About 2 weeks ago I had the stock ECU on my Civic go up in smoke. I swapped it out and the new one fired right up, but from time to time I still get a strong whiff of the smoke from the old one. Any thoughts on how to get rid of the smell without going so far as to steam clean the interior? I would just toss an air freshener in there, but most of them tend to be so cloying they're hardly an improvement over the smell of fried capacitors.
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April 9, 2009 10:05 a.m. MadScientistMatt HalfDork
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April 9, 2009 10:32 a.m. NYG95GA Dork
Leave a dish full of white vinegar in the front seat for awhile (several days). It'll make you crave salad every time you get in the car, but it will overcome almost any smell.
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April 9, 2009 10:37 a.m. walterj Dork
Box of baking soda or a dryer sheet under the seat.
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April 9, 2009 11:14 a.m. EastCoastMojo Dork
change the air filter for the a/c system
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April 9, 2009 11:18 a.m. walterj Dork
Spill baby formula into the carpeting and park it in the sun.
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April 9, 2009 11:26 a.m. splitime New Reader
What went up in smoke on the ECU? Might want to double check that it isn't going to happen again.
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April 9, 2009 11:36 a.m. MadScientistMatt HalfDork
One of the capacitors on the power supply circuit. I think it was just a capacitor that started leaking or something. I checked the wiring and it's not damaged.
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April 9, 2009 11:56 a.m. John Brown SuperDork
Bolt on bullhorns and light the rest of the car on fire.
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April 9, 2009 11:57 a.m. splitime New Reader
Ah, its the Cap over by the ecu plugs right? Yah... they dry up and arc. If damage is just to the component, and not the board, you can fix it. A replacement was found. www.xenocron.com has the piece, he includes it in his chipping kits now.
FWIW.
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April 9, 2009 2:32 p.m. alex Reader
I read the title and thought, 'Oh, that's easy. Just sell your MG.'
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April 9, 2009 4:41 p.m. Jay Dork
Try running a bottle of stop-leak through the wiring harness.
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April 9, 2009 7:56 p.m. MadScientistMatt HalfDork
Thanks, everyone. Unfortunately the original ECU is burned beyond repair. I'm pretty sure I could find a replacement cap if I want to do some preventative maintenance on the one I just bought. Although I'm tempted to try the John Brown method, I'll probably try vinegar first.
Alex, funny thing is that I used to have a Spitfire that I nicknamed the Flying Orange Tinderbox for its tendency for the wiring to catch on fire. The Civic may get nicknamed the Flying Tinderbox II for its antics now.
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April 10, 2009 2:50 p.m. alex Reader
MadScientistMatt wrote:
Alex, funny thing is that I used to have a Spitfire that I nicknamed the Flying Orange Tinderbox for its tendency for the wiring to catch on fire. The Civic may get nicknamed the Flying Tinderbox II for its antics now.
Dammit! I was gonna go with Triumph, but I changed my answer at the last minute.
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April 10, 2009 4:40 p.m. Jensenman SuperDork
Burn a couple of fattys in there. Then you'll have a different smoke smell to contend with.
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April 10, 2009 4:44 p.m. John Brown SuperDork
Too bad you don't know anyone that could make a stand alone computer for it.
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April 10, 2009 5:05 p.m. InigoMontoya New Reader
You can also febreeze the inside of the car, be sure to get the headliner, your smoke traveled in that direction, that is where you are probably getting the scent from
