| Subject: | 92 Lancer sudden engine stop |
| Question: | Anthony, thanks for
you quick reply and the further information link. It seems now that
you have isolated the problem. The article refers to the stench within
the passenger compartment but I haven't experienced a blown fuse. Should
the fuse blow? Where is this fuse located, under the dash or in the
engine bay? Are the capacitors an expensive item? Can the backyard
mechanic, like myself, tackle this job or is it for the experts? Thanks for your help |
| Answer: | Rick, You may not have any blown fuses if your ECU is bad. That typically happens if the ECU shorts itself out. In your case, it seems like your board just keeps resetting itself; which is more common. The capacitors are VERY cheap; maybe $2 total. For the Eclipse, there are only 3 that need to be replaced. I have no clue if the Lancer has the same set up. When you pull your ECU out, you will see the capacitance that each capacitor needs. The important number to match is the first number on the capacitor; usually in micro-Farads(uF). You should get new capacitors with a voltage range of about 50V; 25V for caps 100uF or higher. Since you are now seeing the symptoms of what happens already when
a ECU is malfunctioning, it may be too late to just replace the capacitors
yourself. But there is hope. I would recommend taking your ECU to
local TV-repair shop and ask them if they can replace the capacitors
for you and clean up the board as best as possible. A new board for
your car may cost up to $1000, but a TV-repair may offer to clean
and replace the capacitors for MUCH less. They may say no, but it
can't hurt to ask. |