can't compute

[deauville]

hi, I was told on my last lpg service that the mechanic couldn't get any readings on his computer from my car. the car on lpg has been running lean but he can't adjust it without the computer. I have been back three times each time the same problem comes up. he got in touch with the ecu suppliers EMMI they told him it must be the cable he's using so he has bought another one from them but he thinks the ecu has a fault in it. the ecu is two years old, should it pack up after only two years or is this a common fault. upto now I've never had a problem with this conversion.

[classicswede]

I thought you had BRC?
There is no Emmi but there is Emer that is AEB based.
Chances are they are either using the wrong software or not installed the correct drivers for the software cable. Any idea what com error code is coming up?

[deauville]

sorry it is emer but I don't know what code if any comes up. I am leaving it for awhile as I have to go down in the new year to have my Bedford cf converted. my partner will drive my car down and hopefully he can sort it out but I am not hopeful I expect I will have to fork out for a new ecu

[Lpgc]

Most of us installers have software and interface for Emer... The interface for Emer is one of the most widely used interfaces in the industry, as is the software which is freely available.

This kind of problem is not common at all, particularly not something we'd expect with a 2 year old Emer ECU. The fact that the installer doubted his existing equipment compatibility (he bought a new interface specifically to try to connect to your Emer system?) doesn't look promising regards the prospect of this installer being able to sort your Emer lean running problem in my book... Has he not worked on a great many Emer and similar systems before? Does he not do so on a regular basis? Is he not 100% familiar with Emer?

Without knowing which installer is claiming the inability to connect to the ECU is the fault of the ECU (both I and Classicswede know a minority might claim such just so they could charge you for a new ECU / through incompetency / because they never actually tried to connect to the ECU and/or didn't know how to tune it properly).... I would advise at least letting another installer have a look, to try to connect with an interface and then calibrate the system properly - Both I and Classicswede are more than capable of doing this properly - it is second nature, a bread and butter job!

How happy would you be using the same installer to convert another of your vehicles if you knew that he had previously advised / tried to charge you, for a new ECU where one wasn't needed? If he was wrong about the above, on a very common system such as Emer, it doesn't give a very good impression of the installer at all.

Where are you? Where did you take the car with the supposed ECU problem? I am in Yorkshire, Classicswede is in North Wales... If either of us said your ECU had a problem the other would have no doubt this was true - but we wouldn't necessarily assume it was true if some installers made that claim, and particularly not in the case that said installer thought it necessary to buy a new interface to try to connect to the ECU. Do yourself a favour.. at least take the vehicle somewhere else, preferably one of us, before taking it as fact that your ECU is broken!

Simon