RB FCD killed my ecu AGAIN! %$#&
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RB FCD killed my ecu AGAIN! %$#&
GOD DAMNIT!! it's offical, that f$&*ing POS RB FCD killed my ecu AGAIN!
It's doing the exact same thing as before..
Ted.. I think I'm gonna need another one..
I can't believe this.. that thing has cost me $55 for it, $430 for Mazda's sh!&ty *** diagnostics, $160 for towing and $75 for a new ecu not to mention another one I'm gonna have to buy.. I really don't have money to spend on this right now.. and I just know the SOB who sold me this know it too..
I can't believe this, beware of these RB FCD's.. Ted, please get back to me asap, I hope you have another one..
It's doing the exact same thing as before..
Ted.. I think I'm gonna need another one..
I can't believe this.. that thing has cost me $55 for it, $430 for Mazda's sh!&ty *** diagnostics, $160 for towing and $75 for a new ecu not to mention another one I'm gonna have to buy.. I really don't have money to spend on this right now.. and I just know the SOB who sold me this know it too..
I can't believe this, beware of these RB FCD's.. Ted, please get back to me asap, I hope you have another one..
#3
Full Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ok, i've cooled down a little bit, i apologize for the profanity..
clearing my mind I remembered reading about some aftermarket ecu's shortly after I replaced my first bad one.. I certainly can't afford haltech, but is there anything else that might have such features as no fuel cut, better fuel management, etc. and be affordable? perhaps a reprogrammed one?
clearing my mind I remembered reading about some aftermarket ecu's shortly after I replaced my first bad one.. I certainly can't afford haltech, but is there anything else that might have such features as no fuel cut, better fuel management, etc. and be affordable? perhaps a reprogrammed one?
#4
Rotorhead
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Posts: 9,136
Likes: 0
Received 39 Likes
on
33 Posts
The RB FCD worked just fine in my S4. What makes you think that the FCD killed your ECU?
BTW, for $280 more than you have already spent, you could have a Haltech E6K. You will gain about 15hp just by using a standalone EMS which allows you to ditch your stock AFM, not to mention that you can TRULY tune the car for the higher boost levels rather than using the FCD as a crutch. Are you sure that you can't afford one?
BTW, for $280 more than you have already spent, you could have a Haltech E6K. You will gain about 15hp just by using a standalone EMS which allows you to ditch your stock AFM, not to mention that you can TRULY tune the car for the higher boost levels rather than using the FCD as a crutch. Are you sure that you can't afford one?
Trending Topics
#8
Laying Down Rotary Law
Ok very simple Felix
I had a 88 GXL put TII motor
ECU
Harness
RC cleaned 550cc's
AFM
Boost sensor
resistor pack
etc
I did not need a FCD cause
ECU could not read boost since
the driver side N/A harness has no imput for a OEM Dash
boost sensor
Ran the car HARD
to 8k everyday
did 13.5@10 PSI
Then I found a TII car with a blown motor
swaped everything
ECU
AFM
sensor
Harness
engine to the TII body
Bingo tried boosting Hit fuel cut
I go and buy a RB FCD
hmm ok no more fuel cut
but damm my turbo sure is glowing red
few days later
car is hard to start
sounds kinda funny when idling
but still pulls kinda good on high
Pull front plugs spin motor
woosh-woosh-woosh-woosh-woosh
pull back putting front plugs back on
woosh-hollow-woosh
Took engine to mech
sure enough
1 cracked apex seal on the far corner
another chipped seal on the same rear rotor
(rotor housing big deep groove by spark plug hole)
1 slight chip on the front-no damage
The insides of the exhuast port's where a light brown
showing signs of a lean condition
That I never HAD! when I had the same exact engine and setup on the GXL body with no FCD
There is my proof
Now I have EK6 that will be going with the new engine
with 850cc sec's
and RB can kiss my ***
I had a 88 GXL put TII motor
ECU
Harness
RC cleaned 550cc's
AFM
Boost sensor
resistor pack
etc
I did not need a FCD cause
ECU could not read boost since
the driver side N/A harness has no imput for a OEM Dash
boost sensor
Ran the car HARD
to 8k everyday
did 13.5@10 PSI
Then I found a TII car with a blown motor
swaped everything
ECU
AFM
sensor
Harness
engine to the TII body
Bingo tried boosting Hit fuel cut
I go and buy a RB FCD
hmm ok no more fuel cut
but damm my turbo sure is glowing red
few days later
car is hard to start
sounds kinda funny when idling
but still pulls kinda good on high
Pull front plugs spin motor
woosh-woosh-woosh-woosh-woosh
pull back putting front plugs back on
woosh-hollow-woosh
Took engine to mech
sure enough
1 cracked apex seal on the far corner
another chipped seal on the same rear rotor
(rotor housing big deep groove by spark plug hole)
1 slight chip on the front-no damage
The insides of the exhuast port's where a light brown
showing signs of a lean condition
That I never HAD! when I had the same exact engine and setup on the GXL body with no FCD
There is my proof
Now I have EK6 that will be going with the new engine
with 850cc sec's
and RB can kiss my ***
#11
Full Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
quote:
Evil Aviator
----------------------------------------------
The RB FCD worked just fine in my S4. What makes you think that the FCD killed your ECU?
