13 replies to this topic

[fastclown]

SPI suggestions please.... I'm trying to help a friend. He was driving and all was fine then the engine just cut off like turning the ignition off. The fuel pump doesn't come on and there is no spark yet there is power to the coil. The pump is fine when direct wired but the injector doesn't work. I eliminated the inertia fuel switch. I checked/tested all of the fuses I could find including the 6 behind the throttle body. I tried using a relay pack from a working SPI. Still no spark or fuel. I tried the Sykes reader as well as the new cord with the computer program and neither can read the ECU. I tried reading it a few years ago with the Sykes and it didn't read it, so that's nothing new. Maybe because it's an early SPI, 1991...

What else should I be looking at or trying? Other than the ECU, what is the common denominator to make spark with a powered coil and make the injector/pump work?

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

 

Mike Guido

 

 

 

[neilw]

It does sound like the ECU has lost power or failed. The ECU is responsible for turning on the fuel pump and pulsing the coil. I'm assuming yours has the dual socket ECU instead of the later single socket?

 

I have the single socket so I can only advise on that but I would check for a good earth and supply going to the ECU first.

 

There is a fuse between the ignition switch and the ECU, if this fuse has failed then the ECU won't receive any power. Not sure if your wiring colours are the same but you can check for this supply on the relay pack there should be a white cable that has power only when the ignition is on.

Edited by neilw, 24 March 2021 - 02:00 PM.

[slidehammer]

Could it be the immobilizer playing up?. A friend of mine had the same symptoms and it was the immobilizer that had failed. Which I would assume is worked via the ECU

[fastclown]

This ECU is the dual plug. As Minis, especially SPI Minis, are rarer here in the US, do you know what years the dual plug was used so I can maybe find and try one. Or where would I find a good used one in the UK? I checked the white wire at the ECU and I have power... I guess ECU's die?

 

This Mini doesn't have an immobilizer....

[genpop]

Hi fastclown,

i guess its the crank-sensor.

Have a look here:http://memsdiag.blogspot.com/

and google for mems-gauge and mems rosco.They all work on mems 1.3 too even they say they are for 1.6 version.

[fastclown]

I forgot to mention that I already put in a new crank sensor. It unfortunately didn't solve anything.

 

My problem with the Sykes and the web version of readers is that neither one will acknowledge/read this ECU. Even when it was running great, it wouldn't, while my '96 SPI it works great on. Or am I missing something on what you're saying as I looked through the link and didn't see a way for it to see this ECU.

[genpop]

Do you have the chematic for this car? Can you check if there is current directly at the ecu? (socket) Is the earth point nearby the ecu clean?

[Gabor]

HI FastClown,

 

What is the software version of the sykes pod? Rover v1,2,3,4,5? Or what is the type of the ECU?

 

The dual plug menas that there should be an immobiliser there. Is it possible that this could have been removed earlier? It happened, here that after a low voltage period of the battery the ECU forgot the current setup, and restarted, and strated to look for the immo again. is this possible?

 

What is the part number and the version of the ECU?

 

Gabor :)

Edited by Gabor, 25 March 2021 - 08:49 AM.

[neilw]

This ECU is the dual plug. As Minis, especially SPI Minis, are rarer here in the US, do you know what years the dual plug was used so I can maybe find and try one. Or where would I find a good used one in the UK? I checked the white wire at the ECU and I have power... I guess ECU's die?

 

This Mini doesn't have an immobilizer....

 

I think the dual plug ECU were fitted from 91-93 and single plug from 93-96. Mine is a 94 and has a single plug.

[genpop]

Look here:https://rovermems.com/

or have a look to the pdf

 

Attached Files

•  ecu_nummern.pdf   439.85K   13 downloads

[fastclown]

Thank you for all of the info/files! I printed them out... The ECU is definitely the MEMS 1.3 with the two plugs. The smaller plug only has 3 wires that go to the O2 sensor. I sat for a couple of hours with a meter and tried to figure it out (Good power and grounds). At a point I guess I concluded that since the main functions Fuel pump/injectors/ignition common denominator is just the ECU, that it must be the ECU. That night I found a '92 ECU MEMS 1.3 that looks identical as this one is a late '91. I think I'll gamble the cost, but I have one more question... When did the SPI start to offer the Factory Alarm / Immobilizer? As the one I'm looking at buying is a spare a guy had, he never saw the Mini so he wouldn't know if it had the alarm. Could a '92 have had the alarm? If so, is there a way to tell so I don't buy a ECU that I can't use. Thanks!!!!

[fastclown]

It's alive!!!!!! Someone on FB Market place advertised the same ECU here in the US. I gambled and bought it. I just received it and plugged it in and it runs!!!!! I can finally get this back to my friend and get on with my life. Thank you everyone for the help!

[genpop]

Hello fastclown.

There are a lot of firms which repair those ecus especially in uk.Sometimes it is worth to do that ,you would have a spare one.

[fastclown]

Great idea! I will bring it back to the UK on my next trip and send/drop it off. It would be great to have a known good test ECU as it would have saved me many many many hours. Thanks!