P46. Problem with TAMD 75 P-A. Chums boat.

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oldgit

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After faffing around,hard wiring joints and other connections,the engine ECU units have been finally been swopped.
The problem was that one engine would go into limp mode without any obvious reason and completely at random.Usual stuff had been tried,tanks cleaned,lift pump changed,pipes changed/checked etc etc.etc.
It appears now that the fault is with an engine ECU board thingy.

A new one is really serious money and if we need new one fine ,GULP, no problems....but
Surely somebody somewhere can check/test or repair the blimming thing..
Any and all suggestions most welcome. !
 
If you google "ecu repairs" you will find loads of automobile ECU test and repair companies.
See if you can get a part number (Bosch??) off the unit and fire off a few emails.
 
Croftie said:
If you google "ecu repairs" you will find loads of automobile ECU test and repair companies.
See if you can get a part number (Bosch??) off the unit and fire off a few emails.
Click to expand...

Pretty certain the ECU is unique to VP and this particular marine only diesel engine.
We have a well known ECU automotive repair company on our doorstep in Rochester.
Suspect without the required connection leads and some sort of known test programme,nobody in automotive trade is even likely to consider taking a look, no money in it.
Zillions of car units going wrong,marine units needing attention probably in the low tens.
 
I have read all posts about this boat, and asked you for fault codes, don't go buying new Ecu without telling us the faults, I know he erases them and it goes again, your just chasing your tail and not going about it the correct way to diagnose the fault, very rarely do the Ecu fail, you have an issue on going which will be down to a break in the loom or controls, by shutting down its safeguarding you doing further damage to engine or boat should the controls fail while berthing etc.

To help you I need the codes, it may even be just a system calibration required, the very last one of these the owner was told by vp dealer he required a new Ecu when Infact all it required was a recalibration and nothing more.

I'll give you another example of foreign tech stating the engines had to come out to free off a seized turbo on an engine. I'd say there trying it on.
 
And reading your post again, the Ecu won't go into limp mode on its own, it will only limp if it's told to by faulty sensors or a break in continuity through the loom to sensor and back to Ecu.

Another one recently did this after 20 mins at sea, a play with all loom connectors and it was sorted, dry joints cause edc faults to occur. You MUST read the codes before switching off the engine, by switching off you clear the codes unless you have the vodia or old style diagnostic key which reads old codes, from this you can then delete the history if you wish.

Without the tools you will be playing for ever, these engines are so simple I wish they were still in production, I have a pair in my own boat and wouldn't have anything else in the HP range.
 
I have the same engines and had a similar, not identical, but very similar problem which appeared randomly. After spraying crc on every electrical connector on the engines and the levers the problem disappeared (knock wood).

Definitely worth letting Paul investigate before worrying about a new ecu.
 
I know a bit about this job.

The fault is a very intermittent fault where the starboard engine would drop to 1000rpm after around 20mins to 1hours use.

Previously other people have been looking for a fuel problem ( I'm not sure why as it is quite clearly an EDC problem)

When checking with the vodia the fault "loss of communication with active ms unit" was recovered. This points to three possible causes. Faulty MS unit, poor connection in loom between MS unit and ECU or a faulty ECU. The MS units were swapped and the fault still reoccurred on the starboard engine. All loom connections were checked and the 2 x 8 pin EDC connectors at the engine end were removed and the loom was hard wired as these have caused many problems in the past (not really faffing around!). The problem still reoccurred on the starboard engine so if the loom is ok and the MS unit is ok then the next thing to try swapping the ECUs. The fault now happens on the port engine.

It can't get much more conclusive than that!

Not everyone in the Med is trying it on...........
 
aquatom said:
I know a bit about this job.

The fault is a very intermittent fault where the starboard engine would drop to 1000rpm after around 20mins to 1hours use.

Previously other people have been looking for a fuel problem ( I'm not sure why as it is quite clearly an EDC problem)

When checking with the vodia the fault "loss of communication with active ms unit" was recovered. This points to three possible causes. Faulty MS unit, poor connection in loom between MS unit and ECU or a faulty ECU. The MS units were swapped and the fault still reoccurred on the starboard engine. All loom connections were checked and the 2 x 8 pin EDC connectors at the engine end were removed and the loom was hard wired as these have caused many problems in the past (not really faffing around!). The problem still reoccurred on the starboard engine so if the loom is ok and the MS unit is ok then the next thing to try swapping the ECUs. The fault now happens on the port engine.

It can't get much more conclusive than that!

Not everyone in the Med is trying it on...........
Click to expand...
Have the 8 pin connectors had the wiring mod carried out to bypass the plug pins?
I'd also suggest swapping the forward and reverse coils over .
If the fault has moved with the engine Ecu and its failed on the other engine its pointing to the Ecu , so check the condition of the pins. As yet I've never had a 75 series Ecu fail. Plenty of 73/74/44/300 ones .
 