BTW, for $280 more than you have already spent, you could have a Haltech E6K. You will gain about 15hp just by using a standalone EMS which allows you to ditch your stock AFM, not to mention that you can TRULY tune the car for the higher boost levels rather than using the FCD as a crutch. Are you sure that you can't afford one?
----------------------------------------------
well thanks for making me feel worse
No.. it's already spent and trust me, I'm kicking myself in the *** for spending all that money.. but there's no way I could have known and there's no way I can get it back..
The FCD was definately the problem! Sure it did it before but I wasn't sure because I was doing other stuff too at the time..
THIS TIME however, my car was running fine.. disconnected the battery.. put the FCD on.. reconnected the battery.. the car wouldn't start.. it was definately this POS.
wasn't quite the same problem as kabooski's, but it's obvious that the FCD caused some short as soon as I tried to start the car.. I don't know how or why though..
quote:
Arpus
-----------------------------------------------
Hey Analog.... did you get a warranty on any of that stuff?
-----------------------------------------------
warranty? lol
Evil Aviator
----------------------------------------------
The RB FCD worked just fine in my S4. What makes you think that the FCD killed your ECU?
BTW, for $280 more than you have already spent, you could have a Haltech E6K. You will gain about 15hp just by using a standalone EMS which allows you to ditch your stock AFM, not to mention that you can TRULY tune the car for the higher boost levels rather than using the FCD as a crutch. Are you sure that you can't afford one?
----------------------------------------------
well thanks for making me feel worse
No.. it's already spent and trust me, I'm kicking myself in the *** for spending all that money.. but there's no way I could have known and there's no way I can get it back..
The FCD was definately the problem! Sure it did it before but I wasn't sure because I was doing other stuff too at the time..
THIS TIME however, my car was running fine.. disconnected the battery.. put the FCD on.. reconnected the battery.. the car wouldn't start.. it was definately this POS.
wasn't quite the same problem as kabooski's, but it's obvious that the FCD caused some short as soon as I tried to start the car.. I don't know how or why though..
quote:
Arpus
-----------------------------------------------
Hey Analog.... did you get a warranty on any of that stuff?
-----------------------------------------------
warranty? lol
#12
HAILERS
Join Date: May 2001
Location: FORT WORTH, TEXAS,USA
Posts: 20,563
Likes: 0
Received 22 Likes
on
20 Posts
This statement by Kabooski is driving me nuts because it does not make sense to me. It is: I did not need a FCD cause
ECU could not read boost since
the driver side N/A harness has no imput for a OEM Dash
boost sensor
The output from the boost/pressure sensor is part of the emissions harness. Should have gone directly to the ECU. Why would you care if the non existant wire for the boost gauge existed or not???? Does nothing but drive a gauge. I must be misreading this, because the ECU needed a fuel cut defender b/t it and the pressure sensor, to my way of thinking if boosting above stock.
ECU could not read boost since
the driver side N/A harness has no imput for a OEM Dash
boost sensor
The output from the boost/pressure sensor is part of the emissions harness. Should have gone directly to the ECU. Why would you care if the non existant wire for the boost gauge existed or not???? Does nothing but drive a gauge. I must be misreading this, because the ECU needed a fuel cut defender b/t it and the pressure sensor, to my way of thinking if boosting above stock.
