Topic: ECU Fail. I'm Really Pissed.

[Seafoam]

UPDATE:  I picked up my car today.  I got a better explanation of what happened, not that it changes my mind much about the whole experience.  It wasn't the entire ECU that failed.  It was only the part that tells the spark plugs and other bits to set fire to things to create the 'bang' in 'suck, squeeze, bang and blow' (that's how I understood it, anyway).  He found corrosion in that area of the board

It was replaced with a non-corroded refurbished unit for 1/2 the price of a brand new one.  I am totally fine with that.  If the design of the truck is such that it will take another 7 years to corrode the ECU into failure, so be it.  It will be someone else's problem at that point.

Thanks for all the comments!  You guys are awesome, as usual.   

That almost sounds like the coil pack failed.

[mmret]

I wonder how cars made in the last decade or so will be perceived in the future as classics due to the servicability of of all the electronics gizmos.  I know in the communications industrythat it doesnt take too long before a pieceof electronic gear is considered obsolete.  EOL is a term that i hear daily.

Yeah. I'd say a lot of cars in the last 20 or so years will end up as yard ornaments or on their way to the crusher because of the proprietary nature of the ECUs and the coding they run.

If a person is missing a part for a 90 year old Packard, they can get it sand cast, machined or even 3D fabricated. Dealing with old controllers is going to be an order of magnitude more complicated.

Only exceptional cars of the past are still around, the rest rusted away or were crushed. It will be the same with modern cars. Maybachs, ZR1s, Vipers and Boss Mustangs will be kept.

This is true. "they don't build them like they used to" is in large part because the only old ones that survived are the amazingly well built ones to begin with. The crap is no longer in the sample set.

Ditto houses.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

That's not necessarily the case with either cars, or houses.  I think it's the more interesting ones that survive, but that doesn't mean they are the best built. 

Some of the cars I see going for big $$$ on Barrett Jackson, et al were never really well built, or great drivers even in their day.  I've driven many of them and most of the cars from the 60s - early 80s were to drive and not very well put together, but they're still cool in thier own way.

Same for houses.  Many architecturally significant houses were/are high maintenance nightmares, and really hard to build in some cases due to their complex engineering challenges.  Some of them were not very practical, or comfortable as living quarters either.

Well let me put it this way. The interesting factor needs to exceed the headache (1/well built) factor.

So being well built is still a major factor that biases the sample.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[quadzilla]

It was only the part that tells the spark plugs and other bits to set fire to things to create the 'bang' in 'suck, squeeze, bang and blow' (that's how I understood it, anyway).

Well if that doesn't clear everything up, nothing will.

Glad your car is back on the road. Now where is that what should I buy next thread. 

[Mike]

I wonder how cars made in the last decade or so will be perceived in the future as classics due to the servicability of of all the electronics gizmos.  I know in the communications industrythat it doesnt take too long before a pieceof electronic gear is considered obsolete.  EOL is a term that i hear daily.

Yeah. I'd say a lot of cars in the last 20 or so years will end up as yard ornaments or on their way to the crusher because of the proprietary nature of the ECUs and the coding they run.

If a person is missing a part for a 90 year old Packard, they can get it sand cast, machined or even 3D fabricated. Dealing with old controllers is going to be an order of magnitude more complicated.

Only exceptional cars of the past are still around, the rest rusted away or were crushed. It will be the same with modern cars. Maybachs, ZR1s, Vipers and Boss Mustangs will be kept.

This is true. "they don't build them like they used to" is in large part because the only old ones that survived are the amazingly well built ones to begin with. The crap is no longer in the sample set.

Ditto houses.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

That's not necessarily the case with either cars, or houses.  I think it's the more interesting ones that survive, but that doesn't mean they are the best built. 

Some of the cars I see going for big $$$ on Barrett Jackson, et al were never really well built, or great drivers even in their day.  I've driven many of them and most of the cars from the 60s - early 80s were to drive and not very well put together, but they're still cool in thier own way.

