Resurrecting a Ford ECU

We recently tackled a challenging Ford ECU repair on the bench. The core issue stemmed from leaking capacitors – a common problem, but one that can cause significant hidden damage over time.

In this case, the leaking electrolyte had slowly corroded and destroyed several delicate copper traces on the circuit board. The first step was critical: carefully removing all the old capacitors to gain access to the affected areas.

Initial cleaning with a toothbrush helped, but to truly banish the corrosion, we turned to the ultrasonic cleaner. After a 20-minute bath, the board came out looking much better than expected!

With a clean slate, the meticulous work of repairing the damaged traces began. This involved carefully bypassing the corroded sections to restore proper electrical pathways.

Finally, we installed a full set of brand new, high-temp 125c° rated capacitors. Using quality, high-temp components is crucial for longevity and preventing future leaks.

The end result? A fully repaired ECU, looking great and ready to get back on the road. Another tricky one solved!