Fried ECM

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wot440

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Hello all, Installed new distributor with blue ECM, new ballast resistor, and a new OEM coil. Fired up engine, set the timing and let run for five minutes or so. Started engine again, and it died within 30 sec.
Un plugged the ECM from the dist. checked for spark with key on run and had nothing. Any idea why I fried this ECM. Don't want to fry another one . I had the LT blue ECM wire to the same side of ballast as the VR. opposite the coil pos. side. Could this be the problem. Working on 68' Chrys. 440 engine. Thanks in advance.
 
How do you know it's "fried?" There's a few other things it could be including a simple wiring connection failure. I HAVE EVEN FOUND two systems where there was a bad connection in one of the ECM pins in that big connector.
 
How do you know it's "fried?" There's a few other things it could be including a simple wiring connection failure. I HAVE EVEN FOUND two systems where there was a bad connection in one of the ECM pins in that big connector.

MAKE CERTAIN the ECU is grounded. MUST

Here's a post I made about the simplest way I know to get across testing the ECU/ ignition parts

You need a coil, the ECU and the distributor

Lay it out on the bench. Follow the diagram. Find the two distributor pickup terminals on the ECU. Hook them to the distributor

Hook the ECU case to battery NEG

Coil does NOT need grounded

Distributor does NOT need grounded.

Hook coil + to the power lead terminal on the ECU. Get a clip lead hooked there and let dangle. This is your battery "hot" when you are ready

Hook something from coil "case" to a probe for testing spark.

Hook up your power clip lead. Twist the distributor shaft while holding the test probe near the coil tower. The thing should make sparks

If not, unhook distributor. Take first one, then the other pickup clip leads, and "tap tap" ground them at the battery connection. Coil should make 1 spark each time you do so.

If not, try another coil. If that does not fix it replace the ECU

IF you hook it all up and it WORKS, then there is something AFU in the car harness. SUSPECT a bad ECU connector OR a bad DISTRIBUTOR connector
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This is all you need to test the basics of the ignition. You can easily test the ballast separate. A battery, the ECU, distributor and a coil, and of course some test leads

(copy image location......................)

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Below, the basic diagram for a 4 pin ECU

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Below, the wire for testing spark. I use my 12V test light. No, LOL the spark won't blow up the bulb

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Below, the ground connection. ALL you need is one wire from batt NEG to the ECU case

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Below, the two distributor connections. In the car these are polarity sensitive, but for testing does not matter

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Below, the coil NEG connection

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Below, battery PLUS connection, one wire to this terminal of ECU and jumpered over to + side of coil


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Below, all hooked up and ready to test (except for battery ground). Should produce sparks at least 3/8" and typically 1/2" long

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Below, distributor "one wire" test. I have removed the other distributor wire for simplicity. Take the bare connector end or this clip lead (the yellow) and with everything hooked up, ground it repeatedly. Each grounding should result in a spark (In this photo you need to hook up the ECU ground wire, I left it off for the photo)

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Some generalities

Suspect the distributor pickup connector. This is prone to bad connections and corrosion.. Remove ALL connectors and inspect them with a light for corrosion, and "work" them in/ out several times to scrub the terminals and to "feel" for tightness

Inspect the distributor for reluctor strike damage, shaft wobble and bushing looseness, and for debri and rust on the pickup or reluctor

Hook you meter, when set to LOW AC volts to the distributor connector and crank the engine. Distributor should generate about 1v AC

With the key in "run" take the disconnected engine harness end of the distributor connector. Tap the exposed end on ground. Should generate a nice hot single "snap" spark from the coil each time

DO NOT check spark with a resistor coil wire. "Rig" a test gap such as a store bought tester, or an over-gapped plug, with a solid core wire. System should generate at least 3/8 nice hot blue spark and typically more like 1/2" long

Measure coil+ voltage when in "run" and when in cranking. Should have AT LEAST 10.5V in crank

MAKE SURE ECU box is grounded. FOR SURE

Don't assume the ECU (or any other connector) is "good." I have found others have found, a poor connection at the ECU. THAT IS ONE REASON WHY in the test suggestions above, I USE CLIP LEADS to test
 
I have killed a few ecm due to bad grounds. I quit buying the mopar ecm boxes and use hei modules. The last few mopar ones I’ve had seem crappy, the hei works better and uses the same four wires as the mopar box. Lots of info on how to do it on this site. Good grounds very important, I run a jumper wire from the ecm mounting bolt to known good ground no matter what box i use now.
 
Grounding ANYTHING by means of mounting bolts, as was done back in the day, for ECU, VR, tail lights, etc, is very poor design. Modern vehicles don't do this so much. When I was young the 63 -ish on through 66 or so Chivvies with part of the tail lamps in the trunk lid were a hoot. They would loose ground and do all sorts of stupid stuff. When I was at NAS Miramar, we had an ET-1 (E-6) with a 64 Chev, and I had to show him how to ground the damn tail lamp sockets

My own 63SS I had for a short time. Bought it on leave in the N end of Idaho and drove to San Diego to my new duty station, the spring of 70. Less than a year later I had a 69 383RR and about a year after that, had the 70 440-6 car

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Thanks for you reply. Appreciate the images and the detailed explanation. Is there a way to test the ECM in the car . I'd rather not pull the distributor if possible. Also from reading your other post, I am not getting 12v to coil when cranking. It stays at 8V same as when not cranking.
 
