Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2015 12:02:45 -1000
Reply-To: "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: Welding on Van - ECU consequences?
In-Reply-To: <CAN1zYv8cRUg79nfo3qLJtSKH1ZT1Ofcwo2PLVviiLE2mujMS4A@mail.gmail.com>
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yes it's true ..
some people can not be bothered to be careful about something ..
and actually be interested in giving the customer good service.
fwiw ..I have seen a late model ecu cover under the seat severely stuck
in place....like had to use a bar to pry it loose to just see the ecu ..
a case like that...I can see where a shop might not like dealing with
that at all.
another factor ..
sadly ....exhaust system work and real car-tech-savvy seldom take place
under one roof.
In all of north America, I know one guy that can do anything, including
electronics, on a car ..
and build custom exhaust headers or whatever . Very rare.
IMO many muffler shops do hack work.
Having someone deliver really good caring careful service like you'd
hope for ...doesn't happen that often.
for example.... do a clutch job, and not even mention and empty coolant
reservoir to the customer ..
all too common.
Most shops are just in a hurry to get your money. That's the extent
of their real commitment.
as for actually thinking and being careful ..that's way too much to
expect !
I would at least SHOW them how to disconnect the ecu ..
and make access real easy for them.
And make sure they know to have the key off.
For and electrical welding on a vehicle , I disconnect battery and ecu.
..it's the natural and cautious thing to do.
heck ..
there is even risk in Jump Starting a car from another car.
that's been known to harm alternators and in rare cases even an ecu.
On 9/2/2015 6:15 AM, Stacy Schneider wrote:
> If I were in a shop environment and someone asked me to unplug the ECU
> for a procedure that I do on a daily basis and is not the norm in the
> industry because it is just not an issue, I would send the customer
> packing. What would happen if the Service guy somehow had something break
> while he was doing it or was heavy handed and bent one of the pins or dust
> from grinding got up inside the The ECU or its plug. If I was hungry for
> work and needed this job at a minimum I would make it a line item(with a
> fee) and have the customer sign off that any running issues pertaining to
> the ECU is strictly on the Customer.
> Been down roads like this before ,and they rarely turn out well.
>
>
> Stacy
>
> On Wed, Sep 2, 2015 at 8:05 AM, Steve Williams <
> steve@williamsitconsulting.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Thanks for the feedback.
>>
>> I'm a bit shy about electrical components NOT being isolated in the
>> presence of un-anticipated voltages, even if if there is no complete
>> circuit.
>>
>> This all started when I found out that it's possible to find out how far
>> away a break in a cable is using electricity (signal waves), even when
>> there's a break in the cable and no complete circuit!
>>
>> Here's hoping they unplug the ECU. I had to leave my van @ the shop,
>> but I had them write explicitly on the work order to unplug the ECU
>> prior to any welding.
>>
>> I did wrap some string around the ECU plug so I'll know if they did or
>> not! lol.
>>
>> Thanks again,
>> Steve W.
>>
>>
>> On 01/09/2015 10:26 PM, Steve Williams wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I am taking my van in tomorrow for a bit of patching on my exhaust
>>> system.
>>>
>>> It suddenly occurred to me that they may be using an electric welder on
>>> my vehicle rather than a gas welder.
>>>
>>> Is it recommended/mandatory to unplug the ECU if electric
>>> (arc/mig/tig/etc) welding is being done on a 1991 Westfalia?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Steve W.
>>>
>
> --
> 1989 Swedish Tristar with Aluminum gates and Atiwe 16" Wheels.
> Oldest son is an Eagle scout.
>
