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Another victory for the Motorheads!


SmoothSteve3

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Oh man, this felt soooooo good....

 

I dropped my car off at the mechanic's shop this morning because it had an extremely rough idle, and I could not solve it to save my life. I tried everything, and I was unsuccessful. I changed out nearly every sensor, valve, plug, wire, hose, etc. that I could see might cause the problem....but nothing helped. So I just gave up and left it at the mechanics.

 

8 hours later, they give me a call saying "we found $1000 worth of work that needs to be done to your car"

 

First thing I say is "I'm not in a mood to get ass-raped today. Whats wrong with my car"

 

Basically, I need a new ECM, upper and lower radiator hoses, serpintine belt, and catalytic converter. After pricing things out at a few auto-part stores, I found that I can do the work myself for a little over $150.

 

This my friends, is another example of a mechanics shop thinking that they are dealing with a person who knows nothing about cars. Heh, guess they fucked with the wrong person. I'm picking the car up tomorrow, paying them a small diagnostic fee, and doing the work myself on friday.

 

VICTORY FOR MOTORHEADS!

 

.....so is there anything special i need to do when replacing an ECM? Or is it just plug n' play...(its my first ECM replacement if you cant already tell)

 

SmoothSteve

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try replacing the other stuff (cat, hoses, belt) before replacing the ECM, typically they don't go bad, and were probably tryin' to get extra money outta you.

 

Honestly, the Cat was probably your only main problem for the cars running problems.

 

--Dave.

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Just make sure to disconnect the battery (and maybe the ECM fuse to be safe) if you are gonna change it. Although, I agree its also probably not the problem.

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I remember my sisters jetta didnt want to start so she took it to a mechanic. It was there for a month the dumb ass couldnt figure out wat was wrong he changed everything from the battery to the ECM and still nothing. We tow it to a mecahnic that i knew and was kool with he finds the problem out within 2 hours and finds out the some wiring to the tranny burnt out on her car changed it and was ready the next day.

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The rules on ECM's is this....Disconnect the battery....The sure way to tell if the ECM is bad... If you get more than 3 codes....like 20... then the ECM is bad. But Somtimes if it isnt giving you any codes then it MIGHT be bad. And if it isnt giving you any codes then its something not computer related. This is just what I have learned from experience. I have had a crash couse in ECM cars for 10 years...dont know everything. And as far as the shop you went to...it really sounded like you a 1 thing wrong...but they want to sell you alot of labor and parts you dont need.

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I still say it's just the Cat.

 

and actually if you have 3 or more codes in your ECM, that's not always a sign that it's got problems, the only real* way to tell is if you hook it up to a diagnostic tool and it either tells you it's having problems, or that you get no connection.

 

often shops will want to replace computers when they have a QDM error (quad driver module) - when it's most likely just the cansiter purge, or EGR flow control circuts that are bad (External from the ecm circuts that is)

 

--Dave.

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Ok fellas, heres the deal:

 

I had my new cat. converter put on this afternoon. The car feels much better and sounds much better, but my original problem is still very present. And now, there is basically NO consistency what so ever in terms of when my engine acts up. It will be idling just fine in drive or park or neutral or reverse, and then it will suddenly drop real low in the rpms....almost to a point of dying, but it still manages to stay alive. I mean, the rpms are so low that you can feel and hear each pulse of the engine.

 

And let me repeat: There is no consistency at all.

 

I've replaced nearly all the sensors and valves and what not on my 3.1 within the last year, so i'm confident that they are all fine.

 

Perhaps it really is the ECM.....

 

SmoothSteve

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I got a price quote for 4 struts replaced at pep boys in case I get lazy...they want $1000. :bs:

 

i always laugh at the pep boys ads that talk about their low service prices

 

they usually have what part i need though unlike autozone or advance auto which doesn't have shit

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maybe the ECM is bad, find one in a junk-yard, don't by new, no reason.

 

you may want to watch fuel pressure if you have a gauage, also you should change your fuel filter (good idea no matter what) you could* have that going out on you, always try the inexpensive ideas first.

 

--Dave.

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Do a tap-test on the ecm, lightly tap, don't beat the hell out of, your ecm. If all of a sudden your symptom emerges, then you know it's the problem. And as for trying to sell you maintinence items, how do you think we make any money? Look at it this way. Say you bring your car into the shop I work at. No idea what year your car is, but I'm guessing it's pre 96, so rudimentary diagnostics at best. I have to try and find this intermittant problem, and then when I might have finally found it, after what could be hours of snooping, you say, ok thanks, you don't have to hold my hand anymore, now I can do it. I get majorly screwed, probably charging an hour diag, while putting in possibly 3+ hours on it. I try and make my money back on other parts, like rad. hoses, fuel filters, and flushes. Believe me, the customer usually comes out ahead.

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Do a tap-test on the ecm, lightly tap, don't beat the hell out of, your ecm. If all of a sudden your symptom emerges, then you know it's the problem. And as for trying to sell you maintinence items, how do you think we make any money? Look at it this way. Say you bring your car into the shop I work at. No idea what year your car is, but I'm guessing it's pre 96, so rudimentary diagnostics at best. I have to try and find this intermittant problem, and then when I might have finally found it, after what could be hours of snooping, you say, ok thanks, you don't have to hold my hand anymore, now I can do it. I get majorly screwed, probably charging an hour diag, while putting in possibly 3+ hours on it. I try and make my money back on other parts, like rad. hoses, fuel filters, and flushes. Believe me, the customer usually comes out ahead.

 

Safe to say you run off commission there?

Yeah not all shops are out to rip people off.. some are. I know a few people at one particular shop.. can't name names.. but I KNOW they take some people for a ride. Typically those that have no clue when it comes to vehicle maintainence. And they make a killing doing so.

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I got a price quote for 4 struts replaced at pep boys in case I get lazy...they want $1000. :bs:

 

:shock: :shock: Was that only labor? If so, then holy shit!!!!

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