Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing 95 plus 8, removing ecu? Sorry I’m being thick!

I’ve become very intimate with the passenger footwell on my 1995 plus 8 today having spent so much time crammed into it.

I want to pop out the ecu so i can check it for water ingress, and also the male/female pins of the ecu and the connecting plug for signs of corrosion, but stupidly I can’t seem to release the cable plug.

Can anyone please enlighten me as to the trick required?

The connecting plug has a hook at the cable entry end, so you need to press down the retaining clip at the other end, then swing that end away from the socket, as you lift that end you will reach a point where you can maneuver the hooked end (cable end) out and away, releasing the plug. It's fairly easy once you have done it once, but you may need to use a bit of force as the cable assembly is a bit stiff. In the event that you have pressed the release clip and cannot swing that end of the connector up and away you may need to use a screwdriver to assist in levering that end of the plug away from the ecu socket (while keeping your finger on the release clip)

The hook on the plug is clearly shown about halfway down this document

http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Rover-14CUX-EFI.htm

Thanks all, it’s off and out.

I did have to release it completely, the two front retaining bolts, to then get off the plug, not quite sure how I’m going to put it back, but heck! Who doesn’t love a puzzle!!

Fortunately no signs of water damage, the pins pretty good (unlike the green fur I find on my ford and the VW I had before) but just because I could I went over them with de-oxit which is what I use on my hifi kit.... no expense spared or lack of love for this car!

On my Plus 8 I put a couple of set screws (from above) in the fixing holes, and a nut (with shakeproof washer) on the underside, so I in effect I had two threaded studs to secure the ECU to, just have to get underneath and apply a washer and nut to each stud to secure the ECU. Otherwise its a bit of a game, as your arms aren't long enough to be above and below the firewall.

A suggestion, try and make sure the case of the ECU is not grounded via the mounting bolts. The ECU picks up a ground at the engine end of the harness. If you should have an issue with the grounding strap on the engine, and the ecu case is grounded, the starter current will go up the harness, through that connector, and cook the ECU circuit board. I used some grommets fitted into the mounting tabs on the ECU, so the mounting bolts pass through the grommets.

For those who haven't got under to look at the ECU, the ECU is held up by a bracket with a felt liner, so the ECU can be slipped into the bracket, that takes the weight of the ECU, and then it is secured with a couple of bolts that stop it from slipping out. (or that is how it is fitted on my Plus 8)