Ecu problem--did shop overcharge?

[suavyx1000]

Hi the ecu in my car recently went out. I went to a shop and they diagnosed the problem. The technician said he just checked for spark, then checked the grounds to find that the ecu was not providing ground for the MPI control relay. To do this they charged me 2.5 hours labor. This is a shop I generally like to go to, but I called another shop before I brought it to the one that diagnosed it, described my problem, and they told me it was probably the ecu and that it'd take about 1-1.5 hours to diagnose the problem. Did I get overcharged quite a bit or does this procedure take about 2 hours? If they majorly overcharged me I think I need to find another place to go.

Thanks in advance

 

[my_gst95]

To replace an ECU in a 1G DSM with a working ECU takes 10 minutes...35 minutes if you don't know what you're doing. Are they electronicaly testing your ECU? Maybe they are doing something else other then an ECU replacement...

my_gst95

 

[DSM90AWD]

Maybe.. maybe not. Many shops will quote you a std "shop rate" for a particular job which is often inflated.. though if they go over/under this the same "shop rate" labor charge will apply.

If a shop has performed this type of service many times before and knows it will not take this long (or want to be competitive).. they may give you a lower estimate.

My advice to you would have been to "borrow" another ECU to see if yours was indeed messed up. Used ECUs are easy to come by and could be bought for ~ a shops "ECU diagnostic service".

If you can swap out car radio.. re/re an ECU is a 20min job.

 

[DrHess]

Diagnostic work can be a real PITA. Especially if you are not intimately knowledgeable of the specifics of the system. I am a Toyota, Lotus and Harley guy and it took me four days to find the problem with my step-son's 96 Talon. You can read the thread, but there was no spark on 1&4. The problem was the timing belt tensioner and idler pulley bearings had completely blown, as in little ball bearings in the bottom of the timing chain cover and the sleeves metal on metal. Try and figure that from no spark on 1&4 and spark on 2&3 when the motor cranks fine and makes no weird noises. PITA. So, it could have taken them 2.5 hours to figure it out, or not. Anytime you pay a contractor by the hour and not the job you are letting yourself open to getting ripped. But if they have not ripped you before and do decent work, it may have taken them that and I would just suck up the extra hour. It is very difficult to find an honest, competitent auto shop.

Dr.Hess

 

[suavyx1000]

Thanks for your posts. It may have taken them the time, but there are a few other mechanic shops I've been referred to, so this might give me an opportunity to check them out. I hope you all are having a nice holiday season.