[cribbj]

For reasons probably best left unsaid , I recently had an "opportunity" to change my right bank ECU.

So being the curious engineer, I naturally had to have a look inside the duff one to see if there was any hope of finding & fixing the problem. Well, any aspirations I might have had of doing my own ECU repair were dashed when I saw everything was surface mount technology, and nothing was visually burnt.

I was also hoping to find a "personality" PROM that tells this ECU that it's for a Ferrari, instead of for the BMW V12, as another ECU with the very same Bosch P/N does. I didn't recognise the personality PROM, although I suspect it's one of the two larger chips in the pic below. I thought it would be brilliant to be able to download the firmware from it, so when idiots like me need a new ECU, they could buy the BMW version for $500 and burn the Ferrari firmware into it, instead of having to buy the Ferrari ECU for 6x the price..... Unfortunately as the last EPROM I hacked was probably a 2732 from 1978 or so, my chip hacking skills are a little out of date.

So..... does anyone know a good Bosch Motronic repair facility?

[rmfurzeland]

Hi John,
Not sure what damage it suffered but before trying to replace or hack the SMD chips did you check the voltage regulators? These are the front end of any large PCB layout and should blow first (usually designed this way to prevent damaging the larger ICs). They may even have an inline resistor or PCB track that acts like a fuse and is blown. 90% of the problems are on the power supply side.
Trace the 12V input supply to the voltage regulator ICs to see if you get 12V in and 5v (or 3v) out.

Happy hunting,
Ron

[cribbj]

Thanks Ron, I probably should have added that "most" of the ECU was still working when I took it out of service. The only problem it had (self induced, of course) was a continuous "slow down" warning, which caused it to cut power to the injectors.

So I'm pretty sure there are no problems in the power circuit, but I'm also just as sure I've blown that input. It accidentally saw +12v for a few minutes, instead of 5v max, and whatever protective device should've protected that input from overvoltage, evidently didn't.

[Brian]

Fuel Injection Corporation in Livermore CA is one place you should try. If you do an internet search you will turn up several.

I have been told in reference to the repair of other Bosch ECU's that some of the processors are proprietary Bosch and not available. Cannot hurt to try though.

The right bank ecu gets a code burned into it by the immobilizer at first start up that will prevent that ecu from reacting to a run command from any other immobilizer. I suppose there is a possibility that the repair shop can reset that but as yet I have not found anyone that really can do it.

[cribbj]

Originally Posted by Brian

Fuel Injection Corporation in Livermore CA is one place you should try. If you do an internet search you will turn up several.

I have been told in reference to the repair of other Bosch ECU's that some of the processors are proprietary Bosch and not available. Cannot hurt to try though.

The right bank ecu gets a code burned into it by the immobilizer at first start up that will prevent that ecu from reacting to a run command from any other immobilizer. I suppose there is a possibility that the repair shop can reset that but as yet I have not found anyone that really can do it.

Thanks for the reference Brian, I'll give them a try.

Interesting point about that right bank code; to replace my damaged ECU, I picked up a replacement from a fellow who was breaking a '99 550 similar to mine, plugged it in, turned the battery isolator switch back on, enabled and disabled the immobiliser a couple of times, then started the car and it fired right up. I've had it out and about a couple of times, and it seems to be running normally.

Would this mean I was lucky enough to get the "left" bank ECU from this fellow, and it didn't already have another immobiliser's code burned in it?

[Brian]

Originally Posted by cribbj

Thanks for the reference Brian, I'll give them a try.

Interesting point about that right bank code; to replace my damaged ECU, I picked up a replacement from a fellow who was breaking a '99 550 similar to mine, plugged it in, turned the battery isolator switch back on, enabled and disabled the immobiliser a couple of times, then started the car and it fired right up. I've had it out and about a couple of times, and it seems to be running normally.

Would this mean I was lucky enough to get the "left" bank ECU from this fellow, and it didn't already have another immobiliser's code burned in it?

I just logged on to tell you that was bad information. I was confusing your 550 with a 575. That feature, if you want to call it that, did not start until the Motronic 7's. The 2.7 & 5.2 ecu's can be swapped around all you like.


Lucky you.

[cribbj]

Originally Posted by Brian

I just logged on to tell you that was bad information. I was confusing your 550 with a 575. That feature, if you want to call it that, did not start until the Motronic 7's. The 2.7 & 5.2 ecu's can be swapped around all you like.


Lucky you.

Indeed

And yet another data point for my table of "550/575 Differences"

Thanks again

[wintech]

Hi John,
don't know if this link will be of any help. It is an open forum with all manner of downloads for the purpose of 'tweeking' the stock ECU or repairing /modifying other ECU's to suit another purpose.

My interest lay in the work being done on SAAB engines and the HP output increases with only ECU, cat, megasquirt injectors, F pump mods. The rest all stock 550HP on FWD cars....total bananas!!!

The site covers Bosch, Motronic, Trionic ECU's and EMS's it got way over my head eventually as I am limited in my geek leanings.

ECUProject.com - Your source for Open ECU Development

Cheers
Pete

[cribbj]

Thanks Pete, I'll check it out.

Brian, Bob White sends his regards.

[tazandjan]

John- You can check out these guys. They have done Ferrari ECUs, 2.7 or 5.2 cannot tell which.

The ECU Doctor

[cribbj]

Thanks Taz, email sent.

[rmfurzeland]

John,
There is a new ECU on ebay for $1385

Ferrari 550 Ignition Motronic Electronic Control Unit - NEW Factory Part #181673 | eBay


Store run by Lyle Tanner who has helped me a lot in the past. Not sure if it matters whether this is the driver or passenger side?
Regards,
Ron

[tazandjan]

Ron- They are the same until you hook them up and they start talking.

[rmfurzeland]

John,
So Taz knew the answer, thus this would be a good way to go, I think they used to be nearer $2000 new. Not sure if the alternative of a repair would be a success,
Ron

[cribbj]

Thanks Ron, I actually purchased an ECU from a guy breaking a '99 and it works fine. Left/right doesn't seem to matter on our 5.2 version of this ECU.

I'm now just trying to get my original fixed to have a working spare.......in case I happen to need one again.......

p.s. BTW, that's an excellent price for a new ECU. I picked up mine for $1200, but had to shop hard to get it for that, plus it was used.