coil caught on fire today

[jwdp54]

ok so i go and wash my car today and just gave it a little rince in the engine bay. well couple hours later i head off to work and the car won't start. the car ran great before today(mods in sig) any ideas or suggestions would be great.

so we try to push start it which starts it but then stalls. noticed smoke coming from the hood and my 4th coil is on fire. no water got into the spark plug hole


quickly unplug the connector. take out the coil and went and got another one.

well i plug the new coil in and the car starts but my fuel pressure is staying around 1500-1600 and bucking for about 15 seconds then just dies. quickly look at the plug and it had started to catch on fire. so much for getting another coil.

so i had it towed to a local shop and their going to look at it tomorrow. if it's major i'll have it towed back to my place and take mods off and then tow it to mazda. if they don't warranty it then mods will be sold to fund the repair cost since i'm in the middle of buying a house.

will keep the car til i can find something else to get which i'm very pissed because this car is my baby.
the first obvious thing i think that might have happened is something shorted out from the water.
the second might be that i fried something in the standback i'm guessing. can't really think of what else it could be.

[GoSpeed3Go]

looks like moisture caused an arc-over to me.

[Phantom]

Check your ECU. Did you tape up or cover the wiring on the back of the PNP harness?

Check it quick as the pins on the ECU will rust quick and cause electrical issues.

Check these threads:
http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...pnp-issue.html
and
http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...p-harness.html

[jwdp54]

Originally Posted by GoSpeed3Go looks like moisture caused an arc-over to me.

with moisture would it cause it to do it twice?

no.... fml didn't even think about that. my luck it's ecu. i dunno i just don't wanna get rid of my car.

[jmhinkle]

Rinsing the engine FTL. How many of these threads are on the interwebz?

[jwdp54]

Originally Posted by Phantom Check your ECU. Did you tape up or cover the wiring on the back of the PNP harness? Check it quick as the pins on the ECU will rust quick and cause electrical issues. Check these threads: http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...pnp-issue.html and http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...p-harness.html

good call on this. the ecu is indeed fried.......

before everyone calls me a dumbass the reason this didn't even come into play with getting this wet was my past cars(hondas, fords) the ecu is in the cabin.

i know these aren't cheap to replace from the dealer but are their any places i could get one cheaper?

[kingpin748]

You might be able to get one from a wrecker but you'll still have to take it to the dealer to get it programmed again for your key.

[rodrigo]

i steam clean my engine every other month at least, high pressure too.

i have done it at least 20 times.


there are 3 areas I always avoid

#1 ecu
#2 all electronics around passenger side of the fuel pump
#3 alternator


never had even a misfire from this.... if u take your time and dont point in the wrong areas nothing will happen.

[jwdp54]

good advice lenny. the only thing that's gonna suck about this if i can't find one from a wrecker is the 1k price tag for a new one.

also i'm still learning but if the ecu is fried how does the car still start up and why is it only the 4th coil that was doing this?

it still sucks cuz i might have to sell stuff to replace it and i really don't want to....

i'll probably sell my pnp and standback. then in when i can i'll buy an ap.

[gsrtype1]

Sorry to hear man! Darksun had an extra ecu a while back he made have already sold it though.

[Haltech]

if you clean your engine with high pressure with COPs, this is going to occur. Happens on Ford trucks and mustangs.

its always best to use low pressure water while cleaning the engine. As pointed out, avoid the fuse box, COPs and alternator.

[Phantom]

Sucks to hear man. Washed my car only on the outside last winter and ended up with issues with the PNP/ECU getting wet. The good thing was I noticed a few issues with the DSC and traction control and thought about the PNP and found the issue be fore any damage was done. Had a few rusted pins but was able to clean up the ECU fine.

I hope you don't have to pay through the nose for the repairs. Good luck and keep us posted.

I have since used some electrical tape and taped up the back of the PNP harnesses and seem to stop any issues.

[sleeperstang1994]

Ford coils are great. i cant even imagine how many ive changed at work on 4.6/5.4 motors. thats an easy sell and easy money in my pocket!

[rodrigo]

distributor and wires ftw!!!

