Serious problem, need help

[awdsm drft]

Car is barely running. Starts sometimes, idles very rough and choppy. The car sounds cammed out and stutters when revved. It running VERY rich when I do get it started and shooting black smoke. I originally thought mas air, but after replacing it nothing changed. When I can get it started nothing changes when I unplug the mass air or even the iac. We turned to the motor but its in very good condition. Excellent compression and no blow by. Changed the plugs and nothing changes. Checked out fuses. Checked cam angle sensor. No vacuum leaks. Charge piping is fine.

Were left with a few things. Because nothing changes when anything is unplugged and we can't even get a cel, is my ecu shot? This all happened out of nowhere while making a third gear pull.

 

[ben90tsi]

id check the ECU just to be sure, look for the usual (leaky caps, fishy smell, brown crud/burn marks). if the ECU you is fine i would recommend changing the caps if you havent already done so. i neglected to do that now my EPROM hit the poo poo.

 

[awdsm drft]

Thanks for your input. Its definatly on the next to check list. It is very inconsistent. It won't always start. Sometimes it'll start and then die quickly. Other times it'll start then idle real rough for a good 30 seconds at -10 vacuum then it will just click off for no reason. Nothing i've done has changed its performance. I could unplug every since and it would run the exact same.

I would like some more input/info/links for good information on bad ecu's. I'm not familar with them and not sure what to look for. I do have access to one easily but I'd like to be sure it is the ecu before I go to buy it, so what exactly will I be looking for when I pull my ecu.

Is there anyone who has encountered this problem before that could point me in a different direction?

 

[awdsm drft]

Fixed it. 20 hours under the hood lead me to the ecu. Cracked it open and stunk of fish. No apparent leaks but it was definatly the problem. Threw an auto ecu in there for the time being. Seems to be running very lean so I'm babying it around until I find a 5spd.

Happy wrenching!