Hey everyone... here is a unique problem... I have a 1990 GS eclipse with a 2.0 turbo and 5 speed. Been a great car. It has a problem though. Occasionally it will stall (when driving around 30-45 mph around town) when it does stall there is a clicking or a ticking behind the dash or console.... once I get it pulled over, the car is completely dead... no power to anything... (although I did notice the clock on the radio was working) I turn the key and no dash warning lights... just nothing... about half an hour to 45 minutes later there is another click (from behind the dash again), and power is restored... the car starts and drives fine (at least until it happens again!) The dealer cannot replicate this... I had the ECU changed about six months ago because of the same problem, (Mitsu wanted $1200, so I found a rebuilt unit online... even though I wasn't sure about the reliability.. I know the ECU is located behind the dash... could that be the problem??) Any help is really appreciated!

 

If you wanted to check the ECU to see if it is the problem, open the cover ad see if there is any evidence of a leak from the capacitors it will be a stain on the circuit board somewhere. That is surely why it was replaced the first time as it is a common problem. Though if it was rebuilt these capacitors would have been replaced. Where did you find the ECU? Ebay? I kind of sounds like a loose connection somewhere.(obviously that would be nice if it were that simple!)

 

I bought a remanufactured replacment ECU from www.ecudirect.com... It has a lifetime warranty for as long as I own the vehicle... They said that when they remanufacture units for Mitsus all of the original capacitors are replaced due to the potential leaking problem... This problem with the car started after the alternator was replaced by a dealer. After I picked up the car, the belts would squeal, it idled rough and eventually did the stalling/dead thing... one thing it does that is really wierd is that all of the power accessories work when the car is running, when the car shuts off there is very little to no power at all... it doesn't even have enough power to lock both door locks when hitting the drivers door lock switch... I picked up the car a little while ago from the dealer... they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it. All they did was adjust the belts and adjust the idle. It does run better, but still not great (It needs a turbo replacement, which is on it's way as we speak) Makes me think that with it running better they had forgotten a connection or something, since it does run so good now... I guess time will tell... I leave tomorrow for a week and when I get back they are changing out the turbo for a new one... I'll let you know what happens... Thanks for the help...

 

After reading your reply it sounded like the battery was either complete trash or, as you say they did not hook up something. Hope all goes well.

 

9498jl, who decided 6 months ago that the cause of your problem was the ECU? And how was that determined?

 

From your description it sounds like some kind of master circuit breaker is tripping due to heat - just like the overheat protection circuit on an electric motor. Gets hot, trips out, cools down, resets itself.

I don't know, but I don't suppose it has anything like that does it? Anybody know? Sorry, but I'm new to Mitsu's and I'm just theorizing here.

 

I'd agree Bob but for the location of the noise (behind dash). Usually CB's are in a spot with easy access, but who knows. It could be a relay tripping?? I here clicks behind my dash when I turn key off. If it's a relay is the relay bad or is the signal voltage failing? Problem with trying to solve these erratic electrical problems like this is most of the posters don't have wiring diagrams so even if you could tell them what it is, there's no way for them to know where it is.

 

id say its due to leaky capacitors, but pulling out your ecu and checking may not help because you cant always see the leak. Any 1g ecu should have the caps replacedbecause they will leak eventually. www.vfaq.com goes into detail. when they go bad the ecu resets itself and that is the clicky sound.

 

Supposedly he has a 6 mth old remanufactured ECU with all new capacitors.

 

missed that