[dixie789456]

yeah until you get moisture in the distributor...... which is in the front of most fords!

[jwdp54]

all i know is i hate my life right now because i can't drive my car right now..... i have to have a taxi come pick my ass up for work tomorrow at 4:30am in the morning. Then i have to walk home from work at 2:30pm which is 3 miles cuz my ride just ditched me.

[m4tic]

and its probably going to be 182 degrees outside

[ponny135]

Originally Posted by jwdp54 all i know is i hate my life right now because i can't drive my car right now..... i have to have a taxi come pick my ass up for work tomorrow at 4:30am in the morning. Then i have to walk home from work at 2:30pm which is 3 miles cuz my ride just ditched me.

shut man sorry to hear that. But be assure that even thou this is looking like hell right now, better times will come. Just hang in there, be patient, breath... you can overcome this

[sleeperstang1994]

Originally Posted by ponny135 shut man sorry to hear that. But be assure that even thou this is looking like hell right now, better times will come. Just hang in there, be patient, breath... you can overcome this

wow new member that still holds hope for the platform. O to be naive again. ignorance is bliss!

[Lymerock]

way to go sleeper. you win the turd hat award.
nothing like trying to discourage people for your own pleasure.

[jwdp54]

like i said above. should i just fork out the cash for being a dumbass? only problem with that is what if there are other problems. with that i wouldn't actually need the car for them to program the new ecu?

Or should i unmod the car hope for the best that they'll cover it under warranty? do you think they would warranty it if i brought it in? would they blame me(obviously my fault)

decided also there's no way in hell i'm selling the car. i like this forum and spend a lot of time on it. if i unmod, i'll stay stock, save money and will go BT in the next couple months when the weather gets better and possibly a house with a garage. thinking gt3076. probably will sell parts some parts and get ones that i should have in the first place.

[cpolly69]

i toasted my ecu way back when i first got started by sending an extra 12v into it - they cost like $1500 - they are very rarely on ebay

[jwdp54]

well i decided to try the dealership today hoping for the best. they had first told me that all my mods on the car would not void it since this was an electrical problem. well after an hour of waiting they come back and say it wouldn't be coovered because it looked like the ecu wire had been tapped. it was my meth wire but had taken it off hoping they wouldn't notice but they did. they did not void the car warranty at all. they only denied the claim.

so he pulls my car in which started up and drove it in on only 3 cylinders. the service guy said it was going to be around 2-3k after said and done to fix everything and atleast 250 just to look at it!!! i told them hell no and asked for a towing company. so i got it towed to my place where it sits now.

i thought that if the ecu was fried the couldn't wouldn't start?? when the car starts the only thing that happens is the 4th coil starts to burn. i've got a new coil and new ecu on the way. is that all the else problems i will have to deal with?

here is a pic of the corrosion on the pins. which brings me to a pissed off point because fucking cpe decided not to make it seal tight from the pnp. dumbass's



so since i now i'm getting a new one i opened it up and saw more damage.
there are 2 red circles where it's at

[MS6_Auburn_Fan]

Does the ecu have that fried electrical board smell? It doesn't appear to be black anywhere. Or is that water damage?

[jwdp54]

i know for a fact it's from water. no smell but the ecu is damaged.

[Phantom]

Yep. Exactly what I got when I got water in mine. That blue residue is a dead give away.

I know only a couple others that have mentioned the issue with the PNP and water. CPE was looking into fixing the issue but under normal operation and not washing with pressure washer (engine bay or external) there should not be an issue.

I am glad I caught mine only a few short days after it happened. Plus it was in the winter and the water would freeze between drives and was only driving in town those few days.

I can't see it being 2K+ for the repairs 1K maybe for the ECU and reprogram. Not sure on the coil cost but shouldn't be more then a 200. I think they are looking at replacing the harness as well as the ECU and coil. I could be wrong.

Good luck and sorry to see you having to deal with this.

[Darksun280]

Did you have a Plug and play kit or something you've had water in your terminal for a while. Also 2k sounds almost right 1500 for the ecu reprogramming keys and new harness is an easy 300-400.

