Technical ECU in the oven method to re-flow worn solders

[KERABO]

Wow
I get the point of what your doing but your braver than me.
Never too old to learn something new though.
Ken

 

[schummy027]

Just for ref incase any help, there are some handy YT vids on the stilo ecu....just type in stilo ecu repair, one of them is a south african guy who had lots of intermitent problems/ failures and found that it was a couple of the ecu connection pins which had lost their solder and been pushed in therefore not connecting anymore, takes it apart and sorts it

 

[Davren]

Just for ref incase any help, there are some handy YT vids on the stilo ecu

Probably the video posted by Dracco121, one of our members.

Here: https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/342336-computer-easy-fix.html
.

 

[schummy027]

Probably the video posted by Dracco121, one of our members.

Here: https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/342336-computer-easy-fix.html
.

Spot on

 

[zoli]

Hi guys,

The thing is that with our Stilo the faults are very intermittent, I'm able to drive the car for days without a single fault, then at other times the faults can show up several times a day. What Dracco is explaining in his video, limp mode and engine fault, we do not get.

Our Stilo's symptoms are (when fault comes up):

- ABS, ASR, EBD Fault, Loose Connection, High Coolant Temperature, Car Security Error, and the car will not start due to the car security error on.
- These faults always show up all at the same time. it's never just one or the other, it's always all of them at the same time.
- After a few key turns on-off, or waiting good 15 minutes the faults go away, the car starts and runs fine.
- Battery OK
- Charging circuit OK
- Ground connection OK (no voltage drop)
- Wiring (to my best understanding) OK

aand the most funny thing is that when the errors show, I cannot connect to the engine ECU. Once the errors disperse, there are usually NO recorded faults in the ECU nor the other modules. I sometimes get some CAN communication error recorded in the Body computer or the ECU, but that's all.

When I explained this to a car electrician he immediately told me that this is due to a dying ECU (for any number of causes). He says the ECU can be sent to fixing, which is basically stripping of the ECU and re-soldering the chips, but no guarantee is given because the thing is so unreliable once it begins to manifest these faults.

My electrician says that it's a better bet to find a decent, good condition used ECU and fit it rather than trying to fix a faulty one.

So now I'm left with a car that is mechanically sound, interior OK, and I would like to drive the heck out of it until the engine falls out, but it is unreliable due to intermittent faults.

I will try once more to take apart the ECU and once again go over the pins, check any odd looking solder points, perhaps pop it once again in the oven since I have very little to loose now.

I'm not giving up on our Stilo yet, but it's frustrating that is has been our loyal servant for over 5 years, and now it all of a sudden went bonkers

 

[schummy027]

Hi guys,

The thing is that with our Stilo the faults are very intermittent, I'm able to drive the car for days without a single fault, then at other times the faults can show up several times a day. What Dracco is explaining in his video, limp mode and engine fault, we do not get.

Our Stilo's symptoms are (when fault comes up):

- ABS, ASR, EBD Fault, Loose Connection, High Coolant Temperature, Car Security Error, and the car will not start due to the car security error on.
- These faults always show up all at the same time. it's never just one or the other, it's always all of them at the same time.
- After a few key turns on-off, or waiting good 15 minutes the faults go away, the car starts and runs fine.
- Battery OK
- Charging circuit OK
- Ground connection OK (no voltage drop)
- Wiring (to my best understanding) OK

aand the most funny thing is that when the errors show, I cannot connect to the engine ECU. Once the errors disperse, there are usually NO recorded faults in the ECU nor the other modules. I sometimes get some CAN communication error recorded in the Body computer or the ECU, but that's all.

When I explained this to a car electrician he immediately told me that this is due to a dying ECU (for any number of causes). He says the ECU can be sent to fixing, which is basically stripping of the ECU and re-soldering the chips, but no guarantee is given because the thing is so unreliable once it begins to manifest these faults.

My electrician says that it's a better bet to find a decent, good condition used ECU and fit it rather than trying to fix a faulty one.

So now I'm left with a car that is mechanically sound, interior OK, and I would like to drive the heck out of it until the engine falls out, but it is unreliable due to intermittent faults.

