Can anyone recommend a good ecm reman brand?

[Black_Thunder]

I've had some issues with some garbage Reman ecm's from cardone and after doing some research it seems they don't do quality reman work.


but they seem to have the market mainly cornered as I have tried to find another brand of reman's and cardone is everywhere.


I've looked to maybe going the napa route because they seem to be packaged differently and don't say cardone anywhere on the labeling.

does anyone know for sure who does the napa remans? or know of another brand thats better?


otherwise I'm going to try to get a factory original from a salvage yard.

 

[Lubener]

I would never buy reman electronics..

 

[djb]

Originally Posted By: Lubener
I would never buy reman electronics..


Most ECMs are no longer made. If you can't find it at the boneyard, your choice is a "remanufactured" part or a vehicle that doesn't work.

 

[rshaw125]

I had mine repaired. Avoided all of the security/vin issues. I think it was $125 with 12 month warranty.

 

[georgemiller]

Got one off this guy http://www.ebay.com/usr/autocomputerexchange-ace

Worked great.

 

[NibbanaBanana]

I've never heard of a PCM or ECM going bad. I though it was a computer chip or several on a circuit board. How do they remanufacture them?

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: NibbanaBanana
I've never heard of a PCM or ECM going bad. I though it was a computer chip or several on a circuit board. How do they remanufacture them?
Replace the failed component.

 

[01rangerxl]

I think the Napa stuff comes from Cardone too.

It took me three tries to get a Napa reman electronic TB for a Tahoe that would program and stay working. I won't be surprised if it comes back.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: NibbanaBanana
I've never heard of a PCM or ECM going bad. I though it was a computer chip or several on a circuit board. How do they remanufacture them?



I worked on 2001 Dodge Dakota with a bad BCM. The new one was $350.

 

[Black_Thunder]

Believe me I would like to buy a new one but can only find reman ones. What happens in these is the capacitors go bad and then leak onto the circuitry eventually something goes bad.

 

[nthach]

None. Learn to solder and replace the capacitors/diodes/resistors - or send it in to someone who knows what they are doing. Some cities still have electronics repair shops or hacker spaces with the tools you need to DIY if it's just a capacitor/diode/resistor that's gone bad - you'll need to find another ECM if a transistor(triac/MOSFET/switch) or DIP/PLCC/SMT component like a driver has gone out. You can buy a decent soldering iron/station, flux, solder, solder sucker and such for $50 off Amazon.

Many repair services and Cardone won't use the proper low-ESR and high ripple current rejection or automotive-spec long life/high heat tolerance capacitors from the 4 primary companies who make them: Nichicon, Rubycon, Chemi-con and Panasonic(Matsushita Electric) - the Lexus guys are finding out reman ECMs are using cheap Chinese capacitors in them. Digi-Key sells them but charges a $10 shipping fee - however you're guaranteed to get genuine goods from them than say, eBay or Amazon.

 

[Black_Thunder]

well just to revisit this I was able to get a a good used OEM ecm from ebay that matched up with my vehicle and its now running again so we'll see how this one goes, fingers/crossed

 

[andyd]

The 59 pin Bosch Motronic 0.1 ECUs suffered from loose joints on the power transistor. At a tech talk in a ski lodge in NC. I watched as Peter F. fixed 2 out 3 failed ECUs. The dud smelled fried going in. A failed solder joint has a barely visible ring of carbon around its circumference. A hot iron touched to it will re flow the solder. I would ask a local auto electric shop for advice.

 

[eljefino]

What are you guys doing about potting compound? I heard an oven at ~180 degrees would melt it out without destroying the chips... but the safe temp range is narrow.

 

[andyd]

No potting involved on the Motronics.

 

[Bud_One]

I purchased a AC Delco Reman for my parents 1992 Buick Roadmaster back in Sept 2012 - paid $112 for it on Rockauto.com
Old one in the car had a hard ecm failure code stored.
They recently sold about 4 months ago. Still going strong.

 

[vssjim]

Originally Posted By: Bud_One
I purchased a AC Delco Reman for my parents 1992 Buick Roadmaster back in Sept 2012 - paid $112 for it on Rockauto.com
Old one in the car had a hard ecm failure code stored.
They recently sold about 4 months ago. Still going strong.

AC Delco remans are Cardone as I found out as shipping showed coming from Philly Pa which is Cardone and first one was defect I put went from cooling fan not always turning on to trans problem as soon as installed and second one has been ok