Same for houses.  Many architecturally significant houses were/are high maintenance nightmares, and really hard to build in some cases due to their complex engineering challenges.  Some of them were not very practical, or comfortable as living quarters either.

Well let me put it this way. The interesting factor needs to exceed the headache (1/well built) factor.

So being well built is still a major factor that biases the sample.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Yeah, "They don't build them like they used to" is actually a fantastic thing. Despite what some old codgers will say, cars from back in the day were built worse in every possible way. Over use of paint and steel makes them seem 'better built' but even new, a lot of older cars needed way more maintenance and repairs than modern cars.

[blur911]

I wonder how cars made in the last decade or so will be perceived in the future as classics due to the servicability of of all the electronics gizmos.  I know in the communications industrythat it doesnt take too long before a pieceof electronic gear is considered obsolete.  EOL is a term that i hear daily.

Yeah. I'd say a lot of cars in the last 20 or so years will end up as yard ornaments or on their way to the crusher because of the proprietary nature of the ECUs and the coding they run.

If a person is missing a part for a 90 year old Packard, they can get it sand cast, machined or even 3D fabricated. Dealing with old controllers is going to be an order of magnitude more complicated.

Only exceptional cars of the past are still around, the rest rusted away or were crushed. It will be the same with modern cars. Maybachs, ZR1s, Vipers and Boss Mustangs will be kept.

This is true. "they don't build them like they used to" is in large part because the only old ones that survived are the amazingly well built ones to begin with. The crap is no longer in the sample set.

Ditto houses.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

That's not necessarily the case with either cars, or houses.  I think it's the more interesting ones that survive, but that doesn't mean they are the best built. 

Some of the cars I see going for big $$$ on Barrett Jackson, et al were never really well built, or great drivers even in their day.  I've driven many of them and most of the cars from the 60s - early 80s were to drive and not very well put together, but they're still cool in thier own way.

Same for houses.  Many architecturally significant houses were/are high maintenance nightmares, and really hard to build in some cases due to their complex engineering challenges.  Some of them were not very practical, or comfortable as living quarters either.

Well let me put it this way. The interesting factor needs to exceed the headache (1/well built) factor.

So being well built is still a major factor that biases the sample.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Yeah, "They don't build them like they used to" is actually a fantastic thing. Despite what some old codgers will say, cars from back in the day were built worse in every possible way. Over use of paint and steel makes them seem 'better built' but even new, a lot of older cars needed way more maintenance and repairs than modern cars.

Yes, older cars needed more maintenance, but they weren't nearly as complicated with electronics and plastic bits that seem to have an expiry date. Plastic gets brittle and cracks, most intake manifolds are plastic now and there is no other replacement.
 I bet It'll be easier to keep a '67 Mustang on the road than a 2017 in twenty years.   

[Sir Osis of Liver]

^ That's what I was getting at.

[Mike]

I wonder how cars made in the last decade or so will be perceived in the future as classics due to the servicability of of all the electronics gizmos.  I know in the communications industrythat it doesnt take too long before a pieceof electronic gear is considered obsolete.  EOL is a term that i hear daily.

Yeah. I'd say a lot of cars in the last 20 or so years will end up as yard ornaments or on their way to the crusher because of the proprietary nature of the ECUs and the coding they run.

If a person is missing a part for a 90 year old Packard, they can get it sand cast, machined or even 3D fabricated. Dealing with old controllers is going to be an order of magnitude more complicated.

Only exceptional cars of the past are still around, the rest rusted away or were crushed. It will be the same with modern cars. Maybachs, ZR1s, Vipers and Boss Mustangs will be kept.

This is true. "they don't build them like they used to" is in large part because the only old ones that survived are the amazingly well built ones to begin with. The crap is no longer in the sample set.

