Can you fry an ECU?

[Smithy]

No this is not a cooking question.

Let's just say I have a friend called Ivan who in a fit of misguided enthusiasm thought he could 'improve' the wiring on his Enfield, definitely not me you understand, it was Ivan. Let's say Ivan chopped a load of wires without a lot of thought and then found out he had no spark at the plug. Ivan may then have re-connected wires at random in a fit of panic for example. My question is could connecting wires randomly then switching on the ignition have fried the ECU?

I, sorry Ivan, has tried following the wiring diagrams in the Enfield manual but they bear no resemblance to the wiring loom and anyway as I, sorry Ivan, has a carb conversion (funny that his bike is just like mine) many of the sensors were already redundant.

OK bring it on and tell me what a twat I've been. If I have fried the ECU I don't know what to do next as a replacement is too expensive.

Ian (not Ivan)

[CrazyFrog]

Ouch. I certainly hope not Ian, it sounds like it could be expensive. If you're running a carb, couldn't you have done with the Ecu all together and just fit electronic ignition? May be worth asking Hitchcocks...

[iansoady]

... Or their forum? It's not this one by any chance is it?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Enfield-Thunderbird-350-350cc-2008-Ecu-Cdi/202643012549?epid=17031265347&hash=item2f2e76fbc5:g:3z0AAOSwvIBco25z

[Propellor]

I can't help much Ian, but with my naive logic I'd look for an electrical pulse first and work outwards from there. Theoretically you'd eliminate each section of the ignition system until you find the culprit.

Go on the Royal Enfield Facebook group with a post. There's a couple of very knowledgeable people on there. One in particular is on the money with just about everything regarding the uce bullets. 

[Smithy]

Hi good fellows.

Pete I am not knowledgable enough as to how these bits of trickery work to know the answer to that.

Ian sadly no that isn't the one I need, though a phone call to Cheshire Bike Breakers may be worthwhile.

Andy thanks for the suggestion I will hop over to their forum.

And thanks to anyone who thought twat but didn't write it!

Ian

[themoudie]

Aye 'Ivan',

If you have cooked your ECU the only way to test is usually to replace with a known working unit and hope that any faults on your bike don't cook the unit!    If it is all "potted", as per shrimps,    sealed in that black stuff rather than butter then unless you have the necessary test rig you will not be able to diagnose the fault.    I believe the ECU are ~£400 a pop!!! 

I have never dealt with Enfields, but my local motorcycle repairer used to be an authorised Enfield dealer, until Enfield required a 12 bike range in stock, plus spares as prescribed by them! He is also a vehicle electrician of 30+ years.

If you would care to be more specific about which wires "fractured"    on the ECU, I might be able to obtain a specific answer. Probably along with a few expletives about the owner! 

Off to deal with a Morini! 

My regards, Bill

[Steve Lake]

That bluddy Ivan!!... he came round mine last year to help with a rebuild....  bikes never been the same since ...
he needs a good spanking :-)

[Smithy]

Hi guys

Bill - unfortunately I had already cut a load of redundant wires from when I converted to a carb and now I have no idea which I cut extra to those. Also with the available wiring diagrams being so bad it will be almost impossible to sort what is actually left. I have a couple of reference points and a slim clue from an American forum but nothing conclusive.

Steve - I suspect that 'Ivan' is responsible for most of our bike woes if we would care to admit it!

Ian

[Steve Lake]

very true Smithy ....   

recently i have managed to keep him out of the workshop by a strict 'if it aint broke, don't fix it' policy

as opposed to previously operating a 'if it aint broke, fix it until it is' system.