Planning to get it brand new or rebuilt. Ive learned my lesson on getting used PCMs ive got bad luck with it. Ive found a site that sells PnP ECMs and all it needs is a VIN but i would like to confirm its a reputable source which it seems legit. The sites name is Mintt. I just dont wanna buy a product that from a company that doesnt have much experience in parts. If you or anyone you know has purchased from them and its turned out good please let me know.

 

So you are ruling out fuel pressure issues b c you can't find the right tester? Didn't the set come with adapters?

Oh. And the fans may not be coming on for reasons other than the ECM.

Count me out on this one.

 

I’m rolling it out because unless the regulator is in the pump there is nothing that should cause the fuel pressure to be that high. Also none of the adaptors fit so I’m assuming it’s not a complete set. The ECM has never played nice with this car since I’ve had it so I’m assuming it is the issue as nothing else makes sense. At this point is either the pump or ECM in my mind unless there is some sort of fuel pump driver that has failed. Seems pretty hard to find info on my particular situation.

 

If a regulator fails to regulate, what are you left with? Unregulated fuel pressure. The pressure is not reduced between the tank and the fuel rail. You get a full fuel pump fuel pressure. Assume assume assume whatever you want. People have been asking for a fuel pressure measurement since near the beginning of this thread.

But you know best.

 

do you have any idea where the regulator could be? Is there a fuel pump driver? Is there anything that could possibly change fuel pressure? Im trying to make a scope if this is physical or electrical still and have only gotten an answer of the filter is the regulator. If i can know exactly what controls what i can diagnose whats wrong but im not getting much information on this car anywhere.

 

A used ECM fixed my LW300. The previous owner had thrown several hundred dollars of parts at it and never got it to run. I had the car running like new in about 4 hours.

 

The regulator is inside the fuel filter enclosure. You cannot open it and check it separately. What you can do is check fuel pressure at the fuel rail under the hood as we have discussed. If it reads somewhere around 50ish it's good. If it reads in the 80s and 90s, the regulator has failed and you must purchase a new fuel filter which comes with a new regulator inside it.

Measure the pressure. Don't just throw parts at it.

 

Andy is the lifelong mechanic.
I am not but this failure has been seen before.

Measuring Pressure costs nothing and greatly narrows the possible causes of your car's behavior.

 

I just checked my copy of the FSM. The fuel pressure regulator is part of the fuel quantity sender/fuel pump assembly in the tank. On the Ion, the in-line fuel filter is separate, and easy to get to. The tank has to be dropped to get the to fuel pump/quantity/pressure regulator assembly. I wholeheartedly agree, invest a few minutes in checking the fuel pressure in the area of the fuel rail or underhood plumbing. (On my 2004 Ion, there is a Schrader valve in the fuel line near the oil fill cap in the valve cover.) Looking at the pumps available on RockAuto, the pumps put out 80-90 psi. The regulator reduces this to system pressure of 50 psi minimum. If the fuel pressure is in the 50-60 psi range, the ECM becomes prime suspect. If the pressure is in the 80-90 psi range, another ECM isn't going to fix the problem,

 

My apologies for the misstatement of the fuel regulator location.

Thank you oldMarine.

I really have to stop trying to answer non-simple ion questions.

But the rest of the information I provided was correct as confirmed by oldMarine.

I am now officially done on this one