#13
I'm with stupid -----^
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
Posts: 994
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can't compare AnalogKidd's experience with the FCD with Kabooski's ..
Analog's problem could possibly stem from a bad FCD unit.. however Kabooski should not be blaming the FCD with blowing his motor.. The FCD did it's job.. it got rid of fuelcut .. that's all there is too it .. If the motor went because of a lean condition then you can blame poor tuning or improper fuel and timing setup .. with your frankenstien na/t2 conversion, the likeliness of something going wrong is even higher..
What about this scenario.. You were boosting to 10 psi using an N/A ECU which was never had the proper timing and fueling maps built in to compensate for boost.. During your hard runs with this set up, although you did not blow your motor, you were weakening it.. You swapped over to the proper ECU then decided to try and see if you could hit fuel cut .. Each time a car hits fuel cut you are weakening the seals even more..your rear rotor which was probably already weakend was now weakened more by cutting fuel on boost.. HOw many times were you "testing" to hit fuelcut?
Now you go buy an FCD.. It did as it was supposed to.. it eliminated the fuel cut.. unfortunately your motor decides to finally give out a few days after.. How can you blame the FCD?? If you went out and bought a gun, and one day accidently shot your dog.. are you going to blame the gun??
There are plenty of people using FCD's, and with the proper set up they are great.. The people who blame the FCD for blowing their motor are using it as a scapegoat rather then having to place the blame on themselves..
Analog's problem could possibly stem from a bad FCD unit.. however Kabooski should not be blaming the FCD with blowing his motor.. The FCD did it's job.. it got rid of fuelcut .. that's all there is too it .. If the motor went because of a lean condition then you can blame poor tuning or improper fuel and timing setup .. with your frankenstien na/t2 conversion, the likeliness of something going wrong is even higher..
What about this scenario.. You were boosting to 10 psi using an N/A ECU which was never had the proper timing and fueling maps built in to compensate for boost.. During your hard runs with this set up, although you did not blow your motor, you were weakening it.. You swapped over to the proper ECU then decided to try and see if you could hit fuel cut .. Each time a car hits fuel cut you are weakening the seals even more..your rear rotor which was probably already weakend was now weakened more by cutting fuel on boost.. HOw many times were you "testing" to hit fuelcut?
Now you go buy an FCD.. It did as it was supposed to.. it eliminated the fuel cut.. unfortunately your motor decides to finally give out a few days after.. How can you blame the FCD?? If you went out and bought a gun, and one day accidently shot your dog.. are you going to blame the gun??
There are plenty of people using FCD's, and with the proper set up they are great.. The people who blame the FCD for blowing their motor are using it as a scapegoat rather then having to place the blame on themselves..
#14
Lives on the Forum
Holy crap - how is it killing the ECU's?  Are you using a used FCD, or did you buy it new from RB?  I think it's rather fishy that the RB FCD is burning the ECU's out like crazy...
-Ted
-Ted
#15
Laying Down Rotary Law
No sorry Chris I'm no newbie to Mazda's
I used EVERYTHING TII (ecu etc) on My GXL
except the driver side Harness
and then put the same exact stuff on a TII
The boost sensor and the Boost guage
work together to determine manifold pressure and fuel cut
The GXL harness that attaches to the dash guages
does not HAVE a boost sensing connector
there for the ECU can not know to cut fuel
The factory boost guage is electrical and not mechanical
it is dependent on the boost sensor
this is where it gets it's reading
The TII motor on my GXL ran perfect for a year
ask Tim(Little Donny) and Andres
both of which have seen my car and how great it ran
I used EVERYTHING TII (ecu etc) on My GXL
except the driver side Harness
and then put the same exact stuff on a TII
The boost sensor and the Boost guage
work together to determine manifold pressure and fuel cut
The GXL harness that attaches to the dash guages
does not HAVE a boost sensing connector
there for the ECU can not know to cut fuel
The factory boost guage is electrical and not mechanical
it is dependent on the boost sensor
this is where it gets it's reading
The TII motor on my GXL ran perfect for a year
ask Tim(Little Donny) and Andres
both of which have seen my car and how great it ran
#16
I'm with stupid -----^
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
Posts: 994
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I must of misread your post, and thought you were running the n/a ECU with the turbo setup.. appologies .. However I don't belive the guage has anything to do with fuelcut.. The ECU is still recieveing pressure readings from the pressure sensor.. My old T2 had an n/a guage panel in it .. no boost sensor.. Car ran fine and would reach fuel cut.. I then replaced the cluster with a T2 cluster, however I removed the voltmeter from the n/a and replaced the boost guage with it.. again, everything worked without a hitch, fuelcut and all..
