7 replies to this topic

[Bobbins]

...... and do I need it?

 

I've completely stripped my '98 JDM for a full rebuild and one part that came out is a "catalytic converter electronic control unit", this might be JDM specific or it might be applicable to all late model cars, I don't have the experience to know.  Whatever it does it's clearly not doing it because the shielded cable plugged into the unit has nothing attached to the other end!

 

It was bolted in place under the centre section of the front shelf directly above the heater, I'd previously some across the broken cable end tucked up above the steering column but had assumed it was radio related, now clearly not. There's no obvious sensors that this could have been attached to.

 

Can anyone shed any light on what it does or whether I need it? Sadly it's clearly not a flux capacitor, I have an idea about what one of those should look like.

 

 

 

[Steve220]

I believe its the overheat sensor box. The output will be a buzzer and a light on the dash

[Bobbins]

Would you know whether they're in all Mpi cars or just the JDM's? Part of the box looks like it could be a buzzer but I'm not aware of a dash light.

[Steve220]

Yeh, just jdm cars as it's a legal requirement (I believe). The exhaust usually has a probe in the exhaust just after the cat.

[Bobbins]

Definitely nothing in the exhaust, recently replaced, so I’ll check when I reassemble everything what all the connections do. If there’s nothing messed up with the ecu without it connected I’ll leave it out. Time to check the wiring diagrams …

[Steve220]

Its separate from the ecu

[68+86auto]

Interesting that it is not made in Japan or with Japanese writing. The one that was in my mini was only in Japanese.

 

There would have been a sensor threaded into that catalytic converter and then there was usually a red "EXH" light mounted on the switch panel for the rear fog lights. That was the setup on 80s Japanese minis, not sure about later ones but that is all the box will do. There will probably be an approx 20mm hole for the cable drilled in the section of floor on the passenger side rearwards of the cross member.

[Bobbins]

Definitely no hole in the floor, very much comparable to a UK non-export car.