[jwdp54]

cpe and their design... i guess it's karma lol i had a pnp for about 6 months. nothing was damaged on the pnp.

darky thanks again. i'm getting the ecu from him. he had the extra one still.

thoughts keep going through my head though that these two things aren't all i fuck up. i hope so

[ponny135]

Well think about it, what else does direct the coils to fire besides the ECU? I believe there is nothing else but I could be wrong.. im pretty sure someone could shed some light in here

shut I would be so afraid to put the new ECU and burn it due to something else still toasted on the electric system.. just for that you should triple check that all other electrical is good to go before the new ECU goes in

[Driverman5777]

karma... ^^^

and I don't really see how its CP-e's fault you decided to super soak your engine...


regardless I think this is another amazing opportunity to say MS6 FTW!!!

[ponny135]

Originally Posted by Driverman5777 regardless I think this is another amazing opportunity to say MS6 FTW!!!

lol


..on the ECU thought, what is the ECU ETA ?

[jwdp54]

i didn't super soak my engine. i had a light mist going over the engine bay and wiped shit down afterward. they didn't put any sealer on their pnp like is on the actual ecu wiring connector. i wasn't talking about their about their actual product itself since obviously i have ran it for a long time and had no issue with it.

i had a guy check the all wiring before i actually took it to mazda to make sure no other wiring was damaged

[cpolly69]

when i toasted mine - i actually fried a coil, my ecu, and my maf all at the same time - the grand total from the dealer on that repair was $3500.00
there is definitely nothing between the ecu and each coil and the car will run with the ecu messed up - mine did on 3 cylinders

[Meder]

My connector area on the battery box itself actually has a chip in it and I am not sure how it got there.


Can you replace the plactic connectors on the ecu without getting into a whole new ecu?

[Driverman5777]

Originally Posted by jwdp54 i didn't super soak my engine.

I seriously love this quote lol

[Scatt Nasty]

sometimes I like to power wash my OBDII port and submerge my Accessport in the sink just to keep the playing field even.


Failback FTW

[jwdp54]

Originally Posted by cpolly69 when i toasted mine - i actually fried a coil, my ecu, and my maf all at the same time - the grand total from the dealer on that repair was $3500.00 there is definitely nothing between the ecu and each coil and the car will run with the ecu messed up - mine did on 3 cylinders

shit which coil was it? the 4th one? the dealer was able to drive it on 3 cylinders in to the bay. what's the best way to check and make sure my maf isn't messed up also?

3500 damn. i'm at 600 right now. 500 for ecu and 100 for a new coil.

Originally Posted by Driverman5777 I seriously love this quote lol

i'm glad you find it amusing haha. i honestly don't let things bother me. i just look at them as a bump in the road and a learning process(a pricey one that is). once it's all fixed i will look back and laugh also. not now though as i'm bummed lol

Originally Posted by Scatt Nasty sometimes I like to power wash my OBDII port and submerge my Accessport in the sink just to keep the playing field even. Failback FTW

lol once i sell the standback and get an ap you better make a trip up here (or i'll come down there)and give me the 411 on how to do everything and help me tune it. there's no way in hell i'm gonna be able to read through all those threads. i'll be so lost

[cpolly69]

coil #4 and they couldn't figure out it was my maf for like 2 weeks - they raped me on labor along with the parts, you got a used ecu for $500?

[Darksun280]

Originally Posted by cpolly69 coil #4 and they couldn't figure out it was my maf for like 2 weeks - they raped me on labor along with the parts, you got a used ecu for $500?

Yeah the ECU I sold to a guy for 120 bucks cause he was hard up for an ecu actually he turned around and sold it to O.P for 500. Not my battle supply and demand I guess....

[cpolly69]

i've still got the spare (supposedly toasted) and i'm not 100% convinced it is bad because of the circumstance of it's so called death - i wish there were a cheap way to test it to see if it's good or bad - putting it in the car is just too risky - i pried it open at one point to see if i could see the toasted spots - it didn't smell like burnt electronics - but i didn't want to pry it all the way b/c a good deal is attached to both sides