Help - Pics of ECU upgrade

[kentviking]

hi all

I am just trying to get confirmation that the ECU has been upgraded in my car.

Does anyone have a before and after picture (or just after?!) that I can look at to determine the difference and confirm whether my prospective beast has had the upgrade. (factory has lost the relevant records)

Micknall informed me that when the rear clam is opened you should be able to see the connections for the ECU tied to the space frame at the RHS of the engine near the wheel. Apparently if what you can see is one connector, then this is the new MBE ECU, if you see 3 wires then it is the old ECU.

Somewhat confusingly if you access the ECU (by removing various things) you will see the reverse (3 wires = new, 1 wire = the old)

Would appreciate any piccies if anyone has had the upgrade of what it should look like if one has merely opened the rear clam.

thanks, morten

[SteveJT]

Hi Morten, I had my ECU upgraded and what you should see is something which looks like a PC serial port connector tied to the top of the chassis above the right rear wheel. I will try and get pics for you but see if you can locate this connector.
Cheers Steve

>> Edited by SteveJT on Tuesday 27th July 14:13

[kentviking]

SteveJT said:

Hi Morten, I had my ECU upgraded and what you should see is something which looks like a PC serial port connector tied to the top of the chassis above the right rear wheel. I will try and get pics for you but see if you can locate this connector. Cheers Steve >> Edited by SteveJT on Tuesday 27th July 14:13

hi Steve,
thanks! - if you can get a photo on line that would be helpful...but if it is as you describe that sounds like it might be just one wire visible when you open the clam shell (as opposed to getting it on a ramp and accessing the ECU proper by removing various bits)...or are there 3 wires going into this "serial port" like connector.

I'm trying to pin down whether or not the car has had the upgrade before disappearing off on holiday for 2 weeks from tomorrow am. Any descriptive advice would be gratefully appreciated if the piccie is too time consuming to attain.

thanks again,
Morten

[DanH]

ok this may be a pain, but there is a pic of what I believe is the old Magnetti ECU in the noble owners club mailing list.

You can join here :

http://lists.easynet.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/nobleowners

Not 100% sure you can view the attachments online, but the thread you are looking for is called 'Engine cut outs'. If you then cross post the pic here, someone can confirm which flavour it is.

Sorry don't have time to do this all for you.

[kentviking]

thanks dan,

signed up. Had previously been in, but there is a high volume to the mail traffic and couldn't justify if while not owning the marque.

Now I'll just have to wait on Justin to get through his busy schedule assisting the fortunes of a risky alternative telecoms company before he has time to let me in.

Here's hoping you're quick Justin!

Morten

Actually guys (and noble girl), need I be too concerned anyway...as far as I have been informed the issue only concerned cut out at tick over...are there lots of 2.5 owners among you still on the old ECU without any issues?

My concern is that the upgrade is a £2k job, and I don't want to buy the car and immediately find it costs me lots of dosh to run (over and above the reasonable sum I have assumed already!)

thanks, M

>> Edited by kentviking on Tuesday 27th July 15:17

[DanH]

Justin is away at the moment unfortunately, so if membership requires authentication you are in schtuck unless you want to email me then I could forward it to you. You'll need to post it up here to get people to confirm its the old one though as I'm not 100%.

Let me know if you are going to email me so I can edit out my email address once done.

>> Edited by DanH on Tuesday 27th July 15:45

[obes]

Give me a mo, I'll sort a picture.

[kentviking]

Thanks Owen... I'm waiting patiently...

Dan, please remain on standby lest Owen has any technical probs...otherwise you'll have mail!

thanks guys!

[obes]

Here's a pic Anthony sent me of the ECU
I believe this is the old type.

[DanH]

Yep that was the pic I was going to put up. Understood it to be the old one too but could be wrong.

[kentviking]

thank you..VERY much guys...excuse my ignorance, but is the ECU on the right with what seems like 3 single red wires coming out of 1 black sheath...or is it the thing on the left with what look like fuses above (or is it all of these things??)

thanks.

[DanH]

Its the big lump on the bottom right with the molded in metal heat sink cooling vanes.

p.s. Ideally you want a car with the latest ECU.

[kentviking]

Dan, for one still yet to enter the nobility you are one knowledgeable bar steward. thank you, and owen, very much for this...I have asked kerridges to check the car and get back to me.

fingers crossed it has had the upgrade.

[DanH]

kentviking said:

Dan, for one still yet to enter the nobility you are one knowledgeable bar steward. thank you, and owen, very much for this...I have asked kerridges to check the car and get back to me. fingers crossed it has had the upgrade.

Er only know the ECU from that pic because I made a tit of myself mis-identifying it on the mailing list

Just need to get shot of the Elise which is being advertised and I'll be an owner myself.

[kentviking]

well...the latest is that my propective purchase has the one with the alloy cover...which means it is the mark 1 magnetti marrelli (or however spelt)...and that makes the above picture an upgraded version!!...so slightly contrary to all expectation, but there you go.
Unless someone more knowledgeable than Miknall can put me to rights!!

Edited to say...if anyone who has had the upgrade can "confirm" - I have been told both, but not by anyone who has had it done - which flavour the photo earlier in the thread represents that would be very helpful.

>> Edited by kentviking on Tuesday 27th July 17:26

[obes]

Uh? So if thats the case has my upgraded ecu failed ?
I'm easily confused with such technical matters but The pic of Anthony's looks a lot like this....completely different place though ?

Does anyone else have a car within the first 10 or so made?



As far as I was aware the round plugs on the right identified the old wiring loom, and hence the old Magneti marelli ECU?

[kentviking]

I'm buying the monster anyway...but this is indeed confusion...some engineers at the factory believed my car had been done (but the records are missing)...I've then been fed different messages about what constitutes the new and the old...if yours is the new (with alloy cover) then I am happy to believe my car has been upgraded...if it hasn't I'll play with it until it requires it and then fork out the necessary £2k.

A definitive answer on this might help future prospective purchasers however.

[obes]

To be honest mate I wouldnt spend a pile of cash on just the ECU upgrade unless you're having the powerpack too. I've been quoted £205+VAT for a repair to the old one. You can have it fail an awful lot of times for that!

[kentviking]

thanks Owen, does that mean you recognise which of the 2 photos looks like your (magnetti marelli?) ECU?!

[obes]

I'm only going on descriptions...round plug, square plug, one wire, red wire.....can't claim to be sure.(Good job i'm not in the bomb disposal business!!)

I've just assumed I've got the old ECU and it's failed as the problems I'm having are exactly the symptoms of ECU failure.

We need some clarification here.. MICKNALL...HELP..!!......