Heater ECU connector melted

[dvs_dave]

My heater ECU connector has melted one of it's pins and the blower has consequently conked out.

It doesn't look too bad so was hoping to be able to repair it. Any ideas as to how best to fix it as it's a killer not being able to use the AC in London traffic.

[the-gofer]

dvs_dave said:

My heater ECU connector has melted one of it's pins and the blower has consequently conked out.

It doesn't look too bad so was hoping to be able to repair it. Any ideas as to how best to fix it as it's a killer not being able to use the AC in London traffic.

This seems to be quite common. I have had this twice but the second time I fixed it I soldered the connections on to the plug rather than crimped them my reasoning being that perhaps the heat in the plug was being generated by a high resistance connection. This appears to have cured it. You can buy a new plug kit from dealers; it's only a few quid IIRC.

[UpTheIron]

dvs_dave said:

My heater ECU connector has melted one of it's pins and the blower has consequently conked out.

Which pin? Mine has done the same. Common fault?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

dvs_dave said:

it's a killer not being able to use the AC in London traffic.

Poor lamb...

[dvs_dave]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

dvs_dave said:

it's a killer not being able to use the AC in London traffic.

Poor lamb...

Just cos you haven't got it.

I think it's pin no 21. Not too sure without going out to have a look. It's the pin with a thick (relative to the others) black wire coming out of it.

[the-gofer]

dvs_dave said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

dvs_dave said:

it's a killer not being able to use the AC in London traffic.

Poor lamb...

Just cos you haven't got it.

I think it's pin no 21. Not too sure without going out to have a look. It's the pin with a thick (relative to the others) black wire coming out of it.

That's the one. Unfortunately, if your problem was anything like mine, it melted and distorted the plastic so badly it no longer fit properly. Like I said, having soldered the connections on to the plug rather than crimp them it has never given me trouble since.

It is a pain in the neck (literally) to do as you have to lay with your arms and head in the footwell for a fair old while whilst you strip and solder various pins.

[tuscan_al]

I replaced mine with new crip connectors and plug of the same style, got them from the farnell catalog. Just cut off the old ply and re crimped on new pins and soldered them too, then plugged it into the female connector on the loom. Unfort it had also melted the pin side on the heater ecu, i swapped this for a spare one i got on ebay. happened to be a later model, post 2001 iirc and they use a slightly different wiring pattern to the heater controls on the center console. Meant I had to swap that end also for a later model cct board. No probs since though. The box does get very hot under the footwell, and i think it being glue/cable tied to the heater pipes by TVR didnt help!

[Russian Rocket]

mine did that. problem was the case of the unit stopped the conector locking down properly, small file to make the hole bigger

[Chequred Demon]

I need to do this as my blower has never worked since I bought my Tuscan.

Can anyone please post a picture of where the heater ECU is and what it looks like?

thanks

[Chequred Demon]

Found heater ECU, big black thing hanging down under passenger dash.

Mine has been replaced with a 489 unit, looks like the serial is 41/05?

Everything works, apart from the blower motor, though the switch on the tunnel lights the LEDs?

Found the thicker black wire and disonnected connector at ECU and everything looks OK.

Does anyone have a wiring schematic for the connector / heater ecu? I have a multimeter and would like to find out which part of the system is broken.

[BDV]

dvs_dave said:

My heater ECU connector has melted one of it's pins and the blower has consequently conked out.

It doesn't look too bad so was hoping to be able to repair it. Any ideas as to how best to fix it as it's a killer not being able to use the AC in London traffic.

I have had the same problem. I opened up the unit and discovered that several of the soldered connections to the multipin had melted. The blower worked only for a few moments before stopping. I assume poor connections failing as the temprature in the circuits rose and disrupted the connections.

I sent the unit to a printed circuit board repair company. They fixed it in one day for £44.00. They remade all of the connections to the pins and checked all the components on the board which were working. The unit was in next day's post. I plugged it in and it now works perfectly.

I strongly recommend this company who will only charge if they work on /fix the PCB.

Electroveral Ltd., Unit 2 Sedgwick Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 9DT. Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

[BDV]

dvs_dave said:

My heater ECU connector has melted one of it's pins and the blower has consequently conked out.

It doesn't look too bad so was hoping to be able to repair it. Any ideas as to how best to fix it as it's a killer not being able to use the AC in London traffic.

I have had the same problem. I opened up the unit and discovered that several of the soldered connections to the multipin had melted. The blower worked only for a few moments before stopping. I assume poor connections failing as the temprature in the circuits rose and disrupted the connections.

I sent the unit to a printed circuit board repair company. They fixed it in one day for £44.00. They remade all of the connections to the pins and checked all the components on the board which were working. The unit was in next day's post. I plugged it in and it now works perfectly.

I strongly recommend this company who will only charge if they work on /fix the PCB.

Electroveral Ltd., Unit 2 Sedgwick Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 9DT. Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

[dvs_dave]

Thanks for the info BDV. I re-did the connector on mine and it all seems fine now, but a repair of the unit itself may be needed at some point so I'll look to get these guys to do it.

[BDV]

dvs_dave said:

Thanks for the info BDV. I re-did the connector on mine and it all seems fine now, but a repair of the unit itself may be needed at some point so I'll look to get these guys to do it.

I have just noticed a typo Electroversal is their name, I missed an 's'

Electroversal Ltd., Unit 2 Sedgwick Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 9DT. Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

[Whitey]

good stuff, how did you know of them?

[BDV]

Whitey said:

good stuff, how did you know of them?

I searched the Internet and found their name. I gave them a call and was impressed when they said that they could fix most things and turnaround the work in 5 working days. I was really impressed by the fact that the technician telephoned me on the afternoon on the next day after I had posted it. He said he had fixed the problem and would mail it back to me. Their office phoned at 4.30 pm to sort out the payment so it was 2 days ;later that it arrived in the post.

It's great to be driving around in a warm TVR again!

Barry.