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Author Topic: ECM help :(  (Read 3143 times)

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Offline delizious

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ECM help :(
« on: January 21, 2014, 05:48:59 PM »
So my 78' pinto has been out of commission since August of last year because it simply isn't safe to drive around because apparently my ECM took a dive. One day I was driving my car down the interstate and my car would just keep accelerating even though I let off the gas pedal so I had to push down on the breaks and go over on the side. Apparently there is some sort of pin inside of my Manifold that broke and I was wondering if that sounds accurate or not? I'm not very good with naming parts so forgive me.
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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2014, 08:35:32 PM »
It sounds more something may have broke on the carburetor or you may have sprung a bit of a vacuum leak. You really don't have an "ecm" on a Pinto. You have an ignition module. If it craps out usually the car just quits running. Will the car start and run? If so is the idle super high while running?

Offline Wittsend

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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2014, 08:42:58 PM »
My assumption by "ECM" you Mean Electric Choke Module??? I'm guessing here, but I think what you are eluding to is that there is a pin that holds the choke spring under pressure.  The pin may have come undone causing the spring to unwind.  This has caused the fast idle linkage to kick in and causes the car to seem like it is accelerating.  Otherwise, I assume perhaps your throttle return spring may have come loose.

Both should be relatively easy fixes.  Maybe someone with experience on that carburetor can chime in.   Hopefully you can get it sorted out.  Being down six months for an easy fix can get discouraging.

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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2014, 08:51:46 PM »
Now that you said that Wittsend your probably closer to being right than I am. When I see "ECM" I think engine control module and not something like electric choke module. Your probably right about the electric choke being messed up.

Offline delizious

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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2014, 12:37:23 PM »
Yes your right it does stand for Electronic Choke Manifold sorry for not being specific :( and yea the pin did come undone tried to fix it by putting another screw that fit inside of so it would hold it down and just didn't work. Yea my car would just keep accelerating and WOULD NOT stop unless I push down on the breaks to try and slow it down but it would just keep trying to move. I have had so many problems with my Carburetor its all pretty much original and without a job I can't replace anything as of right now. Even before I had this problem my Carb just leaked out gas and I'm pretty sure it still does.
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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2014, 07:48:43 PM »
I can't say that I've ever heard of an Electronic Choke Manifold up until now lol. It's a first. Are you able to take pics of the part your having an issue with? I hit salvage yards from time to time and I never know when I run across a parts car.

Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2014, 08:53:29 PM »
 If its leaking out gas thats kind of scary, mine did it right after I had it apart to replace the power valve and the float and needle and seat. I took it back apart and adjusted the float a little more and thats all it was. You cant drive it with gas leaking out of it, theres too many reasons not to, because its not worth your life even to drive a Pinto.

 Get someone to help you go over the carb its not that hard there should be a Pinto member in your area? If I was nearby I would do it for you I hate to think you might have a fire, an accident is bad enough.

 Who is close and can help someone?

Offline amc49

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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2014, 06:23:47 PM »
If nothing else the fast idle cam could be easily wired to not work in about 60 seconds, no need to freak out over such a simple problem....... .............. ..even string would work until it breaks with age.

There is no 'ECM' on a Pinto unless California model with feedback carb. The choke is electric not electronic.

Offline delizious

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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2014, 09:25:45 PM »
I'll just replace the whole damn thing :D now where to find the part  :-\
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Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2014, 11:41:04 PM »

Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: ECM help :(
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2014, 03:40:03 PM »




If you can see this picture (Im not good at uploading tags) look at the small green disk next to the choke housing, between the choke housing and the carb body. Thats the high speed idle cam. One part of it is wider as it turns, so it pushes out against a screw. That gives it the high speed idle for when its cold and once the choke opens, and you press the gas pedal to the floor, that green disk should drop out the wide part isnt under the screw and doesnt push out anymore, letting the idle speed drop.

 If thats the problem you could just screw out the screw a turn or two. It shouldnt make your idle go up drastically all of a sudden so I think its something else.

 Look at the back of the carb behind the valve cover the firewall side. See if you the spring in this picture.



 That pulls the throttle shut and the cable to the pedal opens it. If that spring came off that would cause the throttle to be open maybe.

 You might even have a vacuum leak look at all the vacuum hose and make sure none of them came off, try pinching them shut one at a time with your fingers while the engine is  running. If you pinch one shut and the idle drops theres the problem. My old 74 had a leaky vacuum canister that caused a vacuum leak and made it idle too fast. Its just a tin can with hoses going in and out, but I guess the seams started leaking in air, and it acted like  an extra carb to let air in and raise the engine speed.

 Let us know what you find.