What is this gooey stuff on ECM/ECU board? Picture

Honda8 · Mar 9, 2009

Hi there. This ECM from a 92 Turbo Talon works perfectly, but when I opened it up there was this gooey stuff around the capacitors and some other places. The goo is actually kind of hard now but seems like it would soften with heat. Any ideas as to what or why it's there?

The ECM also had a date written on the case 16/11/01 and the numbers DH-316.

I also noticed that the screws on the board as seen in the picture have white paint.

The only similar thread here http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/problem-diagnosis/9419-2g-ecu-jelly-gunk-stuff-stuff.html provides little if any information.

Thanks

fwdmaster · Mar 9, 2009

Looks like insulating foam to me,I think the original owner sprayed it on your ecu so leaking caps won't mess up the eprom board

Honda8 · Mar 9, 2009

Thanks alot I appreciate it. Does anybody else have any ideas?

TwoLiterLaser · Mar 9, 2009

It has probably been refurbished or inspected by a company that put a warranty on their work as that paint is meant to detect when someone messes with the ECU. Was there a tape or seal on the outside that you had to cut to get it open?

Honda8 · Mar 9, 2009

No tape seal but paint was also on the outer screws as well. I remember the outer screws were also extremely hard to take out, almost like they were lock tighted or something

Can anyone provide more information on what exactly the stuff might be?

force_feed · Mar 9, 2009

I agree with fwdmaster, looks exactly like insulating foam.

Robertm1212GST · Mar 9, 2009

+1 for the insulating foam

Honda8 · Mar 9, 2009

Ok thanks, Does anyone know if its removable IF I ever have to change a capacitor?

crimsondragon · Mar 9, 2009

It's insulating foam. Of course it's removable.

Defiant · Mar 10, 2009

Looks more to me like the waxy junk they use to seal components against tampering. I can't think of a reason they'd use foam like that.

curt-s · Mar 10, 2009

Is that stuff plyable or is it rock hard? Can you scratch any of it off with a finger nail? It's very reflective, which indicates that it's not a foam. Try to lift a corner of it.

Honda8 · Mar 10, 2009

Like I said in my first post it's pretty hard now. I don't think my finger nail would be able to scratch it off. It's on there really good. I don't want to risk damaging the board by chipping it off or something either.

Would it be a bad idea to heat it with a blow dryer or something?

Anybody with more information on what this is or how to find out please let me know!!

snowborder714 · Mar 10, 2009

I e-mailed Tom at ECMtuning and he had no idea what it was, nor has he ever seen it before.

Honda8 · Mar 10, 2009

Well I just don't know what to do now. I want to chip this ECM but I don't know if its worth it if I can't change the capacitors/don't know if they have ever been changed.

What are peoples thoughts?

tunethis · Mar 10, 2009

Maybe it has been rebuilt. Especially, since you said there's a 2001 date written on the ecu. Maybe every spot where the substance is was repaired. As long as it works, it should be fine.

steve · Mar 10, 2009

Great, another yahoo drowning ECUs. I can't tell, is it hot melt glue? That might be easier to get off than the RTV one shop loves to hide their hack jobs under.

Honda8 · Mar 11, 2009

Im not sure its kind of like a real hard hot glue

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What is this gooey stuff on ECM/ECU board? Picture

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