Can a Micra start without an ECU?

[Ihtisham Rauf]

Okay so weird question, but today I was fiddling about with ECU's during filming a Youtube video, and I basically plugged the old ECU back in and started the car and it started fine. However, then I turned the car off, and went to the passenger footwell to disconnect the ECU and connect another one up, and realised that the first ECU had never been actually plugged in properly!

Is this possible or am I completely tripping???

 

[MattInARedMicra]

I wouldn't have thought so, one user made a micra motorbike and he had the full loom including ECU on it

 

[Ihtisham Rauf]

Okay so I must be tripping then right?!!

Honestly this has gotten so confused lol...

 

[MattInARedMicra]

How plugged in was it? Like if half the pins were making contact I suppose in theory as long as those were the pins for NATS and the ignition system it could run in the basic limp mode - otherwise the car could be stolen by just unplugging it since then it would run without any keychip checks

The micra engine is an eager one though, the thing wants to run, maybe it did it on sheer willpower alone

 

[Ihtisham Rauf]

Ah right, yeah I shouldve been more clear, about 10% of the pins were plugged in (it was plugged it at a really sharp angle on only side)

Guess it was the 10% that involved NATS and ignition and then some willpower looool

I love these engines!

 

[Ihtisham Rauf]

Does anyone have a 1.4 ECU to sell?

Have a friend who desperately needs one.

I have found a 1.4 auto ECU on eBay, but I'm guessing manual and auto Micra's have different ECU's?