#17
Laying Down Rotary Law
yes but your dashboard Harness has the connector
for the boost guage
Only the N/A Harness lacks this
I put the same ECU
same boost sensor
same AFM
same injector harness
same fuel pump
same resistor pack
everything onto the TII body
from the GXL
Only then did I hit Fuel Cut
when on the GXL which had NO FCD at all
never hit fuel cut , not even when I would spike
(s4 turbo) to 13+PSI sometimes on a cool night
and car never ran lean
I checked the plugs right after a hard run
for the boost guage
Only the N/A Harness lacks this
I put the same ECU
same boost sensor
same AFM
same injector harness
same fuel pump
same resistor pack
everything onto the TII body
from the GXL
Only then did I hit Fuel Cut
when on the GXL which had NO FCD at all
never hit fuel cut , not even when I would spike
(s4 turbo) to 13+PSI sometimes on a cool night
and car never ran lean
I checked the plugs right after a hard run
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Winter Springs, FL
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by kabooski
The TII motor on my GXL ran perfect for a year
ask Tim(Little Donny) and Andres
both of which have seen my car and how great it ran
The TII motor on my GXL ran perfect for a year
ask Tim(Little Donny) and Andres
both of which have seen my car and how great it ran
You mean Anderson
#19
I'm a boost creep...
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posts: 15,608
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Originally posted by kabooski
I did not need a FCD cause ECU could not read boost since the driver side N/A harness has no imput for a OEM Dash boost sensor work together to determine manifold pressure and fuel cut
I did not need a FCD cause ECU could not read boost since the driver side N/A harness has no imput for a OEM Dash boost sensor work together to determine manifold pressure and fuel cut
Considering the way the car was being run, I’d say there are many other reasons why your motor could have leaned out. Blaming the FCD is just the easy way out.
AnalogKidd, It sounds to me you have a faulty FCD, possibly some swapped wires. You should be taking this problem up with RB, not having a rant here and saying the FCD is a POS. There are so many of these things out there working fine, your one bad experience is obviously an exception, not the rule. No manufacturer gets it right 100% of the time, and it’s just your bad luck you got a dud one. Talk to RB and try to get them to replace the ECU. You will need to prove your case though.
Last edited by NZConvertible; 06-03-02 at 12:55 AM.
#23
looking at the wirring diagram that u guys supplied
there is no way I can see that the FCD caused the ECU to fail
the wire which joins to 2a on the ecu is the 5v wire
I can tell this because it also goes to tps and so on
the wire which joins to 2c is the 0v wire as it is on the back/out side of most other sensors as well as the pressure/map sensor
the wire which joins to 2b is the signal wire
the ecu is looking to see where the signal is on the 0v to 5v scale so at a given voltage it will shut off the fuel
ALL other ecus that I have played with cannot be damaged by swapping these wire around it just means that u loose ur boost gauge and map sensor
Have u guys bothered to talk to RB ???
there is no way I can see that the FCD caused the ECU to fail
the wire which joins to 2a on the ecu is the 5v wire
I can tell this because it also goes to tps and so on
the wire which joins to 2c is the 0v wire as it is on the back/out side of most other sensors as well as the pressure/map sensor
the wire which joins to 2b is the signal wire
the ecu is looking to see where the signal is on the 0v to 5v scale so at a given voltage it will shut off the fuel
ALL other ecus that I have played with cannot be damaged by swapping these wire around it just means that u loose ur boost gauge and map sensor
Have u guys bothered to talk to RB ???
