Cool beans. Glad you got it fixed up. When you opened up the ECU, where the bad solder joints easy to find? I've never had to open up an ECU (and really don't look forward to the event) and was wondering what method you went about fixing it.

 

I actually found it by accident. I was checking for loose wires and connections while the car was running, I accidentally bumpy the ecu, and the car hiccuped. So I started tapping on it and it kept doing it. I turned the car off took the ecu apart, plugged it back in and started it. I kept messing with the computer chips till it cut out. Turns out whoever installed the aftermarket computer chip really butchered it. I made the break worse by inspecting it. I went down to my local u-pull it junk yard and found the matching ecu in a 99 Passat. Put it in my car and wahla, fires right up and not having any issues. I'll fix my old ecu at work where we have a laser welder/ solder. It took all my knowledge to figure this out.

 

Good info. I'll have to remember that "tapping" the ECU trick. None of my cars have been "chipped" so... Glad you got it sorted out though.