ECU removal made easy!

Tools necessary: 1. plastic bag
2. long skinny flat head screwdriver. 3. 13mm socket with rachet.
4. two spray cans.
Steps:
1. Open hood. Use flat head screwdriver to remove black cap off of passenger wiper arm (at base). place in plastic bag.
2. Use 13mm socket with rachet to remove nut off of wiper arm base. place in bag.
3. Close hood. Bend wiper arm up and wiggle it at the base until it comes off. Try rotating the arm straight up.
4. Open hood. Remove front rubber gasket(long) from the bottom of the rain tray/wiper cowl.
5. Remove pollen cover (not necessary but makes it easier) using torx wrench (similar to allen wrenches, puchased a set from sears $10.00).
6. Place the two spray cans on each side of the ECU (dead center with two wire harnesses sticking out toward you) under the rain tray/wiper cowl to help bend/hold up the bottom of the tray (originally thought of by Hesh, thanks).
7. Use flat head screwdriver to push the tiny plastic clips behind the connecter terminals on both sides of the ECU outward towards the corresponding sides of the car, as far out as possible.
8. Pull the two connecter terminals towrd you, towards the front of the car. Be sure to pull the whole thing, as the black boxes behind the wire covers are also part of the harness!
9. Use flat head screwdriver to bend the tiny piece of metal on the passenger side of the ECU which holds it in place.
10. Use flat head screwdriver to loosen the ECU by pushing it inbetween the gap of the ECU and the holding bracket.
11. Pull out ECU by wiggling it side to side and pulling. You may need to use the flat head screwdriver to loosen it more.
12. The ECU is a silver box about 4 by 3 inches with bosch writen on it.

For any questions just email me and i will be glad to assist.




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DOCTOR SHUMES
2000 JETTA TDI

[This message has been edited by DOCTOR SHUMES (edited May 29, 2000).]

Let me get this straight... you removed the cowling from under the hood, correct?

I worked on it from the windshield and pried it up.

At the top, the cowling seems relatively glued down and rather difficult to move. The bottom of the cowling is thinner and not held down by anything once the long gasket liner is removed. You can bend this relatively easily with out causing any harm. The spray cans are just a good suggestion that works to help hold it up. You can easily work on the ECU from here. You do not even have to remove the drivers side wiper arm! Keep in mind that i have a 2000 jetta A4. This should also work for 2000 golfs as well.

[This message has been edited by DOCTOR SHUMES (edited May 29, 2000).]

That sounds very logical.

Yes it was glued down, pain in the a$$. I had my windshield replaced, I should check to see if they glued it down again.

I am hoping that this relativily painless way will allow me to put in the factory chip if i have to take the car in for any major trouble. It takes about five minutes or so for someone who has done it before.

GLADLY

Thanks Doctor.
When I get Wett I will refer back to this thread. No cash right now for horsepower increases. Tell us how it goes!!
TDIsmokin
Claude

Got mine out this morning, with only a small amount of blood spilled.

BTW, my pollen cover has Phillips screws, not torx.

The toughest part was getting the ECU out of its nest. I was getting pretty frustrated, and then I tried Jim Wilson's shirt hanger corner trick, and voila! Out she came! Thanks, Jim!

I've noticed that nobody has posted anything about re-installation. I take it that's easy, compared to removal.

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Rob
2000 Golf GLS TDI (K&N, MAF & airbox screens removed, spare Relay 109)
2000 Passat GLS Variant 1.8T (K&N)

[This message has been edited by rgoetz (edited June 08, 2000).]

when you reinstall it, just bent the locking clip on the left hand (passenger side) in some so if you ever need to remove it again for some reason, it is simple to manually press that in and slide it out without removing the entire mounting harness.

BTW, I used the spray can method two years ago on my A4 after spending about three weeks and half a dozend tries to remove the cowling without destroying it, the spray can method is simple, fast and effective. Just be sure to keep the caps on the spray cans so you accidentally don't add some unwanted color to the project!

Thanks, SkyPup.

BTW, one of my "spray" cans was actually a can of Amsoil cetane booster.

