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ECM upgrade replacement

Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Engine Repair
Forum Discription: Engine problems and solutions
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=41143
Printed Date: October-07-2024 at 12:29am


Topic: ECM upgrade replacement
Posted By: BaccoBouncer
Subject: ECM upgrade replacement
Date Posted: May-29-2017 at 12:55pm
I have a '97 5.7 TBI Pro Ski. The ECM fuse blows when the ignition is turned on. It seems the ECM is not well supported any longer. Is there an upgrade for the ECM and related ignition system that will support the TBI?
Thanks,
Adam (a.k.a dead in the water)

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'97 21' Sport Nautique



Replies:
Posted By: Donald80SN
Date Posted: May-29-2017 at 2:05pm
I have a 2002 GT 40 which was the last 1/2 year for the Fords. Jody Seal, with Florida Inboards in Panama City, was on the test and design team with Correct Craft in Orlando for many years recently stated on a thread that 1999 was the last year the GT 40 was made. Apparently, all of the 2000, 2001 and 2002 were left overs in the warehouse or Ford built up inventory for PCM to use. The ECM's are no obsolete and PCM does not support them.

I am not sure if the GT 40 PCM is the same as the engine you are speaking about but it might be close with different fuel mapping and such.   There is a guy on Planet Nautique that was working on coming up with a solution on his own. He made great headway on this and then stopped when he sold his boat for a newer model. In his research, he found a particular FORD car that used the same ECM and they can be found in the junk yards. He then figured out the PCM tune which is very hard to do and burned it to a file. He was about 85% toward having a replacement solution figured out. He offered the file up for free on Planet Nautique and I pulled it down and saved it to my hard drive. This same guy has a burner and the ability to upgrade car ECM's with high performance tunes. He was going to use this equipment to load this tune into a junk yard ECM. Unfortunately, he is no longer on the case, but there were several other offering to continue the project with his help and burner. One of the guys had a GT40 that has a dead ECM so he too is dead in the water and he was one of the ones stepping up to see the project through. I have not looked at that thread in several months so I do not know what became of it.

I would recommend that you go to Planet Nautique, join the forum, many of us are over there and we use the same screen name as here. Search for the thread and see what is happening with this project.

I too am hoping these guys or someone comes up with a solution for down the road. you other options is look for a junked boat with a bad motor and a used ECM. Jody Seal at Florida inboards may have one from an engine he pulled. Jody does a lot of Drive by wire (2008 and above) motor swaps for the older 196 ski tugs that want to have Zero Off control (Perfect Pass). The older engines use a throttle cable and the 2008 and up use no throttle cable and the latest speed control are not cable controller. He often has complete pull outs that he would not want to remove the ECM, but he may of parted out a bob tail that had internal issues.

Good luck and please keep us all updated since many of us could face the same down the road.

Donald

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1980 Ski Nautique SOLD Back to Cypress Gardens
2002 Sport Nautique, GT-40, FCT2, Cover Sports, Tower Bimini, Inc., Wet Sounds Audio System, Star Gazer Wake Edition S.
1968 Ski Nautique, Project.


Posted By: BaccoBouncer
Date Posted: May-29-2017 at 2:48pm
Donald,
Thanks for all the great info. Tomorrow I'll call around to specialist, ones you mentioned and anyone else I can get to listen including PCM. I'll keep everyone updated.
Adam

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'97 21' Sport Nautique


Posted By: Donald80SN
Date Posted: May-29-2017 at 6:56pm
I now see you have another thread and your engine may be a GM. Everything I spoke about concerning the guys coming up with a solution was all about the Ford 351 engine. Jody still may be able to help.

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1980 Ski Nautique SOLD Back to Cypress Gardens
2002 Sport Nautique, GT-40, FCT2, Cover Sports, Tower Bimini, Inc., Wet Sounds Audio System, Star Gazer Wake Edition S.
1968 Ski Nautique, Project.


Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: May-29-2017 at 7:14pm
He's definitely got a GM, there have been recent threads about identifying what he's got


Posted By: BaccoBouncer
Date Posted: May-30-2017 at 12:38pm
PCM said they have no support for this. I think my only option is a conversion to another (modern) EFI system or Carbs and get the distributor so it doesn't look for a knock sensor (upgrade as well?). Ideas on where to source get support for an upgrade to some modern fuel and ignition systems.? This is a GM 350.

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'97 21' Sport Nautique


Posted By: Jonny Quest
Date Posted: May-30-2017 at 10:08pm
Your situation is similar, in many ways, to those of us that had problems with the Ford based ECM system called ProTech that was also coupled with TBI. Many of us (me included) have removed the ProTech ECM system and TBI system components and have retro-fitted back to carburetor and distributor.

I faced a similar problem in my 1994 SN. The ECM was going wonky and the TBI was starting to give me problems. Couldn't really fix one without the other. For me, the decision was pretty easy to go back to carb/distributor. The change-out was fairly straight forward and the engine is performing at a very high level -- almost at par as when the TBI and ProTech working normally.

There are several threads on the subject that might be good to evaluate. You would have a slight tweak as you are GM 350 vs. Ford 351 -- but the concept should be viable.

JQ



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Current
2003 Ski Nautique 206 Limited

Previous
2001 Ski Nautique Open Bow
1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow

Aqua skiing, ergo sum


Posted By: BaccoBouncer
Date Posted: May-30-2017 at 10:18pm
I think you are correct. Any guidance on this is greatly appreciated.   Is there a particular "speed shop" that could assist with guiding me to/selling the correct setup and assist with any debugging installation issues?


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'97 21' Sport Nautique



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