Has anyone transplanted an ECU from one car to another

Two threads where this is useful info to have.

From here in this thread where Natasha wants to know what is required to put a donor ECU into her car ....7th gen 2.2 diesel

From here in this thread where Steve and I might (at some future date) wants to do the same .... 7th gen 2.4 petrol

Two different scenarios:
1. all replacment units are available i.e. the engine ECU, the immobilier, the key, etc, etc. Which parts would need transplanting, where are the parts on the car ?
2. only the replacement engine ECU is available, how could it be re-coded for the key i.e. get the car to dealer and ask a dealer to re-code, or, some other way ?

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Scenario 1 is the only sensible option. All you need is the ecu and immobiliser chip. Chuck the chip in the existing keys and you are away. Without the keys you need to get an immobilised car to the dealer plus the added cost of a new key and coding. It will soon become very expensive.

I swapped an ecu in an old 156 I had when both keys were lost as it worked out cheaper to buy an ecu with keys and ignition lock set than to buy a new key from alfa and get the car to them for coding. If said people already have the keys first there car then all they need is the ecu and immobiliser chip to transfer in to there original key.

Yes it is that simple.

^ nice one, I've never had to take a key apart, so following what you say, I just found this on YouTube

Ok, it's a key for a Vauxhall Corsa :blush: but the guy shows the chip at 0:40 in the video. Is the chip in the Honda key similar ?

small screwdriver .... ready
superglue .... ready :lol:

I'm going into the spare key .... photos coming

freddofrog said:

^ nice one, I've never had to take a key apart, so following what you say, I just found this on YouTube

Ok, it's a key for a Vauxhall Corsa :blush: but the guy shows the chip at 0:40 in the video. Is the chip in the Honda key similar ?

Click to expand...

No that's a solid chop. The accord uses a glass tube type which is secured with a type of silicone inside the fov. It will need a bit of prizing to release it but it does come out. It's cylindrical and about 5mm long by 2mm wide.

The biggest battle is getting the screw out of the actual fob to allow you to pull the key apart. It may be a case of forcefully pulling the 2 shells apart and gluing them back together when the transplant is complete. You may get lucky though.

Excuse the grammar. Predictive text on my phone us clearly not that predictive

No problem Neil, my spare key is in pristine condition, got it apart and taken photo.

I am no longer a "key virgin" :lol: :lol:

Bluetooth on this laptop is a pain in the neck, have to do the next bit on my other laptop h34r: :blush:

Amazing .....

The buttons open the car on their own (I left the other bits in the house out of range).

And then, the key with the chip starts the engine on its own (I left the other bits out of range).

As Neil says, you may have problems getting the screw out (it's tight, the one in my key was good as new, I wouldn't want to try my daily key).

Then also as Neil says, looks like care is required to get the chip out (you can can see the chip in the top part)

Top job Brian. I had a nightmare getting the screw out of my key.

Those pics will be helpful for anyone wanting to give it a go mate.

just in case anyone does a search, some "key" words :lol:

keyfob
key fob
key buttons
key transponder
key immobiliser
key chip

Are you sure there is no immobilizer unit what have to be replaced with ECU? Say as you would do on Fuat Punto (Key + ECU + Immo Unit)

Natasha said:

Are you sure there is no immobilizer unit what have to be replaced with ECU? Say as you would do on Fuat Punto (Key + ECU + Immo Unit)

Click to expand...

I doubt if it's done that way on pre-facelift 7th gen Accords, mainly because there isn't an area bus in the pre-facelift 7th gen. I presume that the Fiat Punto you refer to is more recent.

I would think that there is only one unit in the car that is coded for the car key so IMO, either the unit next to the steering lock, or the engine ECU, is coded to the key transponder (not both).

If it's the unit next to the steering lock that is coded, then you should be able to swap the engine ECU and start the car. Try it, it's worth a Punt (LOL, joke about Punto). Seriosuly, just swap the ECU and see if it starts.


EDIT: if you remove the garnish from the stearing column in the "crashed" car, you should be able to see the unit that activates the transponder in the key, it will be close to the key barrel.

Re-EDIT of the logic of swapping bits .....
If the car won't start when you've swapped the engine ECU, then you will need to swap the transponder from the donor car key into your key.
If the car still won't start, then you will need to swap the unit that activates the transponder as well.

IMO the pairing is either engine ECU and key transponder, or transponder activator and key transponder. My money is on the former, and I can't see it being both.
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For information, should anyone else refer to this thread ....

I've removed the garnish from the steering column, shown as items 11 and 12 in "instrument panel garnish" in Lings drawing here

Garnish comes off very easily, 3 screws under the lower garnish, then the upper and lower parts come apart, and the upper part can be withdrawn.

Two pictures showing the device that activates the transponder in the car key ...






Whilst it would be feasible to remove the switches and activator unit from the steering column, I wonder if they come complete with the steering column, see Lings drawing here. Note that none of the electrical parts on the steering column are listed in any other section on Lings, though not visible on the sterring column complete either.

Finally .....
Looking at the unit that "talks" to the transponder in the key, IMO it is a "dumb" device that merely relays the information over K-Line to the engine ECU (K-Line is an RS232 type of comms system). They might have changed this in later models, but my car is 7th gen pre-facelift.

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freddofrog said:

Note that none of the electrical parts on the steering column are listed in any other section on Lings, though not visible on the sterring column complete either.

Click to expand...

I was looking for something else on Lings and I stumbled on the drawing that contains the electrical parts on the steering column, section called "COMBINATION SWITCH" here

The immobiliser unit is part number 15, but as I say, IMO it is a "dumb" device on the pre-facelift 7th gen, that merely transmits the code from the key transponder to the engine ECU.



Maybe I ought to ask admin to alter the ***le of this thread :lol: