question for anyone with diablo or hypertech chip or superchip

[tbomb]

i posted a while back that i had a problem with my superchip after 3 months of running with it - it developed a little corrosion between the chip and the ecu. well, superchip was great to deal with and they sent me a new chip for free. now the problem is trying to avoid the corrosion problem. ive been poking around with a few ideas, and i want some feedback and/or ideas from you guys.

1) dielectric grease on the chip...but someone told me that the contacts are so close together that it could short across one - i didnt think dielectric grease was a conductor, i thought it was for dissipating heat and such?

2) black silicone around the chip, but it just hit me that if i seal around the chip, air & moisture can still get into the computer from other entries (the ecu is not air tight.) i really dont wanna have to silicone the whole ecu, thats ridiculous.

the reason i asked for people with diablo or hypertech chips is because both diablo and hypertech provide you with a gasket of some sort, right? well, superchips doesnt, so you guys have any suggestions?

im aware that this is a very rare problem, but it makes me curious why my truck is more suceptible to allowing moisture into the ecu than any of the other 9 million explorers on the road (well, at least the ones with chips.)

sorry this is so long thanks all.

 

[Alec]

Ya, my Hypertech came with a gasket that goes between the firewall and the plastic computer cover plate to make up for the added length of the computer. A few things you could try: Use electrical tape around the joint of the chip and computer to try to seal the seam. That way it's easily removable. Secondly, get some generic rubber weatherstripping and make your own gasket on the firewall.

 

[Robert]

The two halves of the PCM are sealed along with the PCB. The big connector in the front seals out anything from getting in through the connector. I also noticed a lot of white grease in the connector to help prevent moisture from getting in. That leaves just the connector opening for your Superchip for moisture to get in. My PCM slides all the way back in, even with my Superchip on the back. The rubber cover seals my PCM right to the firewall and around the connector so corrosion hasn't been a problem with mine. Of course Arizona isn't known for its humid environment. If you can't get your PCM cover to fit snuggly against the firewall, then I would try some weatherstripping tape between it and your firewall. You could also try completely taping the Superchip to the back with duct tape.

 

[tbomb]

yeah, my pcm cover does fit snuggly against the firewall.

my roommates just called their brother who owns a heavy equipment repair shop and he said dielectric grease should work perfectly for what i want. i think i wanna get some more opinions on here first, though, before i go slopping dielectric grease all over.

 

[blk mk8]

well the diablo chip comes with a big sticker to put over every thing but it is nothing special. you should just seal it up good with some duck tape that has been working well for us for ever.

 

[tbomb]

well, the verdict from some of the most knowledgeable people on this site is to use tape or duct tape, so thats what im gonna do i used tape before, but not to keep moisture out, just to hold the chip in place.

guys, thanks for the advice.

 

[WillieChu]

Duct Tape is the answer!

tbomb,
Sorry for the late post to this fourm but DUCT tape is what I used and have never had a problem with corrosion. Goodluck!
-Willie

 

[tbomb]

Re: Duct Tape is the answer!

Originally posted by WillieChu
tbomb,
Sorry for the late post to this fourm but DUCT tape is what I used and have never had a problem with corrosion. Goodluck!
-Willie

thanks willie, better late than never im definately gonna go with the duct tape method when i put it back in my truck.