I got my Electronic Technician diploma from DeVry 43 years ago this month, yet I learn something from you on nearly every video. Talk about teaching an old horse new tricks! Keep up the great work. I always enjoy your videos.
Nicely done. I tried to open up a few of these from the early '80s and found them fully potted in resin. Glad to see they gave up on that idea eventually
New subscriber here! Just helped a lady off Nextdoor replace a PCM on her Ford and program a key. Apparently it had been sitting for 3 years. Lady was crying when it was finally done and her truck was running again. Other people had charged her an arm and a leg but didn't fix it. I told her if I wasn't running when I left, then I there wouldn't be a bill. Watching this video makes me wanna tear open the old PCM to see what might be up. I imagine since you ship stuff to and from customers routinely, you already have a shipping solution, but we use Pirate Ship at my office and save a bundle, that's for sure. I think you can use eBay's Ship Station even for non-eBay items, and that's usually priced similarly.
Great video, I used to work at a automotive part reman company, ive seen thousands of these ecus, clusters, abs controllers ect. You do a much better job, i watched your cluster repair from months ago, way to go that would have been a no fix at my old company, they reflow like 15 points and throw stepper motors in. Thats it. Used to be well known company but they went downhill, would never let me fix things even though i came up with repair rountines and was only sales person to test clusters. Was hired to be a tech quit after they wouldnt take me off phones. You are the real deal
Electrolytic corrosion is evilly pervasive. A bump while the truck was in motion could have set a CAP off and splashed just the smallest drop all the way over to that one resistor. Whatever the reason for that one open trace, it was a good catch on your part. Easy to get cross eyed looking over traces. Thanks for working toward keeping old stuff running. We live in such a wasteful society and can often take for granted the things we have. Cheers.
I’m trying to learn the trace repair and this was very informative. Thank you for taking the time to teach the process. The larger screen on the meter is nice too.
Within the USA.... snaps fingers.... lol. You are one of my favorites in the electronics repair video guys. Logical to a fault, knowledgeable and professional, all the things you want in a walk along repair video. Thank you for allowing me to vicariously walk through repairs that I miss doing with you at the helm.
Nice meter! I have done similar repairs on several of the old Toyota ecm's. They are famous for blown caps. Your videos are top shelf. You have helped me more than you know. I always learn from you.
Great video! I’m doing something similar with a buddy’s sauna. Power supply died, no replacement available but they’ll sell him a new sauna for $10K. Hoping a few hours of diagnosis and repair will be fruitful.
My 1996 f350 5.8 had a similar failure, but the "resistor" with the coil around it, burnt and destroyed the board. So I had to replace the PCM. Great video, I'll keep this in mind for the next time. Nice meter.
It looks like a pretty nice meter, much better than my el cheapo walmart special one. I just did a 1992 ford pcm repair like this a few months ago. i got lucky with trace breaks that were short enough that i used bare copper strands to build a short solder bridge.
I have purchased several of the items from some of your previous videos. Unfortunately they don't seem to work as well for me as they seem to for you, but can at least say I am getting better! Greatly appreciate your posting these for our learning experience as I know they do take a lot of time and effort. The meter would be nice, but the info the video has already made it worth the time to watch. Hope whomever does end up with it never has the change out that fuse!
I could use a new meter since I just smoked mine at home. Lol. Nice meter for the coin. I have made this same repairs on 90s Ford ecms several times. Glad to see others are doing it too.
Wow pretty cool meter! Don't need one as i got the free one from you already, Kweets black one. I still love it!! Great video! I was surprised that you repair ecm's. That is oldie! Well done jeff!
As a driver of some vintage autos, I'm waiting for the day to have to do an ecm repair/replacement. Good video Jeff! Oh, and I could use another meter for the collection.
Great to see you keep a vehicle alive. I like to see the products you demo as well. I picked up the same type of soldering iron you have and it works good. It would be good to pick up the multimeter you showed. That would be awesome good one to keep on the service truck.
Hey Jeff I would love to try that meter and compare it to my Klein looks quite interesting. Thanks again for the Trailblazer cluster repair Still going strong
I had an identical failure on my '95 F250, but they were surface mount caps that damaged the board. I was able to repair it myself, though not nearly as gracefully as you did! Please enter me in the drawing for the meter! Love your videos.
I use the excess length of my capacitor leads to bridge to nearby points when a thru-hole has been that compromised with leaked electrolyte. I’ve seen some electrolyte-blackened traces that show continuity but still cause issues until I tin with solder or jumper them… and even when a ground is not totally isolated, gaps like that can still cause issues. There might be the flimsiest of traces connecting them on the other side where it is picking up on all sorts of noise. The more ground pours tied together, the better.
Hello Jeff: Yes, I'm interested in the meter. I've been a subscriber for some time now, and your videos have steered me in the directions of doing my own repairs. My limitation is a lack of the tools of the trade- that includes a multimeter. Thanking you in advance, Gilbert.
If you can find some MCH (Methylcyclohexane), it is a solvent for organic conformal coatings and would allow you to clean off those solder joints a little easier. Also, if you have a blacklight, that conformal coating may fluoresce and you can confirm you have removed it all.
HI Jeff, I've seen this all too often on GE equipment. the manufacturer purposely installs electrolytics that is very close to the operating voltage, after time they all fail. Planned obsolesce. most of the time I could just replace the caps with higher voltage quality ones, and we are back in service. once the truck needs a jump start an over voltage occurs at the cap and damages it. Rich
The corrosion under the resistor came from the cap that is in line below it. The unit is mounted on it's edge and would have dripped right on the end of that resistor.
Thanks for the video. I have a few ford eecv computers that need service. The meter would be a help in servicing the computers. Thanks again for video.
I just did one of those ECMs a couple of weeks ago. It's the same deal: no spark and completely eaten up by the leakage. Please pick me for the DVOM!!!! LOL
Real Duracell battery made in China? That's exotic right there all they way from the orient! I'm sure the meter works fine. For the price, a decent meter. Thanks for sharing.
I don't believe you caused any damage to the Fuse tangs, they are below the lip of the casing. Sum mise to say, it was delivered in that condition. I also would like to say I enjoy your videos, you are not scolding or condescending to the view, with a pleasant tone.
Used to own a 1997 Mark VIII. The engine would just randomly cut out on me, no matter what conditions I was driving in. It would do it every few days. I would have to turn the ignition to off, then go and restart the car again on the side of the road and everything was absolutely normal again. Bought another PCM on eBay and the problem went away. Wish I had time to open the old one up to see what was happening.
Nice repair video, thanks. Please include me in the meter giveaway. Thanks. Btw, the jumper wire you are using looks like “wire wrap” wire from way back in the day. I’m dating myself 😅
