ECU help please Options

[gotian]

Hi everyone my ECU took a dump on me and I'm trying to find a new one, I have a 95 GT Manual. I wanted to know if an Auto ECU will work if its a manual or do I need to find the manual one?

[jordisonjr]

Nope, pretty sure an auto ecu won't work.

[SwissFerdi]

Yes, an auto ECU should work for you. I base this on the fact that in an OBDI system, those swapping from auto to manual can use the factory auto ECU, so should work the opposite way around as well.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Jul 2, 2012 - 10:34 PM

[gotian]

thanks, could someone give me a definite answer though, perhaps someone who has done this themselves

[mkernz22]

You'd be better off trying to get a manual one first

[gotian]

manual ones run about $200 and their auto counterparts run considerably less.

[KAOS]

I have a ECU out of a 94 GT for sale. PM me for a price if you're interested.

[Special_Edy]

manual ones run about $200 and their auto counterparts run considerably less.

Really, I wouldnt pay more than $75 for one out of the scrapyard.

[SwissFerdi]

manual ones run about $200 and their auto counterparts run considerably less.

Where are you looking? The Orlando Pull&Pay sells them for $30 cash each...

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Jul 3, 2012 - 10:51 AM

[match220]

I'm selling the ECU from my 95 Manual GT, but it's a california model. If yours is a cali model then that's perfect.

Yes, an auto ECU should work for you. I base this on the fact that in an OBDI system, those swapping from auto to manual can use the factory auto ECU, so should work the opposite way around as well.

95 celicas are OBDII not OBDI. Mine was made in mid-94 and it has the OBDII plug. I had a 95 eclipse that had OBDII as well. It was mandatory for everyone to switch to OBDII in 96, some manufactures just switched early.

[jordisonjr]

My 95 celica is OBDI..
Go on ebay and search st204 or st202 (can't remeber what I typed in) but theres a manual ecu for a GT for around 80 bucks I believe.

[match220]

My 95 celica is OBDI..
Go on ebay and search st204 or st202 (can't remeber what I typed in) but theres a manual ecu for a GT for around 80 bucks I believe.

huh..that's strange. My celica actually has both OBDI and OBDII plugs. But my 95 toyo truck only has OBDI. Maybe only cali model celica's came with OBDII plugs. Also I'm positive that mine is a 95 Celica made in mid 94.

[SwissFerdi]

95 celicas are OBDII not OBDI.

Nope.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Jul 3, 2012 - 6:20 PM

[Syaoran]

My 95 celica is OBDI..
Go on ebay and search st204 or st202 (can't remeber what I typed in) but theres a manual ecu for a GT for around 80 bucks I believe.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-96-ST204-Celi...#ht_6310wt_1282


That's a 96 one, might be OBDII and incompatible because of it...

[jordisonjr]

Oh yea right sorry, my bad.
I just remembered seeing an ecu on there, didn't note the year.

[gotian]

it was changed mid year to obd2, but mine is definitely an obd1

[gotian]

so help me out some more here. Are these symptoms of the ECU Failing, Hard starting where you need to press on the gas to get it fired up. when its running if you let go of the gas it will shut off and the rpm needle will spike up throwing codes. It will smoke out the exhaust when it starts up from burning unburnt fuel.

I have changed the distributor because it was failing and had oil inside of it. I got a new distributor, cap, and rotor.

[match220]

so help me out some more here. Are these symptoms of the ECU Failing, Hard starting where you need to press on the gas to get it fired up. when its running if you let go of the gas it will shut off and the rpm needle will spike up throwing codes. It will smoke out the exhaust when it starts up from burning unburnt fuel.

I have changed the distributor because it was failing and had oil inside of it. I got a new distributor, cap, and rotor.

in my experience failing ECU's don't all act the same way. In the 3 cars that I've worked on that have had bad ECU's the symptoms are below. The ECU throwing codes and spiking the RPM gauge with the car off does seem like a faulty ECU. The celicas get the RPM signal directly from the ECU I believe, so it makes sense to see the RPM gauge jumping if it is bad. You should check your grounds on the car, more specifically the ECU ground that I believe is under the center console. The ECU had to fail for a reason, and I know it's not a common problem for the celicas to have ECU failure. Bad grounds will generally cause electronic components to fail. Some cars have faulty capacitors in the ECU that fail over time, and they leak on the circuitboard problems (problem that I thought I had in a turbo eclipse that I had, common eclipse problem).

Car 1: (OBDI early 90's Honda) ran rough all the time, smoked, and sputtered. There was a light on the ECU that blinked certain codes to show the engine code. It was solid, and didn't blink.
Car 2: (OBDII late 90's Volvo) wouldn't start at all.
Car 3: (OBDII early 00's Nissan) ran rough, smoked, sputtered, could not read ECU with diagnostic scanner.

[gotian]

thanks for the reply, now here is an issue i'm facing, ive never taken the ecu out of the celica before. I've done it in other cars. anyone have a DIY on removing the ecu?

[match220]

thanks for the reply, now here is an issue i'm facing, ive never taken the ecu out of the celica before. I've done it in other cars. anyone have a DIY on removing the ecu?

in my celica i had a ridiculously hard time just getting the center console out. What I ended up doing is popping off the cover around the radio and the other piece that goes around the shifter, then cutting the two thin plastic pieces in half so I could split the two halves of the center console. You won't be able to notice where it was cut once you put it all back together because the piece around the radio covers it. The pieces that I'm talking about are right in the middle of where the radio and A/C controls go. Once that is cut and the screws are undone that hold it in you can take out one or both of the sides of the center console and it is easier to get to the ECU. Then it's just a matter of getting to the screws that hold it in.

If you don't want to cut the center console in half you will probably have to take out the center armrest as well as one of the seats, and then pull the console out that way. Either way, it's hard to get to the ECU.