Astra ECU or ECM?
Discussion
My Daughter has a 2001 Astra 1.6 8 Valve, which has developed a missfire.
We've been having a bit of a torrid time with this now. I took it to a local garage and he reckoned it was the coil pack, so he changed it along with the plugs, he also did a compression test and told me it was low and that the H/G would be on it's way out within a year or so. (thick end of £200.00 for this thanks)
Anyway not long later the car started misbehaving again same problem, so I took it back and asked if he could put it on his diagnostic gear, he told me it was in for repair so couldn't do anything (It's funny that because he's told me that before, in truth he doesn't have any and was borrowing it!).
Realising I was perhaps not getting the best service here, I took it somewhere else. This time surprisingly enough the compression check showed no problems at all, a diagnostic check showed a dodgy crank sensor and number three plug was fouling very badly. He told me it had completely the wrong plugs in it. After quite a lengthy session they thought they had sorted the problem as it seemed to run OK. But after a few miles as the car got warm the missfire came back and they were stumped. (Another £150.00 here thanks)
The only explanation they could come up with was a faulty engine control module (ECM), they said they had, had a quite word with a dealer technician and confirmed more than likely an ECM problem. But in the way of these things they do not have the software to fit and code ECM's as it's kept by the dealers. Note I am using the word ECM, not ECU, he was very specific about that when I asked, it's mounted on the end of the crank case.
Next step was to reluctantly take this 10 year old well worn Car to a main dealer. Having explained quite carefully that it was more than likely an ECM fault (as confirmed, on the quite, by one of their technicians) I was told that there was no such thing as an ECM but it was an ECU. May be this is just a name thing, but I have a deep miss trust of the people who man the front desk at main dealers, I trust the guys who do the work, not those who book the slots!.
I suppose my question to the house is..... is there an ECM as well as an ECU, or are they one and the same?. Am I completely stuffed here and do the main dealers have me by the short and curlies, ready to charge me 500 notes or so for a dealer fitted and coded EC... M.. or U???. At the moment the car is booked in for a £75.00 diagnostic check.
We've been having a bit of a torrid time with this now. I took it to a local garage and he reckoned it was the coil pack, so he changed it along with the plugs, he also did a compression test and told me it was low and that the H/G would be on it's way out within a year or so. (thick end of £200.00 for this thanks)
Anyway not long later the car started misbehaving again same problem, so I took it back and asked if he could put it on his diagnostic gear, he told me it was in for repair so couldn't do anything (It's funny that because he's told me that before, in truth he doesn't have any and was borrowing it!).
Realising I was perhaps not getting the best service here, I took it somewhere else. This time surprisingly enough the compression check showed no problems at all, a diagnostic check showed a dodgy crank sensor and number three plug was fouling very badly. He told me it had completely the wrong plugs in it. After quite a lengthy session they thought they had sorted the problem as it seemed to run OK. But after a few miles as the car got warm the missfire came back and they were stumped. (Another £150.00 here thanks)
The only explanation they could come up with was a faulty engine control module (ECM), they said they had, had a quite word with a dealer technician and confirmed more than likely an ECM problem. But in the way of these things they do not have the software to fit and code ECM's as it's kept by the dealers. Note I am using the word ECM, not ECU, he was very specific about that when I asked, it's mounted on the end of the crank case.
Next step was to reluctantly take this 10 year old well worn Car to a main dealer. Having explained quite carefully that it was more than likely an ECM fault (as confirmed, on the quite, by one of their technicians) I was told that there was no such thing as an ECM but it was an ECU. May be this is just a name thing, but I have a deep miss trust of the people who man the front desk at main dealers, I trust the guys who do the work, not those who book the slots!.
I suppose my question to the house is..... is there an ECM as well as an ECU, or are they one and the same?. Am I completely stuffed here and do the main dealers have me by the short and curlies, ready to charge me 500 notes or so for a dealer fitted and coded EC... M.. or U???. At the moment the car is booked in for a £75.00 diagnostic check.
For £200 you could probably pick up a totally complete Z16SE lump, complete with all electronic gubbins. They were used in Astras and Merivas.
ECU - Engine control Unit
ECM - Engine Control Module
Two different names for the same thing. Module, unit, different words for the same thing.
As for misfires, do you know if the car ever had the ECU undate to deal with the EGR issues? EGR control was screwed up on those engine from new, and a ECU update cured it aound 2002/2003. You Vauxhall dealer should do it gratis. Also ensure the plug leads are OK, they can go dosy, and aren't always replaced with the coil pack.
ECU - Engine control Unit
ECM - Engine Control Module
Two different names for the same thing. Module, unit, different words for the same thing.
As for misfires, do you know if the car ever had the ECU undate to deal with the EGR issues? EGR control was screwed up on those engine from new, and a ECU update cured it aound 2002/2003. You Vauxhall dealer should do it gratis. Also ensure the plug leads are OK, they can go dosy, and aren't always replaced with the coil pack.
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