E30 325 Cab ECU?

[BIGJO]

Hi guys - having a really bad time with my motor..it's been misbehaving for a while and now there's fuel p**sing out with a mixture of oil from the front. The mechanic is saying the engines flooded with fuel. He swapped the fuel relays about to see whether it made a difference to whether the fuel was still flooding the engine and it looks like the car's in a mind of its own. He then dropped the ECU and says its full of water...

What do you guys think? New ECU? And if so will any ECU do or does it need to be more specific?

Thanks for the help

[gooner1]

Pre or Post Facelift?

[Brianmoooore]

The engine ECU sits inside the cabin, just below the instrument cluster - hardly a place where it should be getting full of water! The leak which flooded it needs investigation and sorting before replacing the ECU.

[BIGJO]

Hi - it's a pre-facelift cab...the rubbers on the cab are slightly gone and because the car's not been running for a while it's been sitting outside. I have new rubbers but not fit them yet. Thanks

[Brianmoooore]

Pre and post facelift don't mean much when talking about a cab. Some of it was facelifted years before other bits. Need to know the number on the ECU, the last seven digits of the car's VIN, or its build date to guess at which ECUs may fit.

[BIGJO]

Yes I can understand that - the cab itself is an 87 one with a pre back but post front and tech II kit

Bosch Number: 0261200164 and BMW Number: WBABB420002267048A35E

Does any one have one that has a good chance of working?

Thanks.

[Grrrmachine]

ECUs are matched to the engine capacity and engine management, so what you've got there is a Motronic 1.1 ECU for a 325i. Motronic 1.1 was replaced by Motronic 1.3 a year later which is a significantly improved system, and the good news is that its just a newer ECU which will plug right in. So even if it's not your ECU at fault, it's worthwhile getting a newer ECU anyway. There's plenty of traders on here that can sell you one.

As for your other issue of overfuelling, have a read of this:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... ch_Running

[BIGJO]

Hey - thanks for that

[BIGJO]

Can anyone tell me if a manual or auto ECU is different? The auto numbers are slightly different to a manual? Would it make a difference if I was to use a manual in an auto for example? Thanks.

[Speedtouch]

The 164 is a Motronic 1.3 ECU, albeit an early twin PCB version; later (and better) 173 and 380 ECUs have just a single PCB and are more reliable and easier to chip.

Water won't have helped it, but it may be OK if you let it dry out.

In fact, any of the later six-pot ECUs (172/173/179/380/381) will work so long as you fit a 325i chip.

There's no difference between manual and auto ECUs.

[Grrrmachine]

The 164 is a Motronic 1.3 ECU

Wiki needs some correction then. Says the 164 ECU comes from 9/87, but Motronic 1.3 started in 1988. Which ones were the M1.1 ECUs then?

[Speedtouch]

M1.1 ECUs are the 0 261 200 150, 152, 153, 154.

[BIGJO]

Hi thanks for the help gents - so an ECU with the numbers: 0 261 200 164 would mean its a 1.3 ECU?

Thanks.

[Grrrmachine]

Cheers Maurice, I've updated the ECU list now.

[Speedtouch]

Yes, a 164 ECU is Motronic 1.3

Motronic 1.3 just has the one CPS sensor, mounted on the front of the engine, whereas earlier versions of Motronic also used a flywheel sensor, located in the gearbox bellhousing.

[BIGJO]

Right thanks for clearing that up - looks like I had a 1.3 already however, we've let it dry out and it's not worth saving so I am getting a replacement. Thanks again.

[Speedtouch]

Tbh, I'm amazed it ran at all if it had a sizeable amount of water in it!

What's happened to it, that you deem it to be not worth saving?

