On the advice I've read on this forum, I ordered a replacement ECM (eBay) for my 95 E150 5.8 mostly to have as a spare. Installed to verify it was good and discovered that with this "new" ECM it no longer pings/detonates like it did when it 4th/OD gear at a slow speed and gave it quite a bit of throttle. I had set timing appropriately with spout out and mostly used 91 fuel which helped. This van is the second Ford 5.8 I've owned, first was a 96 Bronco OBD II/EEC5 which behaved exactly the same. For whatever reason the EFI 5.8's didn't get a knock sensor so mostly attributed to that. With replacement ECM it started same as usual with no check engine light, idled fine etc. Only when I drove it did I realize under same conditions as before now instead of pinging it unlocks converter and downshifts appropriately and feels much happier. It eventually would before after much pinging in the process and wasn't nearly as smooth as now. So solved an issue I had accepted as "normal".

After taking cover off original ECM there is one capacitor that has leaked on board a spot the size of pencil eraser. Apparently that along with possibly other caps failing caused my issue.

Question - Any recommendations where to send/take damaged ECM for repair? Most threads on this are older and places non-existant. Anything OK/TX area I could hand deliver, otherwise shipping/return OK.

Thanks

 

Find a local electronics or cell phone repair shop. Replacing the capacitor is not difficult for any technician. I know you must have an old timer around your area that loves working on this stuff.

 

Don - yeah I'll see what I can find. Don't know any personally but I'm sure they're out there. In reading some of the older posts it was mentioned that some of the repair places supposedly were able to test all aspects of the ECM to verify proper functioning. Don't know if that's a thing anymore with these as old as they are, or if it ever really happened much anyway. Really wasn't expecting to find an issue with this one.

 

It's great you fixed multiple problems at the same time. I would inspect the replacement ECU for bad capacitors. Hold on to the original as an emergency spare....and throw it away in the future along with all the other parts we save 'just because ". I'm hanging on to a worn out alternator because they are so rare if I need a replacement (sarcasm).

 

These guys specialize in pcm ecu repair.

https://www.dieseltechchatt.com

 

T-wood thanks. I checked out their website, looks like only diesel but I may call them if no luck locally.

 

I think the diesel pcms are just more commonly damaged and I'm sure that's 95% of their business. From mishandled chips and tuners. I feel like your 95 e150 pcm is going to be very similar to what they work on anyway. I may be wrong.

My picknpull yards nearby combined have like 20 econoline vans and I think they charge $50 for computers with a 30 day warranty. Rusty as **** vans but every computer I've bought so far has worked.