91 TSi awd will start but will not run >>

[Al Blue4.6l]

Starting yesteday morning my 91 will start...but runs like crap...itll hold the RPM at about 400, but if i try to rev it up itll reach about 1000 before dying. The check engine light is on the entire time that its running that way.

I popped the hood when it did it yesterday morning, checked the plug wires and some other connections (everything was fine), got back in the car and it started right up with no signs of anything abnormal. 10 hours later it was time to leave work and it did it again. Cut it off and restarted it 3 times with the same results. Got out, popped hood, checked connections, shut hood, it started right up. When I got to my gf's apartment, I shut it off and restarted it and it restarted just fine. Well, just tried it again and its doing the same thing again (hopefully itll start up eventually, I was just checking to see if it was still going to do it).

Anyone have any ideas? It did storm night before last and was very nasty, humid, etc. yesterday morning...but if anything had gotten wet, i would think that it would have dried out by now.

Thanks

edit- just walked outside and tried it again and it started right up and ran normally. very wierd...

 

[philipkrotch]

sounds like a possible ECU problem...or MAF problem.

 

[Al Blue4.6l]

ok I just pulled the ECM...there is some brown leakage at first but a lot of what you see in the pics is clear stuff over top of scrapes in the board. pics

http://home.comcast.net/~alblue281/tecu1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~alblue281/tecu2.jpg

edit- the ECM is a rebuilt unit with a rebuild date of 4/28/03. sticker says it was rebuilt by Automotive Computer Supply www.ecmtogo.com The car did sit for quite a while between 4/03 and my purchase of it.

edit again- just called ACS, they said they put silicon over where they replace stuff, so that would be the clear crap...

What should I check for on the maf (i know it doesnt have any bent honeycombs)

 

[Al Blue4.6l]

problem solution post:

ecmtogo received the ECU today and tried it in their test car. it did the same thing to them, so now I know the ECU was the problem. the guy said the techs did a couple things to the board and it seems to be running fine in the car now, they're going to test it again tomorrow and then send it back to me if its still running fine.