#24
I havent chimed in already, but I guess now is a good time...
you cannt fry your ECU (or any other electronic equipment) unless you exceed its voltage INPUT specs, or short-circuit it. I think all the inputs are protected by at least 12VA internal fuses, and you cannt short-circuit something ON THE OUTSIDE. Since the FCD is a closed "blackbox" and you didnt do anything to alter it, then its most likely something else
you cannt fry your ECU (or any other electronic equipment) unless you exceed its voltage INPUT specs, or short-circuit it. I think all the inputs are protected by at least 12VA internal fuses, and you cannt short-circuit something ON THE OUTSIDE. Since the FCD is a closed "blackbox" and you didnt do anything to alter it, then its most likely something else
#25
Full Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
quote from merlin:
------------------
looking at the wirring diagram that u guys supplied
there is no way I can see that the FCD caused the ECU to fail
------------------
and
quote from The Ace:
------------------
you cannt fry your ECU (or any other electronic equipment) unless you exceed its voltage INPUT specs, or short-circuit it. I think all the inputs are protected by at least 12VA internal fuses, and you cannt short-circuit something ON THE OUTSIDE. Since the FCD is a closed "blackbox" and you didnt do anything to alter it, then its most likely something else
------------------
look.. fellas.. I don't know HOW it happened but it's as clear as day that the FCD is at fault..
Before I had upgraded my fuel pump, installed a boost gauge and popped the fcd in before the car wouldn't start.. I got Mazda's $430 "professional" opinion that the ecu was bad. Any of those things could have caused it, but not this time. Yesterday my car was running great and I decided to give the FCD a second chance b/c I had convinced myself that it couldn't have been the problem.. well I put it in and the car wouldn't start, just as before.. I don't suppose there's a way to reverse it?
quote from rpeck:
-----------------
Get a reprogramed ECU for $295 you can include your mods list when you send it, and it's programed to act as a FCD at the same time.
-----------------
I was kinda looking into this, where exactly do I go?
quote from NZConvertible:
-------------------------
AnalogKidd, It sounds to me you have a faulty FCD, possibly some swapped wires. You should be taking this problem up with RB, not having a rant here and saying the FCD is a POS. There are so many of these things out there working fine, your one bad experience is obviously an exception, not the rule. No manufacturer gets it right 100% of the time, and it’s just your bad luck you got a dud one. Talk to RB and try to get them to replace the ECU. You will need to prove your case though.
-------------------------
I'm entitled to an opinion aren't I?
quote from RETed:
-----------------
Holy crap - how is it killing the ECU's? Are you using a used FCD, or did you buy it new from RB? I think it's rather fishy that the RB FCD is burning the ECU's out like crazy...
-----------------
Hey Ted, not sure how.. it was new.. I agree..
do you have any more TII ecu's?
------------------
looking at the wirring diagram that u guys supplied
there is no way I can see that the FCD caused the ECU to fail
------------------
and
quote from The Ace:
------------------
you cannt fry your ECU (or any other electronic equipment) unless you exceed its voltage INPUT specs, or short-circuit it. I think all the inputs are protected by at least 12VA internal fuses, and you cannt short-circuit something ON THE OUTSIDE. Since the FCD is a closed "blackbox" and you didnt do anything to alter it, then its most likely something else
------------------
look.. fellas.. I don't know HOW it happened but it's as clear as day that the FCD is at fault..
Before I had upgraded my fuel pump, installed a boost gauge and popped the fcd in before the car wouldn't start.. I got Mazda's $430 "professional" opinion that the ecu was bad. Any of those things could have caused it, but not this time. Yesterday my car was running great and I decided to give the FCD a second chance b/c I had convinced myself that it couldn't have been the problem.. well I put it in and the car wouldn't start, just as before.. I don't suppose there's a way to reverse it?
quote from rpeck:
-----------------
Get a reprogramed ECU for $295 you can include your mods list when you send it, and it's programed to act as a FCD at the same time.
-----------------
I was kinda looking into this, where exactly do I go?
quote from NZConvertible:
-------------------------
AnalogKidd, It sounds to me you have a faulty FCD, possibly some swapped wires. You should be taking this problem up with RB, not having a rant here and saying the FCD is a POS. There are so many of these things out there working fine, your one bad experience is obviously an exception, not the rule. No manufacturer gets it right 100% of the time, and it’s just your bad luck you got a dud one. Talk to RB and try to get them to replace the ECU. You will need to prove your case though.
-------------------------
I'm entitled to an opinion aren't I?
quote from RETed:
-----------------
Holy crap - how is it killing the ECU's? Are you using a used FCD, or did you buy it new from RB? I think it's rather fishy that the RB FCD is burning the ECU's out like crazy...
-----------------
Hey Ted, not sure how.. it was new.. I agree..
do you have any more TII ecu's?