ECU Corroded Pins

Geordie Spark · Jul 17, 2014

SPARTYKUS said:
I love problems like this!

haven't thought of the solution yet

The easiest solution is to give the job to somebody else to sort out.

Marvo · Jul 17, 2014

I'm going to attempt to excavate around the broken pins with a hollow drill this weekend and see how much pin material I can get, this will probably determine my options for repair. Drilling a hole in the center of the pin won't be possible for me to do, I don't have the equipment or the eyesight

. I would need to fabricate a guide to go over the remains of the pin to keep the drill on center and I don't have a drill capable of running a bit that's 0.3mm or thereabouts. I'm really no good at sub-miniature work.

Geordie Spark · Jul 17, 2014

Marvo said:
I'm going to attempt to excavate around the broken pins with a hollow drill this weekend and see how much pin material I can get, this will probably determine my options for repair. Drilling a hole in the center of the pin won't be possible for me to do, I don't have the equipment or the eyesight . I would need to fabricate a guide to go over the remains of the pin to keep the drill on center and I don't have a drill capable of running a bit that's 0.3mm or thereabouts. I'm really no good at sub-miniature work.

For what it's worth I think that's the best option.

Richard Burns · Jul 17, 2014

A thin wall brass tube the od of the missing pin , flare the end a fraction to get it onto the corroded end and then tap into place.
You could run solder into it afterward.
Running out of ideas!

Geordie Spark · Jul 17, 2014

Richard Burns said:
A thin wall brass tube the od of the missing pin , flare the end a fraction to get it onto the corroded end and then tap into place.
You could run solder into it afterward.
Running out of ideas!

That sounds good to me.

Marvo · Jul 17, 2014

I actually thought about getting a similar sized pin of some sort and basically knocking it in 5-10mm down the side of the broken pin. It's a bit hit and miss though and if it doesn't work it could make any subsequent repair more difficult.

R G · Jul 21, 2014

If it was me I would be inclined to do as you say excavate around the pins and gain enough to solder on to and if successful , i would then solder wires on all the remaining pins , thing you have to be careful of though is any delicate components inside with the heat of soldering . If not successful you would have nothing to lose then you might as well excavate right into the unit...

Geordie Spark · Jul 21, 2014

Bloody hell Marvo ........ this job is taking longer than the battle at Rorke's Drift!!!

Marvo · Jul 21, 2014

Okay, I finally got around to this yesterday. I managed to excavate around the broken pins with a home-made hollow drill and I soldered wires onto both the broken pins. The corrosion was quite deep and I had to excavate about 8 or 9mm to unearth sufficient bright metal to solder on to, it was deeper than I intended going but luckily I didn't hit any circuit boards or components whilst digging. I removed the corresponding pin in the plug and threaded the wires through the plugs as they were reconnected to the ECU. I then manually joined to two new wires to the two now loose wires on the loom. Probably not the most professional job but fairly effective, I wanted to play it safe and drilling the broken pins wasn't going to be easy.

I couldn't run the motor for long because it was out of water but it started and ran for a couple of minutes like a brand new one so I'm going to grease pack all the plugs and get some rubber potting agent to patch up the holes in the plugs where the wires come out. I should get it all done this week and depending on the weather I'll get suited up and give it a test run in the sea next weekend.

telectrix · Jul 22, 2014

i hope you've done a full set of tests on the new wires and completed a cert. to SAS7671 or whatever it is down there.

Marvo · Jul 22, 2014

Thankfully the work falls outside the scope of our local installation regs. I am a little worried about it breakng down again, last time it took me over 20 mins to swim to shore and the water was bloody cold.

telectrix · Jul 22, 2014

you'd have done it in 5 if you had a shark snapping at your arse.

Geordie Spark · Jul 22, 2014

Marvo said:
Thankfully the work falls outside the scope of our local installation regs. I am a little worried about it breakng down again, last time it took me over 20 mins to swim to shore and the water was bloody cold.

I never learned to swim and I'm a Pisces - coincidently so is Tidyboiler and she can't swim either and we both have a fear of boiling oil.

Marvo · Sep 2, 2014

Well I finally have an update.

It's the first day of spring and what a stunning day it was, it touched 28C around 12.30 and not a cloud in sight all day. I was on site in meetings this morning but I managed an hour on the beach a kilometer up the road from site. I like getting wet at lunch time, the waves weren't big enough to surf so I just had a swim and did some snorkeling.

This evening I took the jetski to my local beach and it's running well. I did a few Km's on it in mild swell and not even a hicup. I'll see if I have time this weekend to get it into some more convincing swells but I've got confidence it will be fine. I hauled it out of the water just in time to get a ringside seat to a stunning sunset with a frosty beer i my hand.

Richard Burns · Sep 2, 2014

Hmm
I might have thanked and liked that post if you had left it at
"This evening I took the jetski to my local beach and it's running well. I did a few Km's on it in mild swell and not even a hicup. I'll see if I have time this weekend to get it into some more convincing swells but I've got confidence it will be fine."

Posting the rest on a cold, dreary, wet English day is just too mean:cry_smile::sad_smile::30:!