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Help please - throttle body clicking and pwr/trn relay clicking

elshonno

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Started car one day engine ran for about 20 seconds and just goes dead, no sound anything. Turn the key to start and hear a clicking sound coming from under the hood. Had a lock and the PWR/TRN relay fuse is making a clicking sound as well as the throttle body. Swapped over the relays and same clicking persists. There is another relay under the glove box clicking as well which is the RAP (not sure what that is). The radio/screen cuts out when i turn the key to start as well. Had an auto electrician look at it plus a mechanic and they have no idea what it is. JUst wondering if anyone has come across this same problem before and any ideas?
 

_R_J_K_

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Might sound dumb but did they check the battery? I've had similar issues before where you try to start the car, electronics etc work but there's not enough voltage to crank. If this is the case, the fact it went dead completely after you started it could mean it's an alternator issue.
 

InnovativeTech

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Is your VE a series 2 SIDI? There is a common fault with the ECU's which shares these symptoms, cutting out when hot, chattering throttle body, no communications etc.
 

elshonno

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Is your VE a series 2 SIDI? There is a common fault with the ECU's which shares these symptoms, cutting out when hot, chattering throttle body, no communications etc.
Yes it is, does it mean the ecu needs to be replaced? Im hoping not as its bloody expensive :(
 

elshonno

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Might sound dumb but did they check the battery? I've had similar issues before where you try to start the car, electronics etc work but there's not enough voltage to crank. If this is the case, the fact it went dead completely after you started it could mean it's an alternator issue.
Battery was checked, everything else seamed okay from what the auto electrician said.
 

InnovativeTech

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Yes it is, does it mean the ecu needs to be replaced? Im hoping not as its bloody expensive :(
These ECU's can be repaired if found faulty for intermittent no start/communications. A dealership would straight up replace the ECU as they are still available new, but yes the price of the unit plus the dealerships programming and installation charges make this an expensive exercise if out of warranty.
 

Skylarking

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These ECU's can be repaired if found faulty for intermittent no start/communications. A dealership would straight up replace the ECU as they are still available new, but yes the price of the unit plus the dealerships programming and installation charges make this an expensive exercise if out of warranty.
Just curious if you know what the internittant issue wit the ECU is? Is it is some cold solder joints that can be simply fixed by running a soldering iron over the board?
 

InnovativeTech

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It varies from unit to unit, there are a multitude of things that can go wrong ranging from bad boot loaders to faulty ICs, and like most modern ECUs they're very sensitive to Electro Static Discharge damage. Opening these is not recommended as they contain H.V. capacitors being a direct injection system.
 

fab4272

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Just had my ECU replaced today by Holden for the same symptoms as described above. All up was $800 supplied and fitted brand new. This included about 2 hrs diagnosing the ECU as the fault.
 

romez

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Is your VE a series 2 SIDI? There is a common fault with the ECU's which shares these symptoms, cutting out when hot, chattering throttle body, no communications etc.
I am having the same issue and happened on a 43deg day, can't find any info on it being a common problem
 
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