[Avinit4]

Hi people... I just lost everything I had written so appolgies if this seems a bit blunt but not inpressed with having to rewite SO.... To correct some info above the ecu ending 073 is from the motronic 1.0 and NOT the 1.1. If upgrading to the 1.3 the difference between the 1.0 and 1.1 is considerable please see http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... tronic_1.3

Last comment is the water could be getting in via the pillar next to winscreen on drivers side (RHD) OR most probable up under the dash where it meets the top wheel arch and the batery tray in engine compartment.......... Mine had both....Trust me if you stat poking around in that area you could well wish you hadn't ... have fun

[BIGJO]

Tbh, I'm amazed it ran at all if it had a sizeable amount of water in it!

What's happened to it, that you deem it to be not worth saving?

I looked at it today and me and my mechanic both decided it wasn't worth saving. Tbh it hasn't been running for a couple of months now. We thought it was more of a fueling problem and spent a lot of time looking at this and that - a load of nonsense. Anyway, the ECU is damaged and not worth saving. I am buying a replacement from a fellow Zoner which has your mild chip fitted to it. Apparently, you recommend the mild chip for an auto? Looks like I'm going to be extra extra careful when driving in the wet now

[BIGJO]

Hi people... I just lost everything I had written so appolgies if this seems a bit blunt but not inpressed with having to rewite SO.... To correct some info above the ecu ending 073 is from the motronic 1.0 and NOT the 1.1. If upgrading to the 1.3 the difference between the 1.0 and 1.1 is considerable please see http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... tronic_1.3

Last comment is the water could be getting in via the pillar next to winscreen on drivers side (RHD) OR most probable up under the dash where it meets the top wheel arch and the batery tray in engine compartment.......... Mine had both....Trust me if you stat poking around in that area you could well wish you hadn't ... have fun

Hi yes I've seen a fellow cab owner leave a towel on the driver's side seat on the bolster nearest to the window. I've got a new rubber which goes on the roof so I'm hoping that eliminate most of the problem. The roof itself is 3 years old. Also - the ECU in the cab is already a 1.3 version so I doubt there will be much difference for me...

[Speedtouch]

Indeed, a Mild chip should work well in your automatic cab.

Which ECU is it, e.g., 0 261 200 173 ?

You could run a bead of silicone sealer around the ECU lid and socket aperture to provide a degree of water resistance.

[maggspower]

Indeed, a Mild chip should work well in your automatic cab.

Which ECU is it, e.g., 0 261 200 173 ?

You could run a bead of silicone sealer around the ECU lid and socket aperture to provide a degree of water resistance.

It is indeed a 173 ECU.

[Speedtouch]

Well, that should be an improvement over the 164. The 173 is regarded as being the best one for the facelift 325i.

[pacerpete]

The 164 is a Motronic 1.3 ECU

Wiki needs some correction then. Says the 164 ECU comes from 9/87, but Motronic 1.3 started in 1988. Which ones were the M1.1 ECUs then?

1988 model year cars started production in September 1987.

[Speedtouch]

That would be about right; 164 ECUs seem to have been mostly fitted to early facelift cars on the E-reg.

[BIGJO]

Indeed, a Mild chip should work well in your automatic cab.

Which ECU is it, e.g., 0 261 200 173 ?

You could run a bead of silicone sealer around the ECU lid and socket aperture to provide a degree of water resistance.

Hi - can I ask you what sealer you would recommend and where can I get some from? Thanks.

[Brianmoooore]

Indeed, a Mild chip should work well in your automatic cab.

Which ECU is it, e.g., 0 261 200 173 ?

You could run a bead of silicone sealer around the ECU lid and socket aperture to provide a degree of water resistance.

Hi - can I ask you what sealer you would recommend and where can I get some from? Thanks.

Be careful where you let 'ordinary' silicon sealant get to around electronics. When it cures it releases acetic acid, which can play havoc with circuit boards.
There are 'special' silicon sealants available from the likes of RS Components or CPC that don't have the acid problem.

[Speedtouch]

I was thinking more along the lines of applying the sealant to the outside of the closed ECU box - the circuit board is mounted on a raised platform within, so any applied to the outside is unlikely to make any contact whatsoever with the PCB.