ECU Removal ?
 

I had a look at my ECU with a view to future upgrading or fitting a piggy back or whatever.
It would appear that my ECU is not easy to remove or even to get at. The wiring loom connectors are shrouded and fixed with shear bolts/screws. It appears that Mazda have used shear-off type screws to protect the ECU from being removed or tampered with.
Has anyone here ever come across this before? I would need to drill out these screws to remove the ECU.

That's a UK or maybe EU thing if I remember right. Lucky you, huh? Guess it's time to get out the drills. Seems the rest of the world isn't so uptight about ECUs, too bad for you guys.

Here in the US the ecu is easy to remove just 3 bolts

o'renesis. ive asked my freind james(blueadept) to have a look here in your thread and let you have any advise he may have. he's in the uk and has the same bolts.

hope he is able to help

Hi there...

Yes, I have come across this when I had to remove the ECU to fit cruise control.. there is nothing for it, you will be forced to drill the heads off these bolts... I replaced them with standard security bolts.....

Do not try to remove them with a stud extractor, it will not be strong enough until the head is released... I drilled a small pilot hole, then a larger one to remove the head, then used the pilot hole and a tiny stud extractor to remove the (now free) shaft.

Mazda will not tell you anything about how to remove these bolts, and they will charge a fortune for replacements (of the sheer off type)... don't even bother, you will be able to match them with standard M6 I think bolts, I used a security type to keep my insurance company happy.

Thanks for all your help. At least I know I am not alone with this problem.
I wonder why we in the UK/EU seem to be the only area that Mazda felt it necessary to do this to our cars?

thanks James good to see you:) talk to you soon

For those wondering why the ECU is bolted in in such an insane way... it is because in the UK, the alarm/imobiliser must meet certain standards (Thacham) in order to qualify for whatever discount the insurance companies will offer for having such a device.... and since Mazda have included the alarm etc into the ECU, it is the ECU which must now be protected from tampering... simply becuase it is actually the alarm & imobaliser.

I changed my ecu yesterday and ordered m6 security bolts .Unfortunately they only fit in the top four screws that go over the top of the ecu,they appear to be too big :-(

I don't see what your problem is.....

You ordered new bolts without measuring the existing ones?

I went by what everyone said which was m6