL time. What happens is the car looses all its power and the check engine light comes on but then goes away after it comes out of this mode. Somedays it never happens others it can do it 2-3x or the entire time home.

I have replaced both coils(one of the originals were out of factory spec), installed BPR7es and BPR6es(tried both for month at a time) and NGK wires(even tried the magnecore 8.5mm off of my 2g). None of these made a difference. I aksed my friend about this and he told me about the screwdriver injector test(were you old the screwdriver up to the injector and listen for it to be clicking). When the car goes into this limp mode number 2 and 3 injectors stop working(clicking) but then start again when it pops out of the limp mode. This would lead me to believe that the ECU is shutting down these 2 injectors BUT WHY?
Do 93's have bad capacitators?(i dont smell any burnt wires or supposed old fish smell some have said)
Someone PLEASE help me out!

 

[mitsutuner]

Sounds like your ECU for sure, why? because it's 11 year old mitsu.
Replacing the caps on the ECU board is not likely to help you.
Search the DSMtrader & local DSM clubsites for a used 1 or have it rebuilt at a pro-shop. Go to the link below & be sure to click on "photo's of the repair process". There are many shops that rebuild ECU's, I've used ZDR in Fla.

http://www.avproecm.com/

 

[PrimedTsi]

1. Ok so my stock ecu is shot? It cannot be fixxed ever? Can the link you posted repair my stock ecu?

2. Whats the possibility of the Cam angle sensor being broke?

3. Since my car is an automatic do i need to have a turbo automatic ecu or do they have a seperate TCU in 1g's? or do i just need a 91-94 turbo ecu?

Why are you so sure that its the ecu? Im not going against your knowledge just would like to hear some facts behing your diagnosis. Thanks.

 

[mitsutuner]

ECU's can be rebuilt, but should be done by a pro-shop, (because it's easy to screw up to the point where it's not good enough to satisfy the core charge on your new one, or be rebuildable & it may already be at that point when you take it out of the car),that's why I sent you the link, so you could get an idea how complex & exacting it is. Replacing the caps as described in the 1000 FAQ is discussed at that website link also.
But first, you will need to find out exactly what is wrong with your car.
You might be able to see obvious signs of cap leaks or other toasted signs on your ECU board if you take it out & look at it with a lense.
You could swap in a known good ECU from a buddys car & see what happens.
A definitive diagnosis however will come from checking for error codes at your diagnostic port, which is easy to do & well described at the 1000FAQ, here is the link,

http://www.dsm.org/archives/1998/09/19980907.txt/23.html

 

[PrimedTsi]

Ok well i got a obdI scanner today and scanned it...CODE 44 ignition error

How can i be sure its the ecu? Im planning on pulling it out sometime this weekend and cheaking for melted caps and any breaks in the circuit board. Anything else worth checking or are we SET on it being the ecu?

I just dont understand why after letting it sit that the ecu would turn to p()()p!

 

[mitsutuner]

So you say it sounds like you have 2 injecters,(#2&#3) that are not firing, but you have an ignition error code & you've replaced everything in the igntion system except for the ECU & the ignitition power transister. If you look at the wiring diagram, you will see that both the injecters & the ignition voltage are controlled by the ECU,(chilton calls it the MFI control unit, MFI= multi-port fuel injection).
It's very common for ECU's to fail due to heat & running on 2 cylinders & dying altogether are usually the symptoms.

 

[loreak]

i doubt its cam sensor, that would make all cylinders stop firing, coil is pretty much what would cause that, its 2 packs one does 1 and 4 other does 2 and 3. If it is the ecu then you need a turbo/auto ecu, theres a difference between manual/auto, but fwd/awd and year i dont think matter.

 

[PrimedTsi]

Ok, i found a local guy selling a rebuilt ecu from ATE in florida. It has a 2yr warranty on it and he is asking a ver fair price. My question is does the ecu numbers have to match mine?

I believe it is a out of a 90-92 6bolt 5speed AWD

My car is a 93 7bolt AUTO FWD

Only problems i see is the auto and manual deal but there is a TCU for that...But i believe that the ECT power swtich for the auto will not work anymore??? any info.....

What about the automatic 390cc - manual 450cc injector difference? Isnt it just the resistor pack or is it built into the ecu?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mitsutuner]

I don't think it will work based on what I've read at this link,

http://www.tmo.com/faq/diagport/970908.htm

Google search "dsm ecu compatibility" & "dsm ecu part numbers".

I had my ECU rebuilt at Z Doctor Electronics in Orlando, (407)-423-5253. This is your best bet bec they do thorough disgnostics on your ECU, & will tell you if there is a problem with it & also if there is another problem on your car that's abusing your ECU, (example-bad ISC motor), or if just heat & age killed your ECU-they have a limited lifespan.

 

[PrimedTsi]

Heres the part number - md145903 Its out of a 1990 gsx so i highly doubt i can use it. From what I remember barely anything from the 90' models switchs over the 91-94 models. I guess im back on the hunt till get a chance to let the car sit for 1-2 weeks.

 

[PhoenixRPR]

You say you got a code 44? Perhaps your ECU is fine. I got a code 44. The car ran like crap with the code 44. After replacing the ignition coils and the "injector pigtails" the car ran beautifully and the code was cleared and never returned. The pigtails are just the electrical harnesses that attach to each injector at the fuel rail. The wires get brittle and have problems over time.

 

[1stGENracer]

Heres the part number - md145903 Its out of a 1990 gsx so i highly doubt i can use it. From what I remember barely anything from the 90' models switchs over the 91-94 models. I guess im back on the hunt till get a chance to let the car sit for 1-2 weeks.

Wanna trade that ECU for my 91-94 Eprom ECU from an Automatic?