Ditto houses.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

That's not necessarily the case with either cars, or houses.  I think it's the more interesting ones that survive, but that doesn't mean they are the best built. 

Some of the cars I see going for big $$$ on Barrett Jackson, et al were never really well built, or great drivers even in their day.  I've driven many of them and most of the cars from the 60s - early 80s were to drive and not very well put together, but they're still cool in thier own way.

Same for houses.  Many architecturally significant houses were/are high maintenance nightmares, and really hard to build in some cases due to their complex engineering challenges.  Some of them were not very practical, or comfortable as living quarters either.

Well let me put it this way. The interesting factor needs to exceed the headache (1/well built) factor.

So being well built is still a major factor that biases the sample.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Yeah, "They don't build them like they used to" is actually a fantastic thing. Despite what some old codgers will say, cars from back in the day were built worse in every possible way. Over use of paint and steel makes them seem 'better built' but even new, a lot of older cars needed way more maintenance and repairs than modern cars.

Yes, older cars needed more maintenance, but they weren't nearly as complicated with electronics and plastic bits that seem to have an expiry date. Plastic gets brittle and cracks, most intake manifolds are plastic now and there is no other replacement.
 I bet It'll be easier to keep a '67 Mustang on the road than a 2017 in twenty years.   

All true, but couldn't the same be said for a 1917 Model T vs a 1967 Mustang with its fancy vinyl and chrome and plastic bits too

[blur911]

I wonder how cars made in the last decade or so will be perceived in the future as classics due to the servicability of of all the electronics gizmos.  I know in the communications industrythat it doesnt take too long before a pieceof electronic gear is considered obsolete.  EOL is a term that i hear daily.

Yeah. I'd say a lot of cars in the last 20 or so years will end up as yard ornaments or on their way to the crusher because of the proprietary nature of the ECUs and the coding they run.

If a person is missing a part for a 90 year old Packard, they can get it sand cast, machined or even 3D fabricated. Dealing with old controllers is going to be an order of magnitude more complicated.

Only exceptional cars of the past are still around, the rest rusted away or were crushed. It will be the same with modern cars. Maybachs, ZR1s, Vipers and Boss Mustangs will be kept.

This is true. "they don't build them like they used to" is in large part because the only old ones that survived are the amazingly well built ones to begin with. The crap is no longer in the sample set.

Ditto houses.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

That's not necessarily the case with either cars, or houses.  I think it's the more interesting ones that survive, but that doesn't mean they are the best built. 

Some of the cars I see going for big $$$ on Barrett Jackson, et al were never really well built, or great drivers even in their day.  I've driven many of them and most of the cars from the 60s - early 80s were to drive and not very well put together, but they're still cool in thier own way.

Same for houses.  Many architecturally significant houses were/are high maintenance nightmares, and really hard to build in some cases due to their complex engineering challenges.  Some of them were not very practical, or comfortable as living quarters either.

Well let me put it this way. The interesting factor needs to exceed the headache (1/well built) factor.

So being well built is still a major factor that biases the sample.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Yeah, "They don't build them like they used to" is actually a fantastic thing. Despite what some old codgers will say, cars from back in the day were built worse in every possible way. Over use of paint and steel makes them seem 'better built' but even new, a lot of older cars needed way more maintenance and repairs than modern cars.

Yes, older cars needed more maintenance, but they weren't nearly as complicated with electronics and plastic bits that seem to have an expiry date. Plastic gets brittle and cracks, most intake manifolds are plastic now and there is no other replacement.
 I bet It'll be easier to keep a '67 Mustang on the road than a 2017 in twenty years.   

All true, but couldn't the same be said for a 1917 Model T vs a 1967 Mustang with its fancy vinyl and chrome and plastic bits too

I imagine so, the Model T was again that much simpler than a Mustang.  The other thing is that both of those cars mentioned have a huge following and so a market for parts, both new and vintage, for those cars memorable or notable cars. 
You can still buy Model T floorboards, https://www.modeltford.com/model-t-parts/floorboards/floorboard-sets/  , try that for a 2004 Hyundai Tiburon, a truly forgettable car, and you're out of luck.

