Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 Help please Car had a full service last week (cost) found a radiator leak (more cost) now the car is cutting out - the garage has swapped the ecu over from one they had in another car and it works - so it has been diagnosed as a knackered immobiliser in the ecu They say I can have it sent of for refurb (cheapest) but risk it does not work, buy a new ecu from ebay or go for more money and get a superchip ecu and get some more power and throttle response - what's peoples thoughts on this. Anyone have any ecus laying around? Cant drive the car without it arghhhh - and before Christmas too - ouch! Thanks David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g0ldf1ng3r 15 Posted November 12, 2015 Ouch, sorry to read this david :( I would probably try to avoid the superchip m8 - for reasons as per the remap thread info what are the symptoms? is it starting, runs for a second or 2 & then cut out? if it does the above it could be worth checking the immobiliser collar around the ignition barrel reason I say that is when I changed my ignition barrel I was told the keys were not chipped but they are thus when I started the car with the new key it would fire up, run for a couple of seconds & then cut out as such if your collar or key chip has some kind of issue it could do the same might be worth a try Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 (edited) Will have a look at the remap thread - but can you give me a brief run through of the reason - as may not have time to read it all - got my boss sitting next to me lol. He did put on an ecu that had the immobiliser deleted and it all works? does that help? Not sure my key has a chip in it? does it? they don't seem to be the original keys! Also cant find the blimin remap thread - can you post link please? Edited November 12, 2015 by Chuggs1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 And I guess if anyone has an ECU spare it would have to have an immobiliser delete to work on my car? is that correct? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g0ldf1ng3r 15 Posted November 12, 2015 Will have a look at the remap thread - but can you give me a brief run through of the reason - as may not have time to read it all - got my boss sitting next to me lol. He did put on an ecu that had the immobiliser deleted and it all works? does that help? Not sure my key has a chip in it? does it? they don't seem to be the original keys! Also cant find the blimin remap thread - can you post link please? thread - http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?92783-Remap reason 1 - part of the reason stealth cost what they do for remaps is due to it needing to be done whilst the car is on the rollers. from what I remember the VR has an 'open' mapping program which can be manipulated whilst the engine runs on the rollers. thus it is the skill & knowledge & experience of the person doing the map reason 2 (a continuation of 1) - the VR6 has a WORM chip in it (Write Once Read Many) so the original one needs hoiking off the motherboard and a rewritable one put in it's place, then a map can be written to it as many times as you like on the dyno. To stop rival companies copying it, Vince et al use a special chip socked with encryption in it. He also has to use an ECU emulator or something when mapping, so it's a lot of wires and boxes all over the scuttle area! Probably why an older style maps are little more expensive. With the later cars like the MK5 R32 and GTI etc, they can be mapped up the OBD2 port (which is what Revo et al do) so no need to open the ECU With the newer stuff it's more about hacking into the software thus if you put a ebay special superchip in it there it has not been (potentially) done on a live car and therefore the performance could be detrimental Plus I am a tad confused how your car would start when it has an immobiliser but the test ECU had an immobiliser delete - unless it is bypassing the working immobiliser unit somehow I am pretty confident all 95 rado's have coded keys & chip collars could it be worth asking an auto electrician who specialises in immobilisers to take a look? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 You start thanks for that - OK not so fussed about a superchip - was just thinking if im spending out money on a new ECU may be an option. Have emailed some of these comments to the garage to see what hey say - they do seem to know their stuff so hopefully they can advise - just need to know what the other options are. Just looking at my spare key and its defo not the original and doesn't look like a chopped one See if he advises on new ECU options - I don't need the as standard immobiliser as have after market alarm - will let you know what he says about the ECU they tried but whatever it was it sorted the issue and car ran fine with the other one on Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g0ldf1ng3r 15 Posted November 12, 2015 You start thanks for that - OK not so fussed about a superchip - was just thinking if im spending out money on a new ECU may be an option. Have emailed some of these comments to the garage to see what hey say - they do seem to know their stuff so hopefully they can advise - just need to know what the other options are. Just looking at my spare key and its defo not the original and doesn't look like a chopped one See if he advises on new ECU options - I don't need the as standard immobiliser as have after market alarm - will let you know what he says about the ECU they tried but whatever it was it sorted the issue and car ran fine with the other one on ho probs, good luck & keep us posted on how you get on Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jekel 10 Posted November 12, 2015 Not sure how much difference makes on standard car but I was told makes noticeable difference if you have cat removed and non standard induction, especially cat, and it did, even on engine running with poss. couple of worn valves, and not at best. I'd say I have a spare and it's non immobiliser but if you luck at Lilfuzzers post yesterday, new engine not firing, the standard ECU now has question mark over it. If sort and turns out both ECU's fine, I'll have spare and give ya a shout. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 Not sure how much difference makes on standard car but I was told makes noticeable difference if you have cat removed and non standard induction, especially cat, and it did, even on engine running with poss. couple of worn valves, and not at best. I'd say I have a spare and it's non immobiliser but if you luck at Lilfuzzers post yesterday, new engine not firing, the standard ECU now has question mark over it. If sort and turns out both ECU's fine, I'll have spare and give ya a shout. Hi Jekel - when will you know if you have a spare mate? