03 4-Tec Fuel pump ground - Check Engine

[jseadoo]

The ECG/ECU provides a ground fo the fuel pump. This is broken, the pump woudn't power on. I ran a direct ground to the brown pink wire as dealer recommended as a workaround. Works perfectly but Check Engine is flashing. I cut ground wire to ECU but same issue.

How to get Check Engine to go away?

 

[mkov608]

After you cut the ground wire, did you clear the code?

 

[jseadoo]

No, how to clear it? Disconnect battery?

 

[mkov608]

You need a B.U.D.S. or a CanDoo Pro.

 

[jseadoo]

After you cut the ground wire, did you clear the code?

You need a B.U.D.S. or a CanDoo Pro.

But it seemed adding the ground caused the code. I don't have a diagnostic tool. Which one is best?

 

[mkov608]

Well, you have two options, replace the ECU or run the ground wire. The ground wire is the inexpensive way to go, but you will always have P0231 code in active memory. The last ECU i saw on Ebay was going for $1,200.00

 

[jseadoo]

Yeah, the dealer misdiagnosed the problem. New fuel pump assembly $949 (CND) with tax. Sold the working old one on ebay for $200.
ECU repair? Can they be fixed?

 

[mkov608]

Not on the older skis. I just spoke with Matt at Torx Racing. He said the newer ECUs can be "reflashed" and that may fix the problem, but you can't reflash the older ECUs. He didn't give me a date to define "older" and "newer."

 

[jseadoo]

I think the problem might be physical, a connection issue with the wire going into the board. However, after i grounded the pump with a vampire clip and check engine happened. I cut the wire to the board hoping to solve the problem. So I'm thinking maybe clearing the code might be worth a shot.

 

[mkov608]

That's possible. If you cut the wire to the board, you will still get the P0231 code because now this monitored circuit is open.

 

[jseadoo]

Thanks for that.
There must be a way to trick it. Strange because when the issue was intermittent, there was no code. It would either not power on the pump, or suddenly shut down while cruising along. Never a code till the direct ground was added.

 

[ski-d00]

Clearing the code won't fix it. Once the fault is corrected, it will go to occurred automatically which is the only way to get rid of the code. The system will instantly recognize the problem with this circuit and make it an active code throwing the check engine. Cutting the wire should have done nothing because the wire is already "cut" inside the ECU. To trick the system, you will either need to change or turn off the monitoring of this circuit by flashing this info into the ECU or by repairing the circuit inside the ECU. Both of which will cost more than getting a new ecu.

 

[nickamuch]

Clearing the code won't fix it. Once the fault is corrected, it will go to occurred automatically which is the only way to get rid of the code. The system will instantly recognize the problem with this circuit and make it an active code throwing the check engine. Cutting the wire should have done nothing because the wire is already "cut" inside the ECU. To trick the system, you will either need to change or turn off the monitoring of this circuit by flashing this info into the ECU or by repairing the circuit inside the ECU. Both of which will cost more than getting a new ecu.

Do you guys understand why the ecu may be failing to ground the pump in the first place? Is this a common issue? It seems there is also a fairly common issue where the ecu enters a lockout mode where it wont run the fuel pump

 

[mkov608]

The driver circuit has failed; why has it failed? Not sure. I don't know how common this issue is.