I experienced one problem worth mentioning; if you replace the ECU and then the car won't start, check the wiring harness plugs to verify they are seated correctly.

The slide-locks must be fully locked or the car won't start.

It's in, and the chip is everything it's cracked up to be.

I ran into 2 difficulties doing the re-install. First, getting the passenger-side slide-lock all the way in was tough--it wouldn't go in straight, because a protruding piece from the tray above was in the way. My wife helped pull the piece out of the way, and then I was able to push the slide-lock in.

The other thing was that I couldn't get the pollen cover back on. After wrestling with it a while, I decided to put it off for another day, and go for a ride. It was the right decision. I still need to get it the pollen cover back on.

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Rob
2000 Golf GLS TDI (Wetted ECU, K&N, MAF & lower airbox screens removed, spare Relay 109)
2000 Passat GLS Variant 1.8T (K&N)

Any suggestions on getting the pollen filter cover back on? Do I just jam it until it goes? Is there a lubricant I can use (spray silicone)?

BTW, the VW salesperson I bought my TDI from last year has chipped his Audi A4 1.8T (ATP chip), and he congratulated me when I told him I just chipped my TDI!

Some things are easier to access on the NB, like the ecu and the pollen filter.

Thanks, Doctor. I feel better now. (I was questioning my masculinity due to my inability to get the pollen filter--of all things--back on.)

Actually, by "left", do you mean passenger side (left as you are facing the open hood)?

Hey, Karl, wanna trade NB ecu & pollen filter access for Golf/Jetta lower airbox screen access? heheheheh

[This message has been edited by rgoetz (edited June 12, 2000).]

Yes, left is the passenger side. Sorry about that. I get confused when people tell me right and left on the car all the time. You will know what im talking about, trust me.

The pollen filter cover is one tough mother. I think that if i ever have to pull my ecu back out i will leave the pollen cover on if i can. You have to bend the hell out of it. Start at the top left side where the hood meets the engine bay. Make sure that little plastic piece of the pollen cover is under neath what it is supposed to be. Then bend and push the sucker. The curved left under side of the pollen filter is what is in the way. Try using a flat head screwdriver or something to help wedge it back in. BE CAREFULL, dont scratch the passanger side fender of your car if you slip. GOOD LUCK!

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DOCTOR SHUMES
GREEN 2000 JETTA TDI
WETT CHIP, BMC AIR FILTER
CCV BYPASS, ALL SCREENS REMOVED, 16" CHROME BELLAS
DONT FORGET TO PAY YOUR COPAY!

I got the pollen filter cover back in yesterday, although I broke off a small corner piece in the process.
But I've got a problem--no fresh air comes out of the interior dash vents when I turn the HVAC fan on (with or without the a/c on). See my request for help in a post in General Maintainence.

As I posted in my other thread, the mystery is solved: while the ECU got Wett, the pollen filter got wet.

Putting the pollen filter cover back on my A4 Golf was a bit of a pain, however, the entire problem was caused by a metal bracket that is located directly above the pollen filter.

The bracket is about 3 mm too low, and prevents the filter cover from just sliding in. The solution...

I cut a strip about 3-5 mm deep by 30 mm long out of the top of the pollen filter cover where the bracket interferes.

It now slides in without too much trouble.

Talk about digging up an old thread...I'm having trouble with the ECM tabs, I broke off the left side tab.

Holy Bump Batman!!

Finally got the ECM swapped. I highly recommend this method...especially since the passenger's side wiper arm is just about impossible to remove.

This club is great!
Thanks to this thread and the PDF available here; I was able to pull the ECU in about 1/2hr. Most of that time was waiting for the liquid wrench to soak into the spline of the passenger side wiper arm. Man, that was a bugger. I left the driver side arm on and used the liquid wrench can and another spray can to prop up the cowl.
After removing both left and right harnesses I used two box end wrenches slipped over the "corner posts" to pull the ecu out. Slick! Thanks, TDIClub.

Now, can I wait til Wednesday for the reinstall? I guess I have to.