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Wet ECU

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Old 03-09-2008, 10:32 AM
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Wet ECU

I was out riding yesterday and i went through a hole yesterday that was a little too deep and water got all in the passenger side of my cab. When the water started to come in it got up in the kick panel where the ECU is. When it did this my truck started acting like it was going to shut off and it did eventually. I pulled it back to the house and try to fire it up after awhile but it keeps flooding out and running real rough. Is there anyway to test the ECU to see if it still is working properly?
Old 03-09-2008, 12:26 PM
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The easiest way to test an ECU without an engine simulator is to hook it up and run it. The only people I suspect that have purpose-built engine simulators are the Toyota electronics engineers.

You did pull the ECU and dry it out, right?

Last edited by Dirt Driver; 03-09-2008 at 12:27 PM.
Old 03-09-2008, 12:46 PM
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You could pull the ECU and remove the cover. Take a look inside, there might be some obvious damage.

Do make sure it's dried out though.... that would be important.

What motor, tranny is the ECU from?
Old 03-09-2008, 01:07 PM
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You may still have water in the ECU. Take the covers off it and allow to dry for a couple days in a warm area.
Old 03-09-2008, 01:20 PM
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I pulled the covers off and let it dry out. I going to put it back in after awhile and see what it does.
Old 03-09-2008, 01:25 PM
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Originally Posted by jonboy99
I pulled the covers off and let it dry out. I going to put it back in after awhile and see what it does.
'awhile' being 24-48 hrs, right?
Old 03-09-2008, 01:55 PM
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If you did indeed kill the ECU and its a 3.0 ECU (10-18-24 pin) let me know I need one to cut up for a project. Like every one else said just dry it out and hope for the best.
Old 03-09-2008, 02:06 PM
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No its a 22RE
Old 03-10-2008, 06:57 AM
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Originally Posted by jonboy99
No its a 22RE
I buy dead 22RE ECUs.
Old 03-10-2008, 09:24 AM
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I've been through this twice. Once with my 22re and once with my 3vze. It must be dried immediately with a can of compressed air and clean it with approved electrical cleaner so corrosion doesn't set in. If it will still even work...if the circuitry hasn't fried.....then, you need to test it following the FSM procedure for the ECM. If it fails at all anywhere, you need to replace it. You may get lucky, like I did with my 22re, and it still works. The 3vze wasn't so lucky.
Old 03-10-2008, 09:28 AM
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Having seen the effects on various electronics in the pouring rain (DJ equipment left out by accident), I can tell you that so long as you dry it all out it should work fine.

Key is making sure its dry to the bone though, compressed air and electrical parts cleaner are your friends.
Old 03-10-2008, 09:51 AM
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Also make sure the ECU harness plug is dry. Even if the ECU is dry, water in the plug can cause crosstalk on the inputs in the plug and make it act weird.

All the discrete components in the computer(resistors, caps, diodes, etc) tend to be water resistant, but the logic components like microprocessors are very sensitive to interference between their traces and pins. For example, I have a nice JVC tape deck from the early '90s that will go haywire if you touch the boards with just your fingers while it's turned on.
Old 03-10-2008, 10:28 AM
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water isn't THAT bad when it comes to the ecu. I swamped mine twice underwater and once dried out it ran fine with no codes. Got me home both times. I have since relocated the ecu up behind the glove box where it's a good 10" higher than it used to be. The problem with having a snorkel is slowly finding everything else you have to waterproof. My TPS is the last weak link I think.
Old 03-10-2008, 04:57 PM
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Well I put my ecu back in today and fired my truck up. It ran just fine for about 10-15 minutes. I even drove it up and down my road. But on the way back it shut off while pulling up the drive. I cranked it back up and it didn't want to run without giving it fuel. It was also running really rough and burning rich.
Old 03-10-2008, 05:35 PM
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huh oh

better get out the checkbook..........90% of the time their fried...burnt mine twice. $275 ...refurbished......3.0
Attached Thumbnails Wet ECU-horror-movie.jpg  
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