ECM Swapping

[nubuilder]

As many of you know I've been having some issues with my S10. After doing everything that I can think of and some trouble shooting, I believe the ECM is the problem. I talked to a former GM tech that is in my classes at school and he said it could be a driver problem and that dealer's love them because it costs $100 to have one reprogrammed.

My question is can I get an ECM from a junkyard and put it in? Yes the VIN will be different, but I don't think my factory radio has the "Theft Lock" in it (I believe that came out in '98 for the S10's?). Is there anything else the VIN affects?

I know getting the perfect match is best, and I doubt that there's not 1 in the 8 that I've found isn't for a 5spd. 3 of them are for a 1500 truck which may or may not work depending on what engine/trans it is from. I'd have to call them to find out more (they don't have any details on their sites).


So what do you think?
Go junkyard for $40/50/85 or go to the dealer for $100?

 

[700 sportsman]

Justin

 

[nubuilder]

Justin

If this were a truck that I knew I was going to keep (and the body was in a little better shape; ie. not missing a cab corner and the bottom edge of the 3rd door), I'd probably spend the $300 to get a tune from him.

 

[ScottyBoy]

I don't think its gonna be $300 if you get a basic tune. Those are 200 if I remember right.

 

[nubuilder]

I don't think its gonna be $300 if you get a basic tune. Those are 200 if I remember right.

You are indeed correct Scotty.
$200 - traditional mail-order
$300 - data logging

I forgot about the mail-order option.

 

[skeet]

if you had or have access to hp tuners you can get a ecm from the junk yard and just have your orginal tune read then written to the one you get from the junk yard.the VIN# can be added also

 

[nubuilder]

if you had or have access tohop tuners you can get a ecm from the junk yard and just have your orginal tune read then written to the one you get from the junk yard.the VIN# can be added also

What is this "hop" tuner?

I don't want my current tune on the "new" ECM because I think the tune is the problem. I think it has somehow become corrupt...or else something has broken inside mine after 176k miles and 13yrs.

 

[Texas Jim]

if you had or have access tohop tuners you can get a ecm from the junk yard and just have your orginal tune read then written to the one you get from the junk yard.the VIN# can be added also

What is this "hop" tuner?

I don't want my current tune on the "new" ECM because I think the tune is the problem. I think it has somehow become corrupt...or else something has broken inside mine after 176k miles and 13yrs.

I think he meant HP Tuners...

http://www.hptuners.com/order.php

 

[skeet]

my bad thanks TJ, was on my old laptop looking at some old logs of my truck.. and the space bar sux

to the OP what are the issues you having anyway?

it could be the bcm could be the problem?

 

[nubuilder]

my bad thanks TJ, was on my old laptop looking at some old logs of my truck.. and the space bar sux

to the OP what are the issues you having anyway?

it could be the bcm could be the problem?

I'm having random idle problems. I know it isn't vacuum because it isn't consistent.

Here's what happens:
I can drive down the road in 3rd and the truck will maintain 30mph on its own. Heck, it will accelerate in 5th gear doing 30 on its own too! When I push in the clutch, sometimes it will maintain RPM or drop to ~1500 and stay there. It will idle down to 800 when I come to a stop. If I push the clutch in and rev the engine to <3000 or so, it will drop right down to 800. When it doesn't want to idle down, it doesn't slow itself down like a manual trans should. Other times it will hold back like it should and idle down when I push in the clutch. Its really starting to piss me off!

It seems like the ECM can't calculate or read what is going on. I have already replaced the IAC and TPS with no change in operation. I've read on other forums that sometimes a piece/chip breaks off inside and it can't do the calculations.