Airbox modded XR5 overheating ECU issue?

sotheby · 04-01-2010, 04:31 PM

Hey guys and gals.
I've an MA XR5 that I modified by July of 2008. It's been fine until recently.

: The car currently has the following:

1. Bluefin ECU code. 196kW and about 409nM torque.
2. German ECU module spacer kit. ECU cover removed.
3. Pipercross triple ply foam [washable] airfilter replacing the paper element.
4. Unrelated German Ford aluminium pedals, fitted by Ford Australia.

Issue: The car has 'survived' the last hot summer without problems. For the past month it's been stalling when:

stuck in 1st for long periods of time with the
air-conditioner active

Generally this means Christmas queues at shopping centres, and a few days ago when stuck in traffic queues returning from Brisbane at good old Ballina. I washed the air filter about a month ago, and it was pretty clean anyway. My gut feel tells me the ECU is overheating because the heatsink fins are no longer in the airbox feed airway. Once the car is under way - 3rd gear upwards, the stalling problem disappears. I'm thinking of adding some "super heavy duty" Jaycar heatsinks to the smooth front-end facing plate of the ECU housing for additional heat dissipation.

Any ideas folks? Thanks in advance!

TheColonel · 04-01-2010, 07:49 PM

There are plenty of Focii and a few Mondeos that have had the whole std airbox removed and just have the ecu sitting in the engine bay near the battery and i haven't heard of anything like this happening, and they work them hard even in the heat... but it could be, it could a number of other things too... but take the spacer out and see how it goes, another thing would be to de-tune back to stock and see if that makes a difference also...

warren77 · 04-01-2010, 08:52 PM

I have an airbox spacer and thought about leaving the cover off. I was concerned with it getting too much dirt and water on it. I realize the cover isn't exactly water proof but at least would keep some of the muck off the ECU.

20focus05 · 04-01-2010, 09:54 PM

dont know if this is related but our daughters 06 focus(just the run of the mill LS)
But she lived in darwin for a while and her focus played up intermittently, all manner of things. But when she would come down south there would be no probs.
Heat/Humidity?

Try the stick on heat sinks

paulie0735 · 06-01-2010, 08:40 AM

I have sold quite a few of the plates to XR5 Focus and Mondeo owners and nobody has experienced the issues you seem to be having. Easy fix would be to take the spacer out and see what happens on the next hot day. Or remove the lot and take it back to the dealer and see if the ECU has thrown any fault codes. Mine's had the spacer fitted for 2 years now and I drive to work and back in traffic every day and last year many of those days were in 40+ temps stop start traffic for over an hour and no problems todate.