[Fobroader]

Again, noteworthy cars will be still wanted in the future. Your typical bland, beige CUV/sedan, not so much. The vast majority of cars today are made to be disposable and I bet the owners have as much attachment to them as a used sheet of toilet paper. Sure, if I had a Yenko Nova in the garage I would do whatever I could to keep it as pristine as possible, you see your average Caravan owner doing that??

[Seafoam]

Yes as long as they still make parts for older vehicles you can keep a vehicle on the road a long time.
I have not found it difficult finding anything for the miata or the old truck so far. Last summer I pondering purchasing an 1986 honda prelude,
a car from my past. I eventually decided against it. I bet it would be difficult finding anything for that car.

[johngenx]

The jobber parts market is far better than it used to be.  Cars last a LONG time now, and there's excellent parts support for cars that are 10-15 years old and even older for popular models.  My highlander is coming on 13 years old and I could rebuild the entire thing from scratch with jobber parts.

[blur911]

Part of the reason I gave up on my old Audi 20-valve cars was lack of parts for these unicorns.  I couldn't find front brake rotors any longer, the last ones I bought  were $200 each.   The fix was to install Audi 5k brakes, which mean't larger wheels, etc. $$   Someone broke the rear window and even though I was covered insurance-wise, I ended up supplying my own window from my parts car for the repair as none could be found on the market.
Sometimes it just isn't worth it.

[Arthur Dent]

Glass is something that is definitely hard to for old and obscure cars. I've passed on a few unicorns because of the lack of glass. Hard to adapt from other cars in the way that you could swap engines, brakes, wheels, etc.

Some vehicles have a deep flaw and don't deserve to be saved. I noticed the other day I hadn't seen an early Ford Explorer in a while. They sold a ton of them. Other less well selling SUVs of the era still exist but the Explorers are just gone. Expensive transmission failures and low values mean low survival.

[johngenx]

^^^^  Rear glass can be especially difficult for some older cars.  It comes down to volume.  It's pretty easy to get parts for older Corollas and Camrys and stuff like that.  Some makes support their own models really well - Mercedes used to have an incredible rep for parts support, but I can't speak to that now.  When I was in MBCA guys with cars from the 50s and 60s bought parts from MB - it might take some time to get and it might be expensive, but you could get them.  One fellow had an original gull-wing and was able to keep it on the road with MB OE parts.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

This rear window wouldn't be hard to source, would it? 

It was a cool look though. They used it on a few other GM cars.

[Fobroader]

What about the glass on this bastard, sure common as dirt when it was new...now.... Because it was a disposable car.

[Brig]

It was only the part that tells the spark plugs and other bits to set fire to things to create the 'bang' in 'suck, squeeze, bang and blow' (that's how I understood it, anyway).

Well if that doesn't clear everything up, nothing will.

Glad your car is back on the road. Now where is that what should I buy next thread. 

I'm looking.  And reconsidering the whole CUV thing right now, because I don't want a turbo to get some grunt.  I just need to find something that doesn't require me to fall down into the seat to sit on the floor.  Not sure that's even possible.   

And to all you jerks that have hijacked my thread, FACK OFF and start your own!   

[johngenx]

I'm looking.  And reconsidering the whole CUV thing right now, because I don't want a turbo to get some grunt.  I just need to find something that doesn't require me to fall down into the seat to sit on the floor.  Not sure that's even possible.   

Get a used RAV V-6.  They're older, sure, but bullet-proof and they're a CUV hot-rod.

[Brig]

Get a used RAV V-6.  They're older, sure, but bullet-proof and they're a CUV hot-rod.

They're older, and likely have no Bluetooth connectivity.  Interesting idea, nonetheless.

[tortoise]

An aftermarket radio fixes that.