Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Cummin's Bad ECM Idea

[Jetson]

I have been noticing the number of bad ECM's discussed and how they tend to be from the 98. 5, 99 and 2000 trucks. I think the heat and vibration eventually get to the computer from being bolted to the side of the engine block. I think this is a very bad idea, the computer is not really doing anything that should wear it out, but the life of these things seems way too short for a supposed 400,000 mile engine.

 

[Nyoest]

You may not like it but all sorts of manufactures do it. Cat, Cummins, Detroit come to mind right off the top of my head. I've personally worked on a 3406E with a million twenty seven thousand miles on it that had the ECM bolted right to the side of block. It had never been to the shop other than oil changes and valve adjusments. And that was what he was there for that day as well.

 

[Jetson]

I think 6 to 7 years is the life expectancy of the ECM and mileage is less important.

 

[R-N-R]

My '02 (under 60k) is on it's 2nd ECM.

 

[Jetson]

I got my ECM repaired, supposedly, by Autocraft Microsystems. They said my old ECM was not repairable. They got a used ECM to reman, but it has issues. The lift pump only runs for a half second, instead of the 3 seconds with the original ECM. I am still loosing power occasionally and have to push in the clutch and rev the engine, then it runs fine until it decides to go back into limp mode.

 

[Mr. C]

That micro burst with the lift pump is the updated software from D/C they did that cause some were having hard starting issues, sounds like you got the newer software loaded into your reman ECM. Mine is the same way, except without any power issues.

 

[bmoeller]

You may not like it but all sorts of manufactures do it. Cat, Cummins, Detroit come to mind right off the top of my head. I've personally worked on a 3406E with a million twenty seven thousand miles on it that had the ECM bolted right to the side of block.

Are those ECMs still cooled by fuel, like the ECMs on the earlier engines were?



The ECM on our ISX Cummins took a crap, less than a week after we got our '03 KW.

 

[obert]

Im not in the heavy on-highway industry, but a friend who is (jokingly) states that ISX= ECM failure. "notice the red valve cover the next time you pass a broke down semi on the road" he says. Hate to knock the mighty cummins, but... ...



My Original ECM works fine, at ~165k.

 

[Mr. C]

Im not in the heavy on-highway industry, but a friend who is (jokingly) states that ISX= ECM failure. "notice the red valve cover the next time you pass a broke down semi on the road" he says. Hate to knock the mighty cummins, but... ...



My Original ECM works fine, at ~165k.

Can't argue with that my work truck ate its 3rd ECM it's a 450 ISX, under warrenty thankfully.

 

[Alphacowboy]

I got my ECM repaired, supposedly, by Autocraft Microsystems. They said my old ECM was not repairable. They got a used ECM to reman, but it has issues. The lift pump only runs for a half second, instead of the 3 seconds with the original ECM.

Thats not a problem with the ECM, its the newest software upgrade as mentioned above.

I am still loosing power occasionally and have to push in the clutch and rev the engine, then it runs fine until it decides to go back into limp mode.

That is NOT the ECM thats causing the issue, my truck did the same thing when my VP44 took a dump, hope you have 1k bucks laying around and 4-5 hours of free time to swap it.





Guys, the ECM is a computer, many things can effect it, the fact of the mater is that if you are going through ECMs, you have another problem, most likely a short in a wire somewhere or a bad ground that is causing the electronics to go bad. And in all fairness to Dodge/Cummins, I bet the % wise of failures is very small. And like I said, if you are having multiple ECM replacements, its not the damn ECM, somthing else is frying your ECM. An ECM that is bolted to the intake side of the engine on stand offs is not going to be effected by heat. Seriously guys, you can damn near hold your hand on that side of the block when its warmed up, have you even put your hand on a Computer motherboard or CPU heatsink of a computer? Its pretty hot, the ECM is fine with that amount of heat... its not like its bolted right to the block (flat against it) and on the exhaust side, then I might understand your gripe. Also, these ECMs are all solid state conductors and microchips, no moving parts like a HD in your Desktop, vibrations from the engine are not going to effect solid state conductors.

 

[Texas Diesel]

I have a thermal heat gun and my ECM is always 165F-200F, pretty hot. Someday I plan to add some exhaust header insulation between the ECM and the 200F block.

 

[Alphacowboy]

I have a thermal heat gun and my ECM is always 165F-200F, pretty hot. Someday I plan to add some exhaust header insulation between the ECM and the 200F block.

take that gun and open your case on your computer and point it at any of the processor chips. I think you will be surprised at the temp of most of the items.

 

[obert]

..... if you are going through ECMs, you have another problem... .

And more than likely those ECM's weren't bad in the first place. Its the easy way out for a tech. to diagnose a strange problem and happens WAY too often. #@$%!



The modern skid loaders I work on have numerous controllers, depending on options. Ive worked on thousands of machines (It seems), and only replaced a hand full of controllers. One had a short, but the norm is the plastic shell letting moisture in and ruining the electronics, which is easily visible. I did help another tech finish up a job with a new controller, thats the only one I can think of that had software issues. But I'm only one guy so maybe thats too small of a sample.



Oh, and how can I forget my old VA 60hp box, it inexplicably has taken a dump.



And for S & G's :

Henceforth, sipmly refer to controllers, ECM, PCM, what ever you call'em as FRED.

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