Is my Ecu dead? Half Dead?

[eboy0]

So I've come to the conclusion, when i was cutting my rear o2 wires, some, or all of them touched. Steve, one of the wiseman, said if any of them touched in a certain way, "If the 12v heater power from the ECU touched on of the grounds the ECU traces could have vaporized. If the 12v heater power touched the O2 sensor input the input could be fried."
Would this kill my ECU? The car hasn't ran normally, or started... for that matter since this incident.
When i try to start the car, it seems that it's not getting gas, and only starts 1/5 times i crank it, for about 5 seconds, sputtering.... and boost at 3-5 vacuum which isn't normal.
When i checked the spark plugs they were wet, so I guess they aren't firing? Since I am getting backfire out of my exhaust when it does start.
Both of my radiator fans are on when the car starts aswell.
Check engine isn't on, even with my rear O2 sensor cut, but check engine light does turn on for 5 seconds when I turn the key...

Is this all leading up to a dead/dying ECU?
Someone please help, as this is my daily driving car, and i'm kind of screwed.

Buying a new ECU wouldn't be a problem, just I need to know if that's the part causing all of this.

 

[WeaselHack]

I suppose it could be your ECU. Why not simply borrow one from someone in you area and try it out.

PS: Isn’t this a duplicate post?
http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246562

 

[eboy0]

I suppose it could be your ECU. Why not simply borrow one from someone in you area and try it out.

PS: Isn’t this a duplicate post?
http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246562

Sorry, I wasn't trying to duplicate the thread, wanted to add more detail to this one.
Any way to figure out if it's the ECU for sure?

 

[WeaselHack]

Take your ECU out and visually inspect if for burnt componets / funky burnt or fishy smell. Short of repacing it, this is your best option for isolating if its the ECU or not.

Just so we are all on the same page, you DID rewire your o2 and are sure you got the wires correct?

 

[eboy0]

Take your ECU out and visually inspect if for burnt componets / funky burnt or fishy smell. Short of repacing it, this is your best option for isolating if its the ECU or not.

Just so we are all on the same page, you DID rewire your o2 and are sure you got the wires correct?

The rear o2 sensor is still cut, just to clear things up, the FRONT o2 sensor is about 3 months old, and i didn't slice the front, I sliced the rear.

Took apart ECU, no burnt looking traces...

Also checked spark plugs for spark, they all spark.

Does the ECU regulate the fans?

How doesn't the ECU throw a CEL for having the rear o2 sliced?

 

[steve]

First, you need to isolate the cut rear O2 wires. It is only the rear O2 that you cut right?

Not having looked at a 2G O2 sensor I have to ask where the harness runs?
Does it go through a grommet in the floor to a connector that can be unplugged and the grommet pulled off the cut end to seal the floor back up?

If you need the ECU checked stop by this weekend and I can see if you fried anything.

And yes the ECU controls the radiator fans on a 2G based on the Engine Coolant Sensor and other factors.

Steve

 

[eboy0]

First, you need to isolate the cut rear O2 wires. It is only the rear O2 that you cut right?

Not having looked at a 2G O2 sensor I have to ask where the harness runs?
Does it go through a grommet in the floor to a connector that can be unplugged and the grommet pulled off the cut end to seal the floor back up?

If you need the ECU checked stop by this weekend and I can see if you fried anything.

And yes the ECU controls the radiator fans on a 2G based on the Engine Coolant Sensor and other factors.

Steve

Yes the only thing I did to the car besides change the exhaust(which ran perfectly before I took the car off the stands) was I cut the rear o2 sensor, leaving the sensor in my old exhaust and the harness end hanging from the bottom of the car.
Yes steve, the harness runs under the driver's seat(i think, will tear up interior looking for it).

The car basically sounds like it's dying on itself, thought it was my alternator/battery, tested both.... about 13v idle, battery is 12.x volts off. Though the car sounds/looks as if one of my intercooler hoses blew off(which it didn't) the car is building about 5hg and it's bouncy as hell.
The only thing i can point my finger at is the ECU because that is what the sensor might have fried if any of the connectors touched.

Steve, how far is st. charles from the o'hare area?

 

[WeaselHack]

I don't see anywhere where you have tried re-connecting the rear o2? I understand your new exhaust doest have a bung for the sensor but have you tried simply reconnecting it and letting the sensor dangle from the harness? Its my understanding that most aftermarket exhaust systems for 2nd gens don't have the bung for the rear o2 so they just weld up some spark plug anti-fowlers and screw the o2 sensor into that - sometimes this throws a CLE but doesn't affect operation of the car. Never have I read where they cut the wires and leave it at that.

 

[eboy0]

I don’t see anywhere where you have tried re-connecting the rear o2? I understand your new exhaust doest have a bung for the sensor but have you tried simply reconnecting it and letting the sensor dangle from the harness? Its my understanding that most aftermarket exhaust systems for 2nd gens don’t have the bung for the rear o2 so they just weld up some spark plug anti-fowlers and screw the o2 sensor into that - sometimes this throws a CLE but doesn’t affect operation of the car. Never have I read where they cut the wires and leave it at that.

Tried reconnecting it, its got: blue,white,black,black. Connected all of them back together, changing blacks aswell.
Car just won't idle.
Any other ideas?

 

[steve]

Steve, how far is st. charles from the o'hare area?

Isn't this what mapquest/yahoomaps/etc is for?

 

[eboy0]

Isn't this what mapquest/yahoomaps/etc is for?

It was kind of a dumb question. right after I asked, I did the mapquest.
Anyways, I bought a 95 ECU, I'm praying that'll solve my problems.
Can someone reassure of this?

 

[eboy0]

Guys, does this look fixable with a little bit of solder?
<a href="http://img95.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010143pg7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/8135/p1010143pg7.th.jpg" border="0" /></a>

 

[steve]

That's a blown sensor ground alright, like I expected. Yes, it can be easily fixed.

Steve

 

[eboy0]

Bought some trace tape and fixed it, new ECU arrived here, looks like I'll be selling one and getting DSMLink on the other!
Thanks for the help guys!

 

[420Aturbopwr]

That's a blown sensor ground alright, like I expected. Yes, it can be easily fixed.

Steve

Hey this EXACT thing happened to me this past week in my 97 TSi. Same incident, same sypmtoms. I was wondering if you could explain to me in how i go about fixing this, my sensor ground looks exactly like his in the picture. Or should i just buy a rebuilt ECU?

 

[eboy0]

What i did was just buy some circuit tape, and soldered a little bit on to reconnect the 2 points, worked like a charm, though I ended up buying a 95 EPROM w/ DSMLink like 2 weeks later..