I have killed a few ecm due to bad grounds. I quit buying the mopar ecm boxes and use hei modules. The last few mopar ones I’ve had seem crappy, the hei works better and uses the same four wires as the mopar box. Lots of info on how to do it on this site. Good grounds very important, I run a jumper wire from the ecm mounting bolt to known good ground no matter what box i use now.

Thanks.
 
If your running a dual ballast resistor you might have fried the part for the cranking voltage. Check it with a ohm meter cheap fix if it is.
 
Pretty sure it should be higher at the coil. Have to look up the specs.
 
Should be a dual ballast also. Here is a quick search on it
Key in RUN - 7 VDC
at 600 rpm idle - 10.5 to 11 VDC
1000 and higher rpm - 11.5 to 12 VDC
 
Should be a dual ballast also. Here is a quick search on it
Key in RUN - 7 VDC
at 600 rpm idle - 10.5 to 11 VDC
1000 and higher rpm - 11.5 to 12 VDC

Thanks for your help. I installed another ECM this morning just for ha ha's and ended with the same result. Run for five minutes and died. I know it's not right to just throw parts at this problem, just wanted to appease my curiosity. My system is charging at 14.5V when running. Is there a possibility I am feeding 14.5 to the ECM and burning it out? What should the max voltage to ECM be?
 
Did it get hot? Can be a bad pick up in the distributor also. See if it stars cold?
They tend to fail hot then cool down and run again. Will drive you nuts.
 
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Thanks for your help. I installed another ECM this morning just for ha ha's and ended with the same result. Run for five minutes and died. I know it's not right to just throw parts at this problem, just wanted to appease my curiosity. My system is charging at 14.5V when running. Is there a possibility I am feeding 14.5 to the ECM and burning it out? What should the max voltage to ECM be?
12-13 tops that can do it also. 14.5 is way to high think the spec is 13.8 Did the ECU get hot?
 
I am not getting the single ballast why? Lets start new here what car and year?
 
Just to add some history. Since day one this engine has seemed to have electrical issues. With points system, fouling plugs #8 and mis-fire. With Pertronics system, engine breaking up, mis-fire under load fouled plugs. Added fuel pressure regulator as suggested to use with edelbrock 1406 carb set at 5psi. and no more fouled plugs. Still have mis fire under load. Which brings us to present day. All this seems to indicate there is a electrical short or something wired wrong. Thanks all again for your help.
 
Hey @Mattax Get in on this for new ideas.
Put points distributor back in it and be done? LOL.
Lets see.
The OP could borrow a distributor and use Del's method or send you the ECM to test.

As to the specifics here.
I think 14.5 Volts in the main system is fine.

I agree, check the ballast reistor with an ohmeter both cold and hot (key off!). Although I doubt this is it.
Check the coil.

Also from reading your other post, I am not getting 12v to coil when cranking. It stays at 8V same as when not cranking.
The voltage at the start side of the ballast resistor should be the same as the battery voltage. If the battery drops to 8 Volts during start, then voltage at the brown wire will also drop to 8 Volts during start.
 
Did it get hot? Can be a bad pick up in the distributor also. See if it stars cold?
They tend to fail hot then cool down and run again. Will drive you nuts.
It dosen't start cold. With the new ECM it fired within half turn. Then died.
 
Just to add some history. Since day one this engine has seemed to have electrical issues. With points system, fouling plugs #8 and mis-fire. With Pertronics system, engine breaking up, mis-fire under load fouled plugs. Added fuel pressure regulator as suggested to use with edelbrock 1406 carb set at 5psi. and no more fouled plugs. Still have mis fire under load. Which brings us to present day. All this seems to indicate there is a electrical short or something wired wrong. Thanks all again for your help.
Do you have a spark tester?
Need that and a voltmeter with some aligator clips.
With those you can determine if it is, or is not, an ignition issue or ignition power issue.
 
I am thinking the ecm is getting to much voltage to it? That's why they use a dual ballast.
 
With points system, fouling plugs #8 and mis-fire
You've got a points distributor?
Seriously - if its not bad use that and then no wondering if the ECU works etc.
Things that can go bad in the points dist are worn cam, worn or burn points - easy to see; or bad condensor.

Sounds like the earlier problems were due to an overfilling carb bowl.

Remove some spark plugs and see what they look like. Often they can clue us in as to what's going on.

This could be carb related for all we know.
 
I am thinking the ecm is getting to much voltage to it? That's why they use a dual ballast.
If it was an original!
I thought this was an aftermarket and only using 4 pins?????
 
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