1997 'R' 420 GSI - 94k miles, starts on first touch of the key, whisper quiet, albeit slightlyuneven tickover but drives smoothly and silently to around 3000 revs as long as it is not put under any load. If it is put under load ie 'floor' throttle to overtake or more typically accelerating on a slip road to join motorway at 70 - 80 it roars like a rally car and practically strangles itself - you can physically feel it holding back and juddering to the point of wanting to choke itself up and cut out. Have checked ECU earth points, connections, vacuum pipes etc and air filter element is correct and clean. My mechanic mates instant opinion is ECU which I can get a replacement from Roverbitz for =A345, are there any second opinions here, anything else to check or replace first. Is an ECU switch viable and does it affect the keys/keyfobs/immobiliser functions. Thanks in advance.
ECU OPINIONS ROVER 420 PETROL PROBLEM.......
Jul 31, 2006
13 Replies
Blocked cat
Before going to any expense like that, are you sure that the exhaust is=20 not blocked by either a disintegrating cat or backbox, and that the air=20 filter is recent?
It sounds to me like your engine is having trouble breathing.
Ian
--=20 Ian Riches Bedford, UK
When a mechanic says it's the ECU there's a 99.9% chance it isn't.
in my case, no one mentioned the ECU, and it WAS it.
Are you sure of that? Did you swap it yourself for another, then put the old one back?
1997 'R' 420 GSI - 94k miles, starts on first touch of the key, whisper quiet, albeit slightlyuneven tickover but drives smoothly and silently to around 3000 revs as long as it is not put under any load. If it is put under load ie 'floor' throttle to overtake or more typically accelerating on a slip road to join motorway at 70 - 80 it roars like a rally car and practically strangles itself - you can physically feel it holding back and juddering to the point of wanting to choke itself up and cut out. Have checked ECU earth points, connections, vacuum pipes etc and air filter element is correct and clean. My mechanic mates instant opinion is ECU which I can get a replacement from Roverbitz for £45, are there any second opinions here, anything else to check or replace first. Is an ECU switch viable and does it affect the keys/keyfobs/immobiliser functions. Thanks in advance.
Blocked exhaust. (cat broken up or boxes with wadding coming out)
Tim.
ECU's for the most part (aside from afew well known ones) either completely work, or completely don't.
Un-trained mechanics always blame the part they dont understand.
Tim..
And the fact it's the most expensive part is neither here nor there. ;-)
Another good favourite is claiming expensive bits of an A/C system are out, such as the evaporator or compressor, when the system loses gas. Happened to me with Parkinson's incompetent A/C 'specialists'--fools even took out the dashboard, slightly damaging some trim, when they could have got it out via glovebox. Took it to a qualified garage, and it turned out to need a little pipe. That was all!
But how to prove these frauds?
I took it out and sent it to the ECU Doctor,
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He tested it and reported a fault, it came back and NO more rough running..........cost £150. Has run great now for 2 years.
I had originally spent £450 on parts and two garage visits.
not in my case........see below
1997 'R' 420 GSI - 94k miles, starts on first touch of the key, whisper quiet, albeit slightlyuneven tickover but drives smoothly and silently to around 3000 revs as long as it is not put under any load. If it is put under load ie 'floor' throttle to overtake or more typically accelerating on a slip road to join motorway at 70 - 80 it roars like a rally car and practically strangles itself - you can physically feel it holding back and juddering to the point of wanting to choke itself up and cut out. Have checked ECU earth points, connections, vacuum pipes etc and air filter element is correct and clean. My mechanic mates instant opinion is ECU which I can get a replacement from Roverbitz for £45, are there any second opinions here, anything else to check or replace first. Is an ECU switch viable and does it affect the keys/keyfobs/immobiliser functions. Thanks in advance.
IMHO ALL garages will now just replace parts and charge you for them..........if it does not fix the problem you still have to pay for that part.............rip off.
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