nato

I just replaced my air filter and plan on replacing my ecu. Replacing the air filter was more cumbersome than expected, and I was wondering if the replacement of the ecu is more/less cumbersome.

britoki (Brian T)

the ecu is easy as pie compared to the filter

nato

Thanks. Usually when I work on something like that and it's difficult, in retrospect it seems easy...but not in the case of the air filter...

Skydive@AI

It's really simple. The only thing about the ECU that is remotely challenging about the ECU swap procedure is the illusive fifth screw that holds the back of the ECU cover on. It's a tight squeeze unless your car has an access hole in the windsheild fairing. Mine 2001 did not. Unclip the driver's side edge of the fairing, and lift it up a bit. It's a bit tight, but it's doable.

Some people don't put the fifth screw back in, but I am a Deutschlander... Perfection is the only success. In any case, I took a short length of kite string and looped it around the head of the screw, then put a piece of masking tape on the string. This will make it easy to recover the screw if you should drop it. After you seat the screw and get a couple of turns on it, remove the string and slip your socket on. The rest is pie.