Identifying Factors That Damage Your Truck's ECM Unit

With the alarming rate at which global warming is affecting the planet, it does not take a genius to predict that unless we apply strict regulations for controlling pollution of the environment, it will be difficult to save the planet from destruction. Keeping this in mind, the US government has brought about strict laws for the computerization of cars and heavy duty trucks.

The ECM (Electronic Control Module) works like the power control module for your car and heavy duty truck engines. It is the control module for tractor engines, and the mechanical transmission control for buses, trucks, coaches, and heavy machinery computerized controllers.

Heavy duty transportation and efficient handling of mechanical equipments is important for the success of all types of commercial businesses, whether big or small. Unless you have a delivery service operating efficiently, you will not only lose money but this will also cost you several hundred extra dollars in manufacturing, leasing fees, revenue etc. At present, when you face a problem with a non-functional ECM, your only option is to buy another one which may cost you as much as five thousand dollars.

You may consider buying a used ECM unit; however it would have to be coded and reconditioned to make sure that it meets you requirements and parameters. Moreover, buying a used unit does not help you identify the specific problem that affected the ECM, and this makes it difficult to avoid similar damages in the future.

If you are facing a similar problem then this article will tell you about some of the common factors that are responsible for the damage of the ECM. These factors that adversely affect the electronic controllers of a heavy duty vehicle are normal operations such as neglected injector(s) in the diesel engine, fuel solenoid operation, powering up or down, lightning strikes, and engine idle sensors. In several cases, the ECM units are mounted on top of the engine and exposed to the outer environment; hence even the simple maintenance operations may damage the ECM.

It has been found that several models of the engine and electronic controllers of trucks and heavy machinery, often known as ECMs, are frequently exposed to several factors that play havoc with the internal electronics of ECM. Many models fail to function well after three to five years of use. Sometimes this may be due to the breakdown of ECM's internal components. These components must be repaired and fixed to ensure that your computer controller board functions properly.

Whether your ECM has been affected due to the bad injector(s), fuel solenoid, engine idle sensor or a compromised actuator harness, you can get your ECM tested and repaired. Take the machine to an ECM testing site, where the professionals will be able to examine ECM and identify the problem. Locating the problem will ensure that you do not damage another ECM replacement. After the machine is repaired, you may get it reprogrammed to meet your specific requirements including rear axle ratio, cruise control, rpm settings, governor settings, and so on.