1G How hard is it to swap the ECU?

[Jdevenberg]

My 1991 needs a new ecu. How hard is this to do? I am decently competent working on my own car, but have never done an ECU before. Also where is a good place to get one cheap? I only want to spend like 100-150 including shipping. What sort of things should I be looking for in a new ecu?

 

[steve]

It takes more time getting to the ECU than swapping it.

Disconnect the ground from the battery.
Remove the two trim panels from the center console, on on each side.
Remove the three bolts from the bracket holding the ECU in.
Remove the three harness connectors from the ECU.
Remove the ECU.

Reverse to install.

I can't help you with cheap, I only deal with quality and the two are largely mutually exclusive.

100 to 150 should get your existing ECU repaired depending on what shape it's in.

 

[Jdevenberg]

Normally I prefer quality as well, but I am pretty broke and need to get my car running. It looks like it was already repaired poorly so I'd rather start with a different t one if possible.

 

[steve]

Check the classifieds here and on any of your local forums. Assuming your car is a Federal MT car you want a MD166262 or MD166263 for a California MT car. Automatics use MD165531 or MD165532.

Those ECUs were used for two years and should be the most widely available. You can also use 93 ECUs, or 90 ECUs after swapping pins 6 and 14.

 

[Jdevenberg]

Got the new ECU off the classifieds here, 86 shipped. Got it put in tonight, but my battery was dead. Hopefully the battery will be charged and the car will be up and running in the morning.

 

[steve]

Well? Did that fix the problem?

 

[Jdevenberg]

Not really. Now it wont turn over with the new or old Ecu, Before it would turn over but not start.

 

[steve]

Well, the ECU has nothing to do with the starter, you don't even need it in the car to crank the engine so you have a different problem. There's not much involved in the factory wiring when it comes to the starter circuit. You can go through the whole thing in an hour with a multimeter so it shouldn't be too had to solve.

 

[cocoloyespanol]

Did you connect the ground back to the battery jk