ecm and tcm locations and disassembly

[kenjan]

Hi, i have a question regarding computers. my car has been running very rich for sometimes, and idles very rough and stalls. took it to a shop, and they determined that it is the ecm and the tcm. they want $1200 for repairs! :x So i am going to do this myself.

Question is, i have taken out the ecm (behind center console, on the floor against the firewall) but i have prblems with the tcm. it is the box behind the center cosole, between the radio and the a/c, right? how do u take that one out? it looks like it's not bolted, but rather bonded. the closest bolt i find is the one bolting the whole frame to the center cosole, and i have already shattered 2 philip bits trying to do that.

Any easier way of doing this? am i missing something?

[kenjan]

Forgot to post, car is '91 GS dohc fwd non-turbo

[jeucken]

Had a problem just like you with my car.
Seemed that the ECM was broken. The garage fixed it for me, costs were about 300 to 400 dollars.

[kenjan]

Man, here it costs that just to get the ecm rebuilt! figuring rebuilt on both ecm and tcm, parts cost 600 at least. with labor, i am looking at 800 at least if the mechanic is honest.

[jeucken]

Isn't it smarter to get a second hand ECM somewhere?

[kenjan]

Well, it costs that at the places i looked. neway, does any one know how to take out the tcm? :?:

One more thing, i read in other posts that the vr4 has their ecm in the passenger footwell. hmm, is it the same with the gs? i took mine out from the center console behind the radio, and others seem to find them behind the glove compartment. what did i take out? :? and what is that smallish box between the a/c and radio? :?

C'mon guys, lil' help here

[J-Roc]

Kenjan, so the ECM is located behind the center console against the firewall? Is it held in by 2 bolts? Does the ECM control spark to the coil? Are there any other control modules located under the hood? Thanks for any tips!

[kenjan]

Well, I just found out i've been looking at the wrong thing the whole time! :oops: That thing I took out, the control unit behind the the center console on the floor by the firewall, is actually the TCM. Our ECU is in the same place as the VR4, which is behind the glove compartment in the passenger kickpanel. The smallish box that i was having trouble with is the logicon, eg. control for wipers, power windows, etc.

Heh, boneheaded mistake huh? well, unto fixing and making my g work again! :idea:

[kenjan]

Kenjan, so the ECM is located behind the center console against the firewall? Is it held in by 2 bolts? Does the ECM control spark to the coil? Are there any other control modules located under the hood? Thanks for any tips!

The ECM controls everything engine related, so yeah, it controls the coil, a/f ratio, spark, etc. If your g is m/t, then u won't have the tcm. ECM is behind the glove box, the one behind center console against the firewall, is the tcm, which controls the shifting points. it is actually held by three bolts, two against the firewall and one on the floor close to the radio.