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jekel 10 Posted November 12, 2015 As soon as mine is fired up and running mate, hopefully on weekend. It's a totally reconned engine and have all sensors, coilpack etc. etc. from my old engine which were all brand new within last few months, I'm sure it's something small and simple. Both ECU's have been running on the old engine within last month and both were fine, the standard one is currently on the new engine which won't spark properly but may or may not be ECU related. Soon as I know I have a good working spare I'll message you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 :thumbleft: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dox 23 Posted November 12, 2015 Have you tried a spare key? Do you have other car keys on the same keyring that could be being locked out by the factory immob? I'm sure Stealth can remove the immob from your ECU if you post it to them - phone first. Does the car cut out once on the move or fail to start from rest? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 Will pop into garage tomorrow with the spare key to check but don't feel hopeful Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 Oh it starts then cuts off after a second Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dox 23 Posted November 12, 2015 The coil reader around the ignition switch is the most likely culprit if the spare key doesn't improve things, check its plug for cleanliness / security. Cheapest starting point too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanl82 23 Posted November 12, 2015 There is also an immobiliser "box" type thing that sits next to the spoiler control module, up behind the drivers side dash. Worth checking the two plugs into that are pushed home as well mate. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 12, 2015 How do you get to it Sean? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanl82 23 Posted November 12, 2015 You should be able to get your hand up if you drop the drivers side under dash trays. Alternatively if you remove the clock surround you may be able to see it with a torch, and get your hand in to at least check. Its a bit of a faff, but do-able. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jekel 10 Posted November 12, 2015 Sounds like might be your immobiliser but I'll keep you posted if get mine fired and therefore have spare, going back to your original question but tell you what I deffo have spare when think a superchip for the ECU, it's one of the generic one's not mapped individually to my car, but is for a Corrado VR6 with CP ECU, and specifically tailored for running with no cat and induction kit, bought never used, got car rolling road remapped instead but that ain't cheap Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thom 1 Posted November 12, 2015 Have you checked all the fuses? I had a similar problem (would start and run for a second or 2, then cut out), symptoms just like a bad immobiliser circuit but turned out to just be a dead fuse (number 15 or 16 I think). In my case a de-immobilised ECU would still run the car too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted November 13, 2015 Sounds like might be your immobiliser but I'll keep you posted if get mine fired and therefore have spare, going back to your original question but tell you what I deffo have spare when think a superchip for the ECU, it's one of the generic one's not mapped individually to my car, but is for a Corrado VR6 with CP ECU, and specifically tailored for running with no cat and induction kit, bought never used, got car rolling road remapped instead but that ain't cheap Hi Jekel.... Are you saying after the weekend the one you might have spare would be a superchip one that is set up for Decat? As I don't have Decat or induction.... From what I'm hearing it would not work for me... But thanks so much..... But if you do end up with a spare normal one do please let me know. And thanks everyone for the various bits of advice will get them all checked out today Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g0ldf1ng3r 15 Posted November 13, 2015 Oh it starts then cuts off after a second that is the classic symptom of the immobiliser collar not accepting the chip in the key or not verifying the chip to the ECU the steps it goes through are kind of....engine start, immobiliser collar send signal to key, key chip responds, if signals match an OK sent from collar to ECU to allow engine to run, if signals do not match a not OK is sent from collar to ECU to kill engine due to security issue which then makes sense why an immobiliser deleted ECU would allow the car to continue to run - as it is ignoring the signal sent from the immobiliser collar requesting to kill the engine Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanl82 23 Posted November 13, 2015 So what part does the control unit that sits behind the dash play then? The collar plugs into the control unit, then another cable goes from the control unit to the ECU. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g0ldf1ng3r 15 Posted November 13, 2015 So what part does the control unit that sits behind the dash play then? The collar plugs into the control unit, then another cable goes from the control unit to the ECU. not completely sure sean maybe it distributes the signal/s to the immob / alarm siren / door controls etc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jekel 10 Posted November 13, 2015 Hi Jekel.... Are you saying after the weekend the one you might have spare would be a superchip one that is set up for Decat? As I don't have Decat or induction.... From what I'm hearing it would not work for me... But thanks so much..... But if you do end up with a spare normal one do please let me know. And thanks everyone for the various bits of advice will get them all checked out today No mate, the one on car at moment, which may be spare, is bog standard but I have a seperate Superchip which never fitted to any ECU spare also. The other ECU I have is remapped, for decat car etc., programmable with a piggy back chip on it. Was thinking if turns out is spare and you want maybe you'd be thinking about removing cat in future and you've a chip there ready. Don't think there's any real benfit in chipping unless cat removed and probs. induction, that's what people's saying and reckon they're right, when first removed cat no massive improvement, when remapped noticieable improvement. Mine always passed MOT emissions fine with no cat on it too, even passed the day before took the engine out despite fact suspect couple of valves a bit worn, though that said other than that engine was mint, probs still better than 90% out there, MOT man thought I was mad when said that engines getting replaced tomorrow Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
