quick question...my ecu in my 1988 Pontiac Firebird (305 TBI / manual 5 speed) went bad (wouldn't engage fuel pump relay). Needed to replace it, found a 1988 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (305 TBI / automatic 4 speed) ecu that was good. Swapped the prom and noticed that there was a second chip in the panel that my haynes manual did not show. Do they need to be swapped auto to manual and would that second chip ever go bad that i should take it out of the second ECU before scrapping? It's running off of the Trans Am ECU with the manual PROM swapped into it w/out touching that second chip, but i wanted to know breifly what that was for and if i should have a spare.

 

I believe it is a calpack. Provides the "limp home" mode of operation should the chip fail? Should be present and should match V8-V8.

 

any reason it'll ever go wrong, would i recognize as i break down on the side of the road that i can't limp home, swap the chip and limp along?

so your saying that the "limp home" chip matters v6 to v8, not manual to auto? just clarifying, thanks!

 

I dont believe the trans matter. I had a V6 calpack in my ECU with a moderately modded 350 and when the chip became displaced from ecu(by foot) car would still drive just poorly.