I will try once more to take apart the ECU and once again go over the pins, check any odd looking solder points, perhaps pop it once again in the oven since I have very little to loose now.

I'm not giving up on our Stilo yet, but it's frustrating that is has been our loyal servant for over 5 years, and now it all of a sudden went bonkers

Any joy???

 

[Mytheroo]

my ECU lost the "drive" to the throttle valve motor. I tried resoldering all the connector pins (3 or 4 dropped/cracked solder) but it didn't help. I assume a power transistor of some kind has let out the magic smoke but I think an oven bake is worth a try....

 

[zoli]

Hi guys,

Since I'm either way planning on finding or have actually started searching for a decent condition used ECU for our Stilo, I thought I give it one more try with the oven method...hey, at worst I'm left with a dead ECU and no car until I find a replacement ECU.

So I took the ECU out, as before stuffed it in the oven, but I upped the temperature and the time slightly now. I tried 200C (instead of 180C earlier) and for 10min (instead of 8min before). Let it cool down. Popped it back in the car and hey presto again all seems OK It's been like that for a week now. Since then I took the car for several longer and shorter trips, made frequent stops through the city at several occasions, each morning had it cold started with temps around and under -10C and so far so good. The car drives fine, no errors what so ever.

I think I'm going to go all out with this "ecu oven baking" project of mine and see how far I can cook the thing back to life if it breaks again. I'll keep you guys posted.

For now, week 1 all OK.

Cheers,
Z

 

[schummy027]

Hi guys,

Since I'm either way planning on finding or have actually started searching for a decent condition used ECU for our Stilo, I thought I give it one more try with the oven method...hey, at worst I'm left with a dead ECU and no car until I find a replacement ECU.

So I took the ECU out, as before stuffed it in the oven, but I upped the temperature and the time slightly now. I tried 200C (instead of 180C earlier) and for 10min (instead of 8min before). Let it cool down. Popped it back in the car and hey presto again all seems OK It's been like that for a week now. Since then I took the car for several longer and shorter trips, made frequent stops through the city at several occasions, each morning had it cold started with temps around and under -10C and so far so good. The car drives fine, no errors what so ever.

I think I'm going to go all out with this "ecu oven baking" project of mine and see how far I can cook the thing back to life if it breaks again. I'll keep you guys posted.

For now, week 1 all OK.

Cheers,
Z

Saaaaawwwwweeeeet :slayer: Your our ECU Trail Blazer.......'one small step for oven's......one massive step for fried ecu's.....lol

 

[Visconti]

Please do yourself a favour and change the position of the ECU to the battery compartment case, and I mean ASAP !
No baking can substitute this move, as it will significantly reduce the ECU temperature.
There is enough room for the wiring and everything, do not forget that black ground wire though!


Remove the battery, drill 2 holes (enough ) you do not need to fabricate any brackets etc. , I know that this what I am talking about works, as I did it to my wife`s stilo as soon as we got it ( was receiving various messages and the car went into a limp home mode once or twice..after moving the ECU it started behaving like a new car)


Best regards from Montenegro dear neighbour ! and let us know the progress.

 

[zoli]

Thanks (hvala),

I will do just that. I will relocate the ECU to the side of the battery tray, I saw several posts and videos that others did that to their Stilo's. Thanks for the comment.

All the best,
Z

 

[Visconti]

You are welcome Zoli


As you said the ECU moving topic has been discussed on numerous forums as well as on youtube and should be quite straightforward.


Top tip - some of these errors that you have experienced are also linked to dirty throttle body. With a little patience it can also be opened, cleaned up and refitted. My stilo used to cut the power when sitting in traffic , especially if outside temperature is more than 30c. This was very annoying. You could not go past 2000 something rpms. This was accompanied by plethora of errors as you described in your posts. I came to a conclusion that these errors was the reason why the previous owner sold it to me

But cleaning the throttle body, followed by opening the ecu and re soldering the fallen pins (this is not the myth, it works and can actually be seen where they sit lower than the rest of the pins) , followed by moving the ecu to battery tray resulted in trouble free operation for more than a year now. I reckon if it wanted to show some anomalies, it would do it by now as the car is used daily.


