Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:27:09 -0800
Reply-To:     Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Good news for 1.9l T-A ECU owners
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
In-Reply-To:  <4d1cd7a0.a04de50a.7c52.ffffb838@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Keep in mind that the ECU on the 1.9 is installed in the rear left side of the engine compartment, subject to lotsa vibration, dust, dirt and engine room heat. 2.1 ECUs are usually mounted in the passenger compartment underneath the rear seat away from the noise, vibration, dirt, dust and heat. Might make a difference (good or bad-who knows?).

I had a Bosch 1.9 ECU fail on me on I-40 outside of Amarillo a few years back. Had a good used Bosch 1.9 spare, replaced it and went on my way with no further problems. I've never opened a Bosch or TA ECU, so perhaps they are due for inspection sometime soon.

The TA unit on my 84 Westy is the Euro-spec higher performance unit, which is a bit more compatible with my 2.1 engine. I got it from Boston Bob a couple of years ago and there was a marked improvement in the "seat-of-the-pants" performance, considering the weight of a fully packed Westy and trailer. Little or no improvement in mileage, which with my weight factor is OK, but I could wish for better.

Happy New Year To All

Buses By The Bridge, Windsor State Park, Lake Havasu, AZ Jan 14-16, 2011 - I'll be there:) -- Jim Thompson 84 GL 1.9 "Gloria" 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt" 72 411 Station Wagon "Pug" 75 914 1.8 "Nancy" Full Timing Since March 1999 oldvolkshome@gmail.com http://www.oldvolkshome.com *********************************** On Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 11:03 AM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote: > I've recently looked at my first Triumph-Adler 1.9l ECU, out of > Sally, an '85 with about 300,000 miles -- and the first Vanagon ECU > I've ever looked at that didn't have solder problems.  Well, I tell a > lie.  Every single one of the pins to the big harness connector had > moderate to very severe fatigue failure - but that was it.  The rest > of the ECU was clean as a whistle, the solder looked beautiful under > my 35x stereo microscope, including the drive transistor and voltage > regulator pins.  And compared to the Bosch design, there weren't any > big heavy components stuck a quarter inch off the board (I'm looking > at you, mister big fat resistor) and furthermore a) no conformal > coating and b) the pins were all nice and clean and if they *had* > needed soldering it wouldn't have been a struggle; neither of which > were true in the Bosch unit in my '84. > > So to you fortunate souls my earnest advice is to pull the ECU, > resolder those 42 or so big fat easy connector pins and then put it > back together with a good expectation that it will be good to you for > a long time to come.  For the Bosch people, you might want to start > keeping an eye out for a T-A... > > I wish I could say the same for the T-A 2.1l ECUs.  The solder is a > lot prettier than the Bosch ones, but the fatigue cracking is just as > bad.  I wonder if the arguably more rigid mounting to the chassis had > to do with that -- I bet it did.  I think I'll do something about that on > mine. > > Happy New Year! > David


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