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[fe3tcourier]

I know this sounds like an obvious question, and I'm sure I'm going to kick myself once I find out, but I've searched both the internet and the car, high and low, disassembled dash, bits of engine bay, etc, and not been able to find it! I found fuse boxes, relays, bundles of loom, throttle-like-valves, EGR valves, turbos, intercoolers, radios, fans, pedals, fancy TPS, etc. But no ECU.

It's a Spanish market car, if that makes a difference, which it may.

It's a great little car in general, just a few things irritate me about it:

1) I can't build boost on the brake, the ECU decides that I'm an idiot and cuts power.
2) I can't do burnouts.
3) I can't labour the engine without the ECU interfering and trying to maintain idle RPM

Other than those, I love it! Additionally, I know there is more torque and maybe more power to be had from ECU tweaking.

Hence I want to find it, dig it out, and FreeEMS it! :-o Shhhh.

I only need two things to do this:

1) The location of the ECU
2) A spare dead ECU with matching connector and maybe case.

So, if anyone knows where my ECU is, please help me. You're free to point, snigger and laugh at my incompetence! :-) I'm used to working on Jap cars... This euro stuff is all new to me.

And, if anyone has a dead/drowned/crushed ECU with a good connector that they're willing to donate to a good cause, please let me know also!

Disclaimer, this post written for a VW forum and modified to suit this forum on the off chance that someone knows.

Fred.

[dvst8r]

If it is like its vw brethren, then the ecu will not be on the inside of the car, but in the cowl under the windshield.

If it is not, then the easiest way should be following the vacuum line that goes through the firewall, as in that vintage iirc the map sensor was still mounted on the ecu.

[fe3tcourier]

I bet that you're right! It would have to be the only place that I didn't check in at least a cursory way. I might have another crack at it today, then.

Any idea how to get into that region? Perhaps it will be obvious. I didn't pay attention while hunting yesterday.

Thank you! :-)

[walter]

there are seat cars in USA?

a screenshoot where ecu is located.

Nº 8

[fe3tcourier]

It is there, but doesn't look like that, faces the other way and has two connectors. Or should I say it WAS there! Got it here now! They do hide them under the cover below the windscreen in the LHD driver's side. Access with hands + levering device to bend locking tab out of the way. Very easy once you know where it is :-)

More news if I make any progress.

Fred.

[dvst8r]

I'm glad it was the same as the vw, that makes it easy. From what I understand they are a pretty straight forward ecu, seems to be lots of guys modding them anyways.

[walter]

It is there, but doesn't look like that, faces the other way and has two connectors. Or should I say it WAS there! Got it here now! They do hide them under the cover below the windscreen in the LHD driver's side. Access with hands + levering device to bend locking tab out of the way. Very easy once you know where it is :-)

More news if I make any progress.

Fred.

are you in spain? you should make a EMS for these cars and fuck APR and another shits!

[fe3tcourier]

I am/will be. I just need a pin out and connector/case and it's a matter of hours/days. They're very very easy.

New question, though, if anyone can link a euro-diesel noob and save a busy man some time:

Where can I get the pin out for the ECU?

Codes from it are:

038 906 018 FB
DIESEL EDC15V 2170
<barcode>
BOSCH
0 281 010 006 / 0281010006

And it looks JUST like this, though I didn't and likely won't open this one:

[fe3tcourier]

I found a spreadsheet online with something that looks promising. I'll probe a few key channels and see if they line up, that should get me started, at least.

[HiProfile]

I presume you're going to put a fat turbo on the bitch and run 4bar with FreeEMS?

[fe3tcourier]

If someone buys me a sweet TIG welder I may well give it an upgrade, but realistically: I have no tools at all, not even a socket set or ring spanners. The other day I "fixed" the power window by tying it together with wire taken from the top of a champagne bottle, a pair of pliers, and a philips screw driver! I'm doing a macgyver here just for normal stuff :-)

A guy I know in San Diego has an old 245 Volvo wagon with a 1.9 TDI swap and a GT25?? turbo with pretty nice TIGed manifold. It's not FAST, per se, but it is quick, much more so than you'd think :-)

I promise to make an extra ~25% more power just by throwing fuel at it, though! :-)

What I really need is a test car, and chances of affording another petrol car, and a parking place for it, is not high... this won't let me test some stuff, but it will let me test a lot of stuff. Waiting for people on the other side of the globe to test isn't fun.

Fred.