eclipse dies once a day

[Kanesis]

I'm doing this to help someone out I'm a Honda owner. This gentleman has a 97-98 eclipse. The problem is similar to a problem i had in my civic just never fixed it. He says in the mourning it usually dies just out of nowhere idling or driving. He says he unplugs the ecu to reset and it usually starts up after that. i looked over vacuum lines they seem to all be hooked up i don't see a led on the ecu like in the civic so i don't know where to get a ecu flash code reading. I was guessing its something to do with main fuel relay or tps? The car is stock unmoded 2.0 dohc. If anyone has had a similar problem please let me know what i could replace and/or look at.


Thanks Kanesis

 

[Game Over]

When I unplug my ECU, it takes a little time for the ECU to learn how the car drives and idles and generally runs. In that time, the car would die once in a while at a stop light or if I drop it to neutral from 3 grand maybe. It's either that or a vacuum leak somewhere.

 

[boostedgst2984]

Does the car randomly just shut off while driving. If so its and electrial problem somewhere. Also if it dies usually in the morning while idling. I would say thats the IAC not working properly. that controls the idle until the car warms up to operating temp. Does he have any performae issues like hesitation and stuff like that

 

[turbotalon46825]

Same Thing Happened To Me..just Driving Along And All The Sudden Nothing. Turned Out My Ecu Was Toast.
If The Ecu Popped Any Codes That Should Tell You Where To Start.

 

[Kanesis]

Same Thing Happened To Me..just Driving Along And All The Sudden Nothing. Turned Out My Ecu Was Toast.
If The Ecu Popped Any Codes That Should Tell You Where To Start.

so the ecu is right behind the drivers side light. Is there a led on the ecu in the 98 eclipse that i can get codes off of ,or do you need to buy the plug-in tool for this car.
Since this is not my car im tryin to go for a sure thing like this will be it. cause i dont want to tell him to buy different things and it not fix the problem. If the ecu is fried how can i narrow it down to know just the ecu might be dead ?

 

[Kanesis]

Does the car randomly just shut off while driving. If so its and electrial problem somewhere. Also if it dies usually in the morning while idling. I would say thats the IAC not working properly. that controls the idle until the car warms up to operating temp. Does he have any performae issues like hesitation and stuff like that

From what he tells me its quite sporadic. hes says more in the mournings than the night sometimes as many as 3 times a day I'm sure.

 

[boostedgst2984]

but does it just die under driving like not idling. Or only die at idle??

 

[steve]

All 1G ECU's have a problem with the capacitors leaking. That either causes random crashes of the ECU or left long enough the electrolyte will eat through something critical and it work run anymore.

Since your new to DSM's I point you to the VFAQ site where you can find out about where the ECU is located and which capacitors to check for leakage and a lot more than you ever wanted to know.

http://www.vfaq.com

You might also be interested in the 1000 questions that have already been answered site.

http://members.shaw.ca/costall/1000Q/

Steve