58 replies to this topic

[biggav]

Biggav could be on the case, I wonder if the Rover ECU logs any service info as well, might identify any dealerships that have done work on it, shame none will still be trading

afaik the ones remaining when the company went under got to keep the diagnostic equiptment in order to maintain their customer base. i have been in contact via Email and i think he has approached an ex dealer for assistance.

[Amy]

I have spoken to Mini Heritage, Mini Sport, Mini Mag................... and no joy as yet.
I was hopeful that the ECU may contain info on identity but it seems not.

Looks like he already tried that avenue though Gav....

[Ethel]

I have spoken to Mini Heritage, Mini Sport, Mini Mag................... and no joy as yet.
I was hopeful that the ECU may contain info on identity but it seems not.

Looks like he already tried that avenue though Gav....

Pity, I bet the ECU does have a unique serial number, just as hifi 'n other electricals do, but that's not much use if there's no record to check it against. Looms often have QC labels but that would only give you a date.

[biggav]

he was told by an Ex-Spurt that any ECU's would not have specific coding which is different from what i understand. Rover used similar ECU's in the MPI to the rest of the Rover/MG range. I worked in Customer Services for Rover, Mg and Mini and then into Production on Rover 600, 800 and 75 before the big swap which bought BINI to Oxford.

My work as a line rectifier was mainly with Trim with a small amount of electrical and mechanical, any jobs which i felt couldn't be done on the line were routed to specific rework areas off the line.

Engine management (EMS) ECU's were programmed on the line for each car before being fitted and if an ECU on any vehicle required replacing, it was never a case of take old one out and put new one in. the new ECU would need to be coded with specific vehicle information before it would work. faulty ECU's couldn't be recoded as they had another vehicles information on them and when plugged back in to the programming unit would show the VIN and other details of the car they had come from.
You could also plug a diagnostic system into the car via a multiplug and this would immediatley give the cars Vin on screen and ask you to confirm that it was the car you had before proceeding. The system was very similar to that used by all rover dealers and Field service engineers.

When i worked in customer services, we also had a system which told you key codes, alarm codes, radio codes and other information from the vin number and vice versa. I don't know what happened to the system though. it used to be accesable from BMW but that stopped soon after the chinese moved in to longbridge. It was planned that this would eventually move to the archives department at heritage motor centre Gaydon but i don't know if that happened.

[Ethel]

I'm sure that was all done with crime prevention in mind, you'd have thought there would have been some DVLA or Police consultation. Mind numbing if they were just allowed to carry the whole system off to China, but I bet they did if it's production related. I wonder if any of the BL/Rover spin offs have a compatible system Jag, Landrover, LDV, Power Train / Lotus?

[biggav]

I'm sure that was all done with crime prevention in mind, you'd have thought there would have been some DVLA or Police consultation. Mind numbing if they were just allowed to carry the whole system off to China, but I bet they did if it's production related. I wonder if any of the BL/Rover spin offs have a compatible system Jag, Landrover, LDV, Power Train / Lotus?

Bini does!!!!

[koss]

Gav, I have just replaced the bsi unit on a rover mgf. I had to buy a virgin unit then go to a mazda (used to be rover) dealer for programming. The tech had to download all the data including the vin from the old unit and transfer it to the new. Will the above mini have what some people call a bsi?

[biggav]

never heard of a bsi.... there are loads of ECU's on modern cars. I am sure that MPI's had the Vin coded in the engine ECU is all i'm saying.

[MikeN]

Thanks for all your help guys. Enquiries are still on-going (typical Police speak!)
I think I have found someone who may be able to read the ECU, it's the only hope I have and I've got my fingers crossed.
Whoever has been 'working' on this car has gone to extreme lengths to hide it's identity and it's had us baffled for quite some time.
It's such a shame as I bet it was a cracking car for the previous owner.

If you can think of anymore ideas then please let me know.

[Rosslin Racing]

I wonder if it was used in a crime and being that you can not wash it all off they stole another mini and gave it the ID from the one you have just in case.

[MikeN]

I think I have found someone who may be able to read the ECU

Just a quick update.
I had the 'car' shipped across to an ex Rover dealers this morning. We put some power to it and the dash lights lit up........ which was a good start. The mechanic then plugged his laptop into the diagnostics port to try and access the ECU. Things didn't go to plan though and he was unable to get the information we were looking for.
Where I go from here I don't know.
I think I'm probably going to go through all the green stolen Mini Coopers for the past few years to try and get to the bottom of this.
I will not be beaten by these thieving criminals and am determined to return the car to it's rightful owners.

** Mods: Thanks for making this thread a sticky, but I feel it has served it's purpose and can now be un-stuck! **

[Bungle]

good luck and i hope you make someone happy

[sazal]

Yep, good luck! I saw it was in this months Mini magazine, so hopefully that might find the owner?!

[Ethel]

"I wonder if it was used in a crime and being that you can not wash it all off they stole another mini and gave it the ID from the one you have just in case."

A gold bullion heist in Turin perhaps?

Edited by Ethel, 19 February 2008 - 09:52 PM.