Originally it hadn't had the wiring mod. But that would not give a communication with active MS unit. The fault is happening when driving from the flybridge. The 3 x wires that bypass the plug in the mod only go to the lower helm potentiometers. The comunication between ECU and MS unit is by the two data wires.

The ECU pins have been checked and are all good.

It is defiantly the ECU.
 
Hi Aquatom.,was not being offensive or rude regards previous efforts to diagnose the problem.
All sorts of blind alleys were investigated even to the extent of inspection hatches being installed in fuel tanks.It really had to be electrical rather than fuel related.

Really hope that he gets it sorted soon ..have still not had a blimming ride out on the thing yet,was looking forward to emptying somebody elses fuel tank just for change,last time we were down there.
Been promised a trip to Cabrera :)
 
Hi guys. It's 'the chum' here. Not sure about the reference, chum!?!? It's graham with the P46. Thanks for all ur replies and help. Just got back from boat, and here's the latest. Previously had wiring blocks cut out of main loom and the upgrade of hard wiring undertaken. Then trialled the boat with ECU,s swapped over sides, and the port engine then replicated the fault, originally plaguing the starboard engine, and went into limp mode. Aha u might think, that MUST be the ECU at fault. Only way to be sure, must be to change ECUs back to original position and assume the problem would return to the starboard engine!? Now that would have been pretty conclusive if that had happened, but oh no!!! Took boat out for two 3 hour sessions (oh that precious diesel), and it ran perfectly. Only conclusion I can come up with, is that perhaps the problem had been with the wiring connectors from the ECUs to the main loom, and that having moved and disturbed them, they are now making connection properly. Could that have been what had caused the 6-4 code ( communication error) to show up in the first instance? I'm keeping everything crossed. Ideas?????
 
Hope this gets sorted soon,really would like a ride on this one,before something bigger and better arrives.
Just as an aside,one of my engines has been running warmer than the other for a while. Done all the usual things, impellor,heat exchanger, then the more difficult stuff, checking raw water inlet pipes and finally riser exits etc.
Last night thought about the sender unit, eventually discovering it close to the water header tank ,found it covered in a fur ball of corrosion.
By the look of it ,when refilling cooling water a fair amount of anti-freeze had been spilled onto sender terminals.
Fingers crossed for next trip out.
 
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Sounds like your tech has cleaned a dirty pin on the Ecu , as ivecsaud before Ecu will only fail when it's told to . Great news in one respect .
Is it the one for sale?
 
Hi Paul. I had on my last trip spoken with a dealer in regards to possibly upgrading to a slightly newer fairline (targa 47), as I don't now need a three cabin boat. The strict understanding was that I would not put it up for sale until fully happy that any problem was solved, so that it could be sold with a full guarantee from the dealer.I don't know where u might have seen it, if at all, as there wouldn't/couldn't have been any photos to support an add at this stage. Can u tell me where u think u had seen it advertised?
I'm told that my P46, is one of the nicest, and best condition boats available. I've anti fouled and cherished this, my third fairline, for the last three seasons, and am hopefull that when this annoying electronic glitch has been resolved once and for all, that I might then be able to advertise it with a genuine clear conscience. I'm back out end of the week to undertake one last sea trial (and use up yet more diesel, ouch!), to quadruple check that the problem has finally been identified. Please keep ur fingers crossed for me. GM
 
Reference/ message to 'ol git'. I will get u to Cabrera, one way or another. Last resort we can rent some pedaloes or the 'starfish' tourist glass bottom boat for a beer and a couple of bottles for u no who!!!
Trust me!
 
Graham Morris said:
Hi Paul. I had on my last trip spoken with a dealer in regards to possibly upgrading to a slightly newer fairline (targa 47), as I don't now need a three cabin boat. The strict understanding was that I would not put it up for sale until fully happy that any problem was solved, so that it could be sold with a full guarantee from the dealer.I don't know where u might have seen it, if at all, as there wouldn't/couldn't have been any photos to support an add at this stage. Can u tell me where u think u had seen it advertised?
I'm told that my P46, is one of the nicest, and best condition boats available. I've anti fouled and cherished this, my third fairline, for the last three seasons, and am hopefull that when this annoying electronic glitch has been resolved once and for all, that I might then be able to advertise it with a genuine clear conscience. I'm back out end of the week to undertake one last sea trial (and use up yet more diesel, ouch!), to quadruple check that the problem has finally been identified. Please keep ur fingers crossed for me. GM
Click to expand...

One come on with boats.co.uk wondered if it was yours .
 
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