Having a bit of problem opening the actaul ECU for this car, to get access to it, to be able to put an emulator for ECU tuning...anybody have any helpful links on how to do it without damaging the ECU?

Thanks!

you have to lift the side with the ribbon quite high before the terminal part releases from the clips
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/morerevsm3/Picture464.jpg

It can definite be opened. Where are you stuck?

Actually, it is the complain of the mechanice who is going to do the tuning. He did not want to force it, as the car is old, and he is afraid to snap something, or break something. Was worried that it is only being difficult because of the age of the component, and as a result, should not be forced and risk breaking something!

Anyway, I will try to show him this thread and see if we can do it...

please post pics of the process, im about to install my Alpha N chips in a few days.

Alan, whats the VANOS chip on that pic ?

please post pics of the process, im about to install my Alpha N chips in a few days.

Alan, whats the VANOS chip on that pic ?

there is a seperate computor above main ecu (in the car) for vanos

Got more details about my ecu...tried to open it myself, with my mechanic.

We lifted the side with the ribbon, and unlatched the clip holding the top of the ECU near the plug side. The hard part is trying to wiggle it out...pulling it out so that the first layer with the eprom will slide out of the plug side is what is difficult. Any tips on how to do this?

Got more details about my ecu...tried to open it myself, with my mechanic.

We lifted the side with the ribbon, and unlatched the clip holding the top of the ECU near the plug side. The hard part is trying to wiggle it out...pulling it out so that the first layer with the eprom will slide out of the plug side is what is difficult. Any tips on how to do this?

lift the ribbon side higher, when high enough, the other side slides out pretty easy

lift the ribbon side higher, when high enough, the other side slides out pretty easy
That is what scares me...and my mech...how high can you really lift it...its scarry because you are bending the panel already...and I am worried that it might break!

How high do you have to lift it? As in, if the ECU thickness is about 1cm...the panel with the EPROM is the top layer and if laid flat on a table...how high do you have to lift it? We are lifting it at about 1.5cm from the table...is this enough? or are you talking 2cm from the table?

until ribbon is nearly tight, you have pulled pin out of the middle? (white plastic clip thing)

until ribbon is nearly tight, you have pulled pin out of the middle? (white plastic clip thing)

Yeah, the pin in the middle is out! Its just scarry to lift the thing, because you can see the board starting to flex already...its that normal? Would you be able to estimate how high it would be until the ribbon is almost tight? Like double the actual thickness of the ECU?

at least double, close to 3 times

at least double, close to 3 times\

Thank you thank you thank you! We finally opened the ECU!!! Took 2 of us to open it...lifted the top panel to about 2 times the original height and push it on the other side...I am going to have them file down the locks so that we won't have to lift it up that high...I seriously thought that the panel will break! Its like a "virgin" box! haha!

The shop will now install a wideband O2 sensor in the headers to get good reading while tuning....I will start a new thread about the tuning saga of this car...and what is done to it...I am so excited for my new project car! Since I would not open the ECU before, I wanted to sell the car cause I can't do anything without proper ECU tuning!