Ghibli II 2.8 ABS replacing ECU

Dutch_Cerbera

New Member
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42
Hi Guys,

I Just received my new ECU (sent yesterday, that's what I call quick !!!!), so many thanks to KJB Parts (Koen) for making my Ghibli run and start very smooth again :)

Quick question:

How to replace my ECU?

Is it just disconnecting the battery, lifting the rear bench, old one out, and new one in.
And job done, or are there more things to do, like learning throttle position etc?

Thank you very much
 

chad5k1

New Member
Messages
167
I think there are some steps in theory, but in practice, I believe that leaving the car running until the fans kick in will be more than enough
 

Dutch_Cerbera

New Member
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42
I think there are some steps in theory, but in practice, I believe that leaving the car running until the fans kick in will be more than enough

Ok, thank you very much.

ECU is in place, now charging the disconnected battery and after that i will give it a try :)
 

Dutch_Cerbera

New Member
Messages
42
Hmmm... that is irritating, still engine warning light...

The local specialist told me that the ECU on the left side does not get the knock sensor signal, ECU needs to be replaced... so I did.
They told me as well that they swapped the left and right ECU the get a confirmation of the problem, so... I guess the specialist forgot to tell me that the faulty one is now on the right side... Well, I hope, so tomorrow part 2... And hopefully problem solved
 

dickyb

Member
Messages
432
you should be able to swap them over, the ECUs are the same for both sides (but the signals they receive are slightly different)
 

Dutch_Cerbera

New Member
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42
Thanks guys.

So I did... but problem still the same.

Very strange as Officina Valenti diagnosed that the left ECU must be broke because it does not get the knock-sensor signal. I remember that they told me they swapped the left and right one to confirm their diagnose.
So, when they replaced the left ECU with the right one, all was fine. So their conclusion left ECU must be faulty.

I am now kind of lost... guess the best thing (in my case) would be to go back to Officina Valenti and do the diagnosis again. The other thing is that (I think) my Vacuum Pump is kinda loud when turning the key, but could be normal I don't know. When turning the key it makes first a loud constant sound and when not turning the key further is makes that loud sound every second. Is this normal? Sounds comes from right side and front... so that is why I guess Vacuum Pump.
 

JDB

New Member
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41
Sounds the same as mine, with the ignition on it makes a bit of a racket and then pulses, I've been told it's normal.
 

Dutch_Cerbera

New Member
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42
Sounds the same as mine, with the ignition on it makes a bit of a racket and then pulses, I've been told it's normal.

Hmm... might be normal but I was looking at some Youtube video's and I did not hear the same...
perhaps I better make a video and post it myself.

Anyway, next to that I have my engine warning light burning even without firing up the engine. (yes yes, first on... after off and back on again, and that with only ignition on, engine not yet)
 

chad5k1

New Member
Messages
167
Vacuum pump noise is normal. It is actually down by the intercooler on the left as you look at the front of the car. Very loud I agree, we are going to try to remove it altogether this summer - but then we have no AC system or ventilation anymore in the car, so I don't think we need the extra weight.
 

Dutch_Cerbera

New Member
Messages
42
Ok, thank you, good to hear that the loud sound is normal.

I the service manual I noticed that there actually is a procedure for replacing the control units... And as I don't have the SD1 I did not follow the procedure.
I really hope that that is why things are not ok right now... But I am afraid so...

As my Ghibli is not on plates yet, it is a pain to get her to the specialist, so it will take probably some time, but keep you posted.

Thank you

page 98.jpg
 

chad5k1

New Member
Messages
167
Ok, thank you, good to hear that the loud sound is normal.

I the service manual I noticed that there actually is a procedure for replacing the control units... And as I don't have the SD1 I did not follow the procedure.
I really hope that that is why things are not ok right now... But I am afraid so...

As my Ghibli is not on plates yet, it is a pain to get her to the specialist, so it will take probably some time, but keep you posted.

Thank you

View attachment 37568

I suspect that will make no difference. I've lost count of the number of times I've removed the battery or disconnected the ECU's. There is also a school of thought that this procedure with the diagnostic tool doesn't actually work, or do anything even if it looks like it works.
 

Dutch_Cerbera

New Member
Messages
42
Oh my... I have all this stupid stuff, I guess because my Ghibli hasn't been used for many year before I bought her...

Because of the ECU issue i need to go back to the specialist, so today I decided to take her for a spin... Well, not... complete lack of power under load... if there is just a very small "hill" all power is lost... Guess because of not being used for many years the injectors need to be cleaned or changed and I guess there is very likely nothing wrong with my ECUs but with some of the sensors... pffff
Probably nothing serious but for sure works on my nerves as I am used to very reliable TVRs. Everybody nagging about TVRs but I don't know why...

And then to remember, I have been to that specialist less than 50 km ago.......
 

gemini

Member
Messages
143
Hi Dutch_cerbera,

We are neighbour.
I had the same problem with my ghibli (see the presentation here, a ghibli cup 2.8 imported from japan: http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/sho...serati-it-s-probably-time-to-introduce-myself).
The car is also serviced by M Valenti.

It was very difficult for me to find a ecu, for an obscure reason, Koen didn't want to send it to me, anyway, I managed to find another ecu, from a quattroporte, and we swap the rom chip (the cup 2.8 has a slightly different map allowing more boost and about 305PS) from the defect unit to the new one.

And I still have the CEL :frustrating:
The car seems to work perfectly, all the power is present (or at least it seems), the fuel consumption seems "reasonable" but the light still goes on after 5 or 10 km. Don't know why...
It will wait the next service.

In your case, if there is a sudden loss of power, maybe you should check your turbo hoses (the tubes from the turbo to the engine). With the time, they have a tendency to break/crack/wathever. All the air returns to the athmosphere and nothing in the engine. Maybe it's the problem (quite an easy fix, and cheap).

Maybe we'll have the opportunity to meet someday.
 

Dutch_Cerbera

New Member
Messages
42
Hi Dutch_cerbera,

We are neighbour.
I had the same problem with my ghibli (see the presentation here, a ghibli cup 2.8 imported from japan: http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/sho...serati-it-s-probably-time-to-introduce-myself).
The car is also serviced by M Valenti.

It was very difficult for me to find a ecu, for an obscure reason, Koen didn't want to send it to me, anyway, I managed to find another ecu, from a quattroporte, and we swap the rom chip (the cup 2.8 has a slightly different map allowing more boost and about 305PS) from the defect unit to the new one.

And I still have the CEL :frustrating:
The car seems to work perfectly, all the power is present (or at least it seems), the fuel consumption seems "reasonable" but the light still goes on after 5 or 10 km. Don't know why...
It will wait the next service.

In your case, if there is a sudden loss of power, maybe you should check your turbo hoses (the tubes from the turbo to the engine). With the time, they have a tendency to break/crack/wathever. All the air returns to the athmosphere and nothing in the engine. Maybe it's the problem (quite an easy fix, and cheap).

Maybe we'll have the opportunity to meet someday.

Hi there,

I have noticed that your Ghibli Cup has been spotted in Waterloo (autogespot.nl) and yep that is more or less next door. I am living at the beginning of the Forest (so Uccle).

Getting the ECU was an easy one, but solving the issue is another thing :))
At Valenti they told me that my ECU had to be faulty not my knock sensor. So I swapped that one, but still problem remains. After turning the key the CEL lights up, and as it should goes off again, but after like 20 sec it lights up again, even before firing up the engine. So not as yours. The loss of power is, according to me, all the time.

Well, some told me that I very likely have to reset my ECU and see if the problem is still there, but very likely it will be. Now it seems that there are 2 kinds of emergency run programs. In the first one it will even be very difficult drive at all and in the second one the car will drive more or less normal but the turbo pressure will be very limited... I think mine would be in mode 2. I will check the hoses but to be honest I would guess that they are not causing the issue. I need to put her on the diagnostic tool to see what the issue most likely is, but my Ghibli is not on license plates... And when they picked her up I paid E170 for 6 km, I don't like those kind of jokers...

I do have the circuit diagram for the SD1 but I can hardly imagine that I can build the diagnostic tool myself without causing a drama ;-) It just looks too easy... So I better not give it a go...

As my all cars have to be in perfect shape, one stupid light frustrates me a lot, so I need some time to cool down and the issue will be solved.

Anyway, love to see your Cup :) neighbour
 

gemini

Member
Messages
143
If the ghibli runs in safe mode, you will have a low boost, but quite a nice amount of pressure (0,7 bar if I remember well). So the car should not have any problem to ride on a hill and you should be able able to drive it almost without difficulties (with 0,7bar, you should have at least 200-220 hp I presume).

I'm not sure there are 2 different secure modes; in fact, I don't think so, only one secure mode (with low boost allowed) but no limp mode.
If the CEL light is ON even without firing the engine, the ecu doesn't receive the signal from one of the sensor (short circuit or defect in the wiring, or missing sensor -do you still have lambda sensor?).
More about the cause of the CEL here, I hope it will help you. http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/alfieri06uuuuuu.htm

Did you try to disconnect the battery (24-48h) to re-initialise the ECU? But reading your description, I think the problem is elsewhere...

170 euro is an awful lot for 6km, I paid about 125 from my home to Valenti (50km, I live not far from "Le Roeulx"). For 170 euro, you can replace almost all the sensors of your ghibli.
We'll have the opportunity to meet, don't worry, Belgium is a small country.

SD1 doesn't seem very complicated; would you mind to share the diagram?