Harvs94max

iTrader: (5)

At auto-x today i was checking out a real nice yellow MR-2 spyder forgot what class it was but he had his ecu mounted in the back but what was cool is that he had it in Tupper-Ware (wish i had my digi at the time). He cut out a hole in the bottom of the Tupper-ware and had the harness run through a grommet so it was pretty much water resistant. I thought it was neat and it might be useful if your scared your heater core is going to go, destroying your ecu and leaving you stranded. As for now i have my JWT ecu in two gallon sized ziplock bags to protect my investment. Seems simple enough thought id share.

heres my ecu

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

welcome to two years ago.

Sgibb

iTrader: (3)

Thats awesome lol

tripleGmax

iTrader: (8)

does that plastic bag suffocate the ecu and cause too much heat?

Wiking

Vent -i- lation: Each +5C temp increase halves electronics lifetime...

Dillbag

iTrader: (4)

How'd you do in the autocross?
Oh, and just make a "splash shield" for the ecu, if you are worried about it getting wet somehow. This is very common with Toyotas (well except that MR2).

vansskaterfreek

iTrader: (14)

exactly what i thought

Harvs94max

iTrader: (5)

y would it suffocate the ecu it dosnt breath. im not a 100 percent sure but last time i opened one up there wasnt a fan in it of any sorts so its not intaking anything and the ecu dosnt fell like it ever gets hot.

As for auto-x i took 5th that day out of 21. not bad

vansskaterfreek

iTrader: (14)

even on computer electronics, heat is not good.....EVERY electronic device generates heat, trapping it in a plastic bag generates more heat than what it is supposed to have, causing a burnout in some way or ECU failure

maximaboi

iTrader: (1)

I just helped put a short throw shifter in a friends scion TC and it had a "splash shield" over the ecu. I thought it was pretty cool. all it did was cover the front and it was slanted down so water (or whatever) would hit the shield and run down.

Harvs94max

iTrader: (5)

what about ecus that are in engine bays they are in heat far beyond my plastic baggys?
i just drove about 20min came home felt the ecu and it still feels like room temp.
i think the drip tray would work great but i still dont see how im causing any harm by putting it in a plastic bag

tripleGmax

iTrader: (8)

i didnt think you were causing harm. I work with computers all day and they can run at some crazy hot temps for long long times. i was only curious if it did up the temp at all. you should be fine. im sure it runs on a small amount of power so even though vanskaterfreek, you may be somewhat right, your ECU is not going to fail because its not a huge electronic device. the mini-itx motherboards dont have a fan and they run on a 100w power supply

Dillbag

iTrader: (4)

Mini-itx motherboards are the HOTTNESS!!!!! I love those SFF pc's. VIA's stuff is awesome. Oops, waaaay offf topic. Ok, soooo.....I know 2000+ celica's have the ecu in the engine bay in a sealed little box thing. Buuutttt....the box has a little air tube running into it for ventilation. the tube i think goes to the fan shroud or something in the front of the car, i fergit, i'll look tomorrow (like anyone cares).

Wiking

All depends on chip quality on the PCB. As nissan orders ECU's, it specifies all details, also the chip temp range... One of many it forgot: water depth. But If ECU electronics will last 100 yrs, what does it matter to u if it goes down to 50?

The plastic bag itself is very bad heat insulator, so it might be that actually the heat increase is just about nothin, as u say. 20min drive is no proof, however. Make sure: Tape with insulation bit a 5$ temp gauge probe on ECU box. Record readings. Then pls tell us wassup with/without the bag?

I would have bagged my ECU long ago, but I dunno which is worse, heat or water? And can I really seal it watertight with those wire bundles? Generally, there should should be some heat escape route out from electronics: in there are lots current consuming solenoid drivers etc. Hole on top/bottom, air circ...

But as there is no specs on our ECU, u really dont know what u dont know. That is why I just repeat the general rule: Each +5C temp increase halves electronics lifetime.