Hot Hot Hot ECU!!!!!

Teutonic77

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Hi this summer is proving to be a sizzler!! and so it seems is my Engine ECU and gearbox ECU When the vans running they are both getting very hot!! Can barely hold on to them .. I can't believe they are ment to get this hot? They have no heat transfer fins built into their cases and i don't see any other cooling method?? Should there be some kind of fan under the dash keeping these units cool?? If yes where is the bugger?? ... Ps. Where are the main GROUNDS/Earths for the ECU.. I'm running a 2001 638 auto Vito thanks for your help I'm trying to stay kool but I'm nervous I'm frying the brains of my wagon!!
 

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Teutonic77

Teutonic77

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That does look hot.
No i don't think this is right ..If i run the van for long enough I'm sure i will fry the boards in the ecu .. both gearbox and engine..there are no vents in the casing so i guess no internal cooling fans (like in a PC).. There are no fins on the metal cases to transfer heat away .. so I'm assuming maybe there is some external cooling system under the dash???
 

alexanderfoti

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HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.
 
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Teutonic77

Teutonic77

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HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.
Hi the ECU on these vitos are not in a fuse box they are mounted under the dash board right hand side..
 
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Teutonic77

Teutonic77

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HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.
Hi the ECU on these vitos are not in a fuse box they are mounted under the dash board right hand side..
 
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Teutonic77

Teutonic77

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2001 Mercedes Vito 638 Dualiner Automatic 2.2 Diesel
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HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.
HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.

Hi the ECU on these vitos are not in a fuse box they are mounted under the dash board right hand side..
 
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Teutonic77

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HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.
HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.

Hi the ECU on these vitos are not in a fuse box they are mounted under the dash board right hand side..
 
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Teutonic77

Teutonic77

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HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.
HAHA love the picture!

There should be a cooling fan inside the fuse box that they reside in. This may have stopped.

Hi the ECU on these vitos are not in a fuse box they are mounted under the dash board right hand side..
 

alexanderfoti

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Hi the ECU on these vitos are not in a fuse box they are mounted under the dash board right hand side..

In that casse it must be normal.

Although certain cars have a fan in the dash to cool certain electronics, not sure if the vito does?
 

LostKiwi

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If the bolt to the metalwork then the metalwork will be part of the heatsink.
If it bolts to a flat surface you could put some thermal paste between the ECU and metalwork to help conduct the heat.
 
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Teutonic77

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If the bolt to the metalwork then the metalwork will be part of the heatsink.
If it bolts to a flat surface you could put some thermal paste between the ECU and metalwork to help conduct the heat.
Hi that sounds very clever .. The two ecu's (gearbox and engine) fit into a metal bracket one in front of the other under the dash I'm not sure if the bracket is acting as a heat sink its not sitting against the van arch or wall?? .. I'm thinking to run a mini fan under the dash although it feels to me these units will go pop if not cooled substantially( I have no idea how hot these things normally run at )
 

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Any chance of a picture of the bracket.
The mini fan under the dash should help.
 

daveenty

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My last car had the ECU sitting on top of the engine, as does my current one.

I remember trying to take it out to get the map altered and I literally couldn't hold on to it, it was that hot. The one I have now has cooling pipes running along it but basically yes, they do get very hot.

What this does for the life of them I'm not sure but the old one is still going strong so they must have tolerances built in...
 

Westheath

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Hi this summer is proving to be a sizzler!! and so it seems is my Engine ECU and gearbox ECU When the vans running they are both getting very hot!! Can barely hold on to them .. I can't believe they are ment to get this hot? They have no heat transfer fins built into their cases and i don't see any other cooling method?? Should there be some kind of fan under the dash keeping these units cool?? If yes where is the bugger?? ... Ps. Where are the main GROUNDS/Earths for the ECU.. I'm running a 2001 638 auto Vito thanks for your help I'm trying to stay kool but I'm nervous I'm frying the brains of my wagon!!

This is normal they can get too hot to hold but wont burn you or themselves.
 
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Teutonic77

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This is normal they can get too hot to hold but wont burn you or themselves.
Cheers .. fitted a little fan from " Robert Dyas " to try and help them sweat a little less
 
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Teutonic77

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Cheers yes l'
My last car had the ECU sitting on top of the engine, as does my current one.

I remember trying to take it out to get the map altered and I literally couldn't hold on to it, it was that hot. The one I have now has cooling pipes running along it but basically yes, they do get very hot.

What this does for the life of them I'm not sure but the old one is still going strong so they must have tolerances built in...
Cheers yes I'm astonished how hot these things are running!! .. I've opted to fit a mini fan under the dash to keep things cool
 
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Teutonic77

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Most electronics doesn't like more than 60 degrees tops.
Thats my thinking too!! .. fitted a little fan seems to be helping..
 

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