If you need any more advice do not hesitate to ask please


Best regards

 

[zoli]

Hi Visconti,

The sad thing in all of this (at least for me) that since the 5 years we have the car, we have been through just over 100,000 km's, loads of various road conditions from the very harsh winter weather to the most scorching sun burned summer with full AC all the way and we always took good care of the car and the car performed according to expectations. It never left us stranded and it was honestly a reliable little bugger we could always jump into and just go
I had it regularly checked by my mechanic, strict 10.000km oil and filter changes, it has new discs, break pads, clutch, cam belt and associated bearings, a cleaned throttle body, a rebuilt transmission, and most recently it got a new head gasket, new piston rings and the engine was rebuilt from the ground up so oil sump cleaned, valves cleaned and all.

And now this fiasco with the ECU ... I'm still not giving up on her, ( I call it a she ) but after all of this time spent together in synergy i'm loosing confidence in the car despite all of what we have done on her.

I can only hope I will be able to find a good replacement ecu and perhaps still be able to drive the car for a few more years since mechanically it is sound as a whistle, it just has electronic daemons :devil:

Cheers,
Z

 

[Unvisible]

Hi Visconti,

The sad thing in all of this (at least for me) that since the 5 years we have the car, we have been through just over 100,000 km's, loads of various road conditions from the very harsh winter weather to the most scorching sun burned summer with full AC all the way and we always took good care of the car and the car performed according to expectations. It never left us stranded and it was honestly a reliable little bugger we could always jump into and just go
I had it regularly checked by my mechanic, strict 10.000km oil and filter changes, it has new discs, break pads, clutch, cam belt and associated bearings, a cleaned throttle body, a rebuilt transmission, and most recently it got a new head gasket, new piston rings and the engine was rebuilt from the ground up so oil sump cleaned, valves cleaned and all.

And now this fiasco with the ECU ... I'm still not giving up on her, ( I call it a she ) but after all of this time spent together in synergy i'm loosing confidence in the car despite all of what we have done on her.

I can only hope I will be able to find a good replacement ecu and perhaps still be able to drive the car for a few more years since mechanically it is sound as a whistle, it just has electronic daemons :devil:

Cheers,
Z

Hi!
How did this story continue, for how long your baked ECU worked or is it still working without problems? I'm now considering to bake my 1.6 stilo ecu. I would be more than happy to hear an update from your situation!

 

[zoli]

Hi!

Sadly the inevitable happened and the "baked" ECU just did not last... all in all it lasted about 6 months, with a re-bake in between but as I thought all along that this fix is just temporary, I was expecting it to fail sooner... In any case, by the end of it I needed to find a replacement good condition virginized ECU which I did and that one serves me now well. I did move this replacement ECU away from the engine to an alternate location on the side of the battery tray. The point being to allow better air flow around the ECU and less direct heat from the engine.

Hope I helped.

All the best.

 

[flisko]

Hi!

Sadly the inevitable happened and the "baked" ECU just did not last... all in all it lasted about 6 months, with a re-bake in between but as I thought all along that this fix is just temporary, I was expecting it to fail sooner... In any case, by the end of it I needed to find a replacement good condition virginized ECU which I did and that one serves me now well. I did move this replacement ECU away from the engine to an alternate location on the side of the battery tray. The point being to allow better air flow around the ECU and less direct heat from the engine.

Hope I helped.



All the best.

it would probably work again if you baked it

 

[zoli]

Hi flisko,

I actually did, I tried once again, went higher with the temperature a little bit, did all as before, but nothing...the old ECU went away for good
With the old one, which I baked a few times, at the very end the car did not want to start any more, and it blinked and beeped and gave all kinds of errors, but no sign of it turning the engine over nor any other thing for that matter.

When I got the virginized used one, I just put it back in the place of the old and off the car went and worked flawlessly. So I scrapped the old ECU, I still have it, but I'm no longer playing around with it have better things to do.

Cheers

 

[Unvisible]

Hi! Sorry that it has been some time since i updated to here the results of my ecu baking. I baked my ecu in 190°C for 9 minutes at last october and all the problems are gone. I've been driving now over 6000km after baking, couple of times to Russia and back (i live in Finland) and i'm so happy how well the baking worked out!!