Hi,

This is bizarre! I have a 2006 XJ8 Supercharged 4.2L Jag, and recently I had occasional engine stalling at very low speed while cornering at an intersection. Each time the engine stopped, I parked the car and turned the ignition off, immediately back on and the car started and ran fine for the rest of that trip.

I had a local repairer put the car on their scanner (Autologic) and then told me they couldn't start the car as the ECU appears to have failed. They then sent the results to Autologic for programming advice.

The response from Autologic is confusing both the repairer and me. The email states "The Blue Box is incorrectly identifying the vehicle as the engine ECU is from an incorrect VIN stored, suggesting it is a second hand part. Advise ECU replacement. Tthe Autologic cannot generate a program request for a 4.2L SC V8 Petrol if the Vin is for an X-Type/X400 2.5L V6 Petrol."

I have driven this car over 3.5 years, and travailed over 25,000 miles and never had a problem, no errors, and runs perfectly, except those 4 occasions recently that the engine died.

The wrong ECU from a totally different model, runs fine since 2006. Is that even possible?

 

First thing I would do is get under the passenger side dash, where the PCM resides and get the part number from the ECM (with a camera)

You should see an X350 on the left side of the label with the associated part number. (If you see an X400 instead then yes, the ECM was swapped out)

Second, I would get to a shop that has Jaguar scanning software (IDS/SDD)

My thought is your PCM is fine, you might have a clogged fuel filter or one of your two fuel pumps is failing.

 

I have Always made sure any ECU swaps where "like for like", saves any possible incompatability between models, but I suppose, in theory, A Jaguar ECU is a Jaguar ECU, An ECU is basically just a computer, it's the programming that makes the difference, could one, or would one, actually go to the lengths of completely reprogramming an ECU?, surely that's going to be a costly excercise in itself, It's not like there won't be any second hand 4.2SC ECU's about and even if you couldn't find one of those, would it not be better, or at least a closer match, to pick up an ECU form say, a NA 4.2, or a 3.5, or even a 3.0, It's not like the X-type ever even had a V8, so, why?

I think it's probably just the Autologic system scan picking up wrong data, adding 2 and 2 and getting 6, maybe it's as simple as, it's the ECU from a different 4.2SC and it sees the VIN not matching and chucks a wobbly.

Sorry, I tend to ramble, just ignore me. Most do.

Anyway, Here's hoping, for your wallets sake, it's the correct ECU and it's fine, and you have a simple fueling fault.
Good Luck.

 

Could be any of a few things e.g. an air leak or loose battery connection even a bad motor mount, but others are possible.

Looks like the scanner/Autologic has/have problems!

Realistically, not a chance. The security system would reject the weird module and immobilise the car.

Ignore everything about the Autologic / wrong ECU etc and focus on the known fault i.e. stalling.

 

[QUOTE Brian5 =I have Always made sure any ECU swaps where "like for like", saves any possible incompatability between models, but I suppose, in theory, A Jaguar ECU is a Jaguar ECU, An ECU is basically just a computer, it's the programming that makes the difference, could one, or would one, actually go to the lengths of completely reprogramming an ECU?, surely that's going to be a costly excercise in itself, It's not like there won't be any second hand 4.2SC ECU's about and even if you couldn't find one of those, would it not be better, or at least a closer match, to pick up an ECU form say, a NA 4.2, or a 3.5, or even a 3.0, It's not like the X-type ever even had a V8, so, why?.

I think it's probably just the Autologic system scan picking up wrong data, adding 2 and 2 and getting 6, maybe it's as simple as, it's the ECU from a different 4.2SC and it sees the VIN not matching and chucks a wobbly.

Sorry, I tend to ramble, just ignore me. Most do.

Anyway, Here's hoping, for your wallets sake, it's the correct ECU and it's fine, and you have a simple fueling fault.
Good Luck".End quote

Not that easy to swap an ECU/PCM look at this thread all the way thru:

[url]https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x-type-x400-14/used-ecm-option-not-62748/

 

Fully agree with you.

That is why I think the OP is fine.

ECM swap is possible with legit Jaguar software and diagnostic unit.

 

Thank you to all of your responses. So, here is the timeline since my original post.

1) The dealer (Beachams) orginially called and admitted their mechanics had managed to fry the ECU on my 06' XJ8 Sovereign SC 4.2.
2) The courtesy car brought up a "Service required" message on firing up the next morning so arranged to go in and swap it out for a replacement. Whilst I was there the dealer principal passed me the hard copy of an email from his scanner manufacturer in Europe claiming from the info the dealer provided my ECU was from a 03' Jaguar X Type 2.5 litre V6, and the programme they had provided on request was never going to work. It transpires the faulting of my ECU only occurred once they attempted to re-program my ECU, and as I say, when I drove the car in, it was fine.
3) I had another ECU tech (Transmax) collect the ECU from my car and put it on their scanner, and he confirms the ECU was fine, although the program had been corrupted and would not work in the car without being reprogrammed. He also confirms 100% this is the correct ECU for my car. The ECU was then returned to the Beachams and reinstalled in my car.
4) The Auckland Jaguar main dealer (Shorters) service manager emailed me with the Jaguar print-off proving that the ECU part on my car was definitely the original installed on my car. He also advised there is no way I could have been driving around for 3 years and over 40,000klm in my car with the incorrect ECU, that was simply ludicrous and an attempt by Beachams to claim they were not at fault
5) By this time Beachams were claiming the email about the car having a second hand ECU from an X-Type proved it was not their fault, so the issue was mine.
6) I asked Shorters if they would regprogram my ECU but they explained they no longer support older cars, also that Jaguar had now released all the data into the wild, no longer able to support older technologies.
7) Shorters recommend another technician (Europa) could do the reprogramming so I had the car towed to Europa's workshop, who will attempt to reprogram the ECU tomorrow (27th).

So far I am up for over NZ$850 in technician scanning, towing and other costs, and my car is in worse shape than when I drove it into Beachams this time last week.

I will update here once I have the report from Europa who now have my car.

Whew!!!!!

 

I am chomping at the bit to hear the outcome. I can't wait!! Somebody owes you $850 plus reprogramming.
I would be more than pissed.

 

Bruiser,
Any updates?