# which ECU will fit?



## br1ev8 (Feb 14, 2008)

I bought a '98 Altima 5 spd. off of a friend who ran it into the ground pretty much. The car is only running on 3 cylinders and I have it deduced to the ECU being the problem. The #3 cylinder's fuel injector isn't spraying, so I went and bought a replacement injector to find it doing the same thing. So then I checked the voltage and found no current going through the injector plug. So I checked the wire harness from where it goes from the injector plug to the ECU to see if the wire was shorted or broken by running current through it and it flows electricity. I also checked the other wire that goes to the injector plug (ground wire?) and it flows electricity. So, I'm pretty sure the ECU isn't sending current to the injector. So, I've been checking ebay for replacement ECU's and have found some, but the sellers said I need to have the exact part numbers. Is this true? Or can I just purchase an ECU that came from another 5 speed 2.4 '98/'99 car?


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## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

so theres current but you dont think the ecu is sending a signal?
isnt that kinda hypocritical?
in my experience, ecu's dont go bad that often. check the grounds to the harness and make sure that all of the injector harness grounds are in good condition and tight.
also, take a multimeter to the injectors and make sure they are all the same resistance.


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## br1ev8 (Feb 14, 2008)

br1ev8 said:


> So I checked the wire harness from where it goes from the injector plug to the ECU to see if the wire was shorted or broken *by running current through it* and it flows electricity.


I know the post was kinda long, so I understand how you could've missed that part.  Basically, I physically ran electricity through that particular wire to see if current would flow through it, which would indicate a wire that worked, and electricity flowed through. So, I know the wire is in one piece, with no shorts or breaks, etc. But, when I plug the connector back into the ECU, I get no current from the ECU. Know what I'm saying?


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## br1ev8 (Feb 14, 2008)

Asleep said:


> in my experience, ecu's dont go bad that often.


Very true...in my experience too. And normally I wouldn't write the problem off as being the ECU, but I feel like I've traced the problem back to its source. Also, the guy who had the car before *really* did not take care of the car. And one of the problems with the car was electrical issues. He totally ghetto rigged his cd player in the dash in an electrical tape mess and some fuses were missing in the under dash fuse box. And in the fuse box in the engine bay, for example, the main ignition fuse was blown out and he had a random piece of wire wedged in place of it just to keep the car running. So, I wouldn't be surprised if somehow throughout his "experiments" with the electrical system, he caused the ECU harm. Though, despite all that, I am totally open to suggestions as to the cause of my problem, because it is well possible that I am overlooking something.


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## br1ev8 (Feb 14, 2008)

Just wanted to give an update...I got the ECU in yesterday and plugged it in today and the car works perfect now. Even the heat/ac blower motor is working now...I wasn't aware that the ECU could cause the blower motor to not operate properly, but apparently so.


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## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

thats good to hear. its not often that you get an ecu thats gone bad.


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