Mounting An Ecu

[innovator]

What is the best way to mount an ECU in a race car?

I am building a spaceframed special (convertible) for road, hillclimb and track days and would like some advice on mounting the ECU (A Weber Alpha unit). I wish to ensure long reliable operation and protection from vibration and rain.

Space is tight and the ECU will have to be in the passenger compartment. There is no space under the seats.

My initial ideas are to mount it in a sealed box on small rubber bobbins, Or actually mount the box on rubber bobbins.

However during filming for a recent TV program I took part in, the sound and film engineers had all there equipment surrounded by foam in boxes.

What method do you all recommend?

Thank you

John

 

[patdaly]

John, I mounted mine ( FAST system ) on the passenger side kick panel. I would be very,very careful enclosing the unit, as the injector drivers generate quite a bit of heat. For my money, I would just rubber isolate it, making sure you run a ground wire from the ECU body to chassis ground.

 

[TheBlacksmith]

I daresay an engine ECU is generally more durable than A/V equipment and probably costs less. Protection from excessive vibration, water intrusion and heat is good. We mounted the ECUs on rubber grommets, with a ground wire as suggested by patdaly, right on the intake manifold of marine (boat) engines and they all lived.

Blacksmith

 

[patdaly]

Blacksmith, good point, GM even does that with their Ramjet series crate engines!

 

[innovator]

Thank you for the advice.

I will mount it on rubbers with a sheild positioned above it with a large air gap to keep any rain off.

John