Last night I removed my PROM from the ECM just to take a look at some things and I noticed I had a bent (read crushed) pin on the ECM where the PROM connects. The pin that's bent is the farthest to the right on the upper of the 2 rows. Does anyone know what that pin does, or what part of the PROM it reads? I haven't had any codes set with the ECM yet, I'm wondering if I should replace it, or will I be OK? Any info appreciated.

 

Is the pin still making contact with the ECM? If it is, then there's probably nothing to worry about. You may have stressed the metal, but be careful so it doesn't break off.

Now, if the pin is actually disconnected from the ECM, that's another matter for another person. I'm not sure which pins perform which functions.

 

Can you post a picture? My immediate reaction is that the pin is with the ESC/Limp Mode side of the Memcal rather than the Eprom side, that may be why you are still able to run. But it may bite you in the butt in the future should you go into Limp Mode or whatever it REALLY affects. Not worth the risk IMO.

If you can't bend the pin properly to connect to the Memcal, I'd get another ECM. You have a 1227730 which is a "dime a dozen" at a wrecking yard. Just tell them you have a "1991 3.1 V6 Cavalier" and you'll get the ECM cheap - it's the identical ECM to what your using.

I have found that for some reason, the moment you mention "Camaro, Firebird or Corvette", the price doubles.

And, in hind-sight, I would recommend getting Craig Moate's adapter where you plug your Memcal into the adapter and the whole adapter into the ECM. Craig's adapter uses a ZIF socket where you just pull the eprom (or better Flash Prom) and leave the adapter/Memcal in the ECM.

Eliminates the possibility of what happened to you - again. Far cheaper to fix a bent pin on an eprom or just buy a new eprom if you accidentally break a pin than an entire new ECM.

 

Ok since I'm not too literate with PROM's and such, I'll do my best to describe. If you look through a PROM chip's little windows... It's not the side with the black chip and silver sticker that says "delco" on it followed by a number, it's the other side that looks like a little circuit board with some gluey coating on it. That's the side that the bent pin (lead?) is on. By "pin" I mean one of the leads coming off of the ECM, not the PROM itself. The pin is CRUSHED. There's no way it's making contact with the PROM. I don't have my camera here or I'd get a pic up for you, but hopefully in the near future (this weekend).