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  1. #1

    Question Getting my engine ECM refurbished, Anyone do this and whome did you use ?

    I'm interested in getting my 22 year old Silverado 4X2 5.0 liter ECM overhauled. If you search the net you'll come up with a lot of rebuilders. The only one I contacted was AES module rebuilders. The guy I spoke with was real friendly and answered most all my questions. But I was just wondering if any of you have ever undertaken this kind of overhaul before? Any tips are most welcome.

  2. #2


    If your sending it out to be rebuilt because it's not working a lot of times you can go to a place like autozone and they have a program where you can send out the ECM to a company like Cardone and they will fix what ever is wrong with it. But its usually about the same price of buying a new ecm. For that year a brand new one is usually about $100 or so and its about $90 to have it rebuilt. If its working fine and nothing is wrong with the ecm your better off just not touching it. Don't move around old wires more than you have to because they can get brittle and start to break sometimes. Also if you do remove the ecm its usually a good idea to put some dielectric grease back in the plug when you put the ecm back in to keep moisture from getting into the plug.
    260k miles and still going strong...

  3. #3


    OK thanks, The net is full of companies who'll rebuild yours, cost about $200.00 and "New" one scares me as how do they know all the little tweak's of my present ECM. One place is in India ? ? ? There's one right in Florida who'll retrieve all my data refurbish or replace any of the motherboard, clean and replace any marginal items and refurbish it and send it back with the original data and any upgraded info from GM as well. I'm thinking that's my best bet. I have an issue with my "Check Engine Soon" light going off anytime I on the freeway. But the 22 year old plastic scare the hell out of me. I rebuilt the dashboard last summer and I bought every kind of glue or epoxy 'LocTite' makes ? Thank you !
    Last edited by JTward1; 03-22-2013 at 02:53 PM.

  4. #4


    Have you pulled the code to see why its coming on? Usually if it comes on at highway speeds it's an EGR issue or transmission issue. But the way companies send you the right one is they will need the number off the ECM you have currently and the VIN off your vehicle. I've done it many times on the older OBD1 systems and have never had a problem when I got the new one. And even the "new" ones are just rebuilt ones that they fixed. There will be a core charge on it so if you were to buy a new one they would want your old one back.
    260k miles and still going strong...

  5. #5


    Ok, I am having trouble checking the codes as they are only readable when the light comes on, so I bought a OBD-1 code reader off the auction site, brand new and I thought I have a go at it having it plugged in and head out on the turnpike and that way I can see what code is set in real time. But overall, I think having the ECM rebuilt may be beneficial in a number of way not related to the "Service Engine Light" alone. It's still in the 40's around here and I thought I'd wait till the temps warm up before handling the old plastic. I was going to hit it with a shot of WD-40 and hope for the best moving and handling the littlest I can.

  6. #6


    Sometimes you can try pulling codes without a reader. Just cross pins A and B where you would normally plug the reader into and it will flash your CEL. Make sure you do this with the key on engine off. You can cross the pins with a paper clip. The first code it should always flash is code 12 which is flash.... flash flash, then it will repeat this code 4 more times and you'll get a longer pause before it starts to flash another code if there is any. If there isn't any other ones it will just go back to code 12 again.

    This is the pin-out for your plug. Cross pins A and B..

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Here is a link for all the code definitions...

    Ive always had better luck pulling codes when I cross the pins rather than use a scanner on the older systems.
    260k miles and still going strong...

  7. #7


    I've never been very good at this pulling codes. I just have no talent at it. I keep forgetting the number of flashes and so on. But I have just bought a OBD-1 code reader. So perhaps I will be able to read the codes set if their logged. Thank you !
    Last edited by JTward1; 03-24-2013 at 06:41 AM.

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