Been awhile since I've been reading in the PROM arena, pardon my noobish Q.

I'm in the midst of doing the old school ECM conversion from 165->730->749.

I've got an AUJP memcal that I really don't want to mess up with how pricey they seem to be these days.

Is cutting the pins and desoldering still the best way to remove the old EPROM? I have a low profile socket that I want to solder back in its place.

Any experts around still on this matter? I'm really not that great with a solder gun and I don't have a solder vacuum/sucker either. Is there a better way?

It may be better to grab a G1 adapter from Moates.net. No need to remove the PROM, plug in the adapter, then plug the current MEMCAL into the side of the G1. There is a socket on the G1 for the PROM that runs the ECM.

Plugging the MEMCAL into the adapter provides the ESC filter and the CALPAK resistors. Note that a '7165 MEMCAL doesn't have the ESC filter.
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To remove a PROM from a MEMCAL I usually use a fine tipped iron and some solder wick. Press the solder wick into the joint between the pin and MEMCAL with the iron tip.

This removes the majority of the solder. Then use something such as an Exacto blade or jewelers screwdriver to break the remaining bond between the MEMCAL and pin.
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If you don't want/need the PROM, then cutting the pins and removing the remaining pieces of the pins is a good way to go.

RBob.

Thanks for the refresher RBob.

I did totally forget about the G1. However I recall those having frequent communication errors. Is that not the case anymore? Has there been a redesign/update to it at all?

I've used many G1s without issue.

I take a small screw driver and lift the prom up a little, use a thin pointed 30 watt iron and push the raised up contacts back down.
Then go to the other end and do the same lifting gently 'til it comes loose.
Repeat as neccessary on all contacts.

if you don't want the EPROM, go ahead and cut the legs off at the thinnest portion.

repeat for a total of 28 times, grab EEPROM, make sure the slots where the new legs will go are able to accept them without interference issues, press it in gently while making sure no legs are bending out of place, then grab your iron, some good solder and go at it...

i've done this many times in a little over 5 minutes, just plug your iron in when you start cutting legs and it should be ready to go by the time you get around to it.

in the interest of heat management, i tend to do only a couple at a time in one spot(maybe 3 or 4 next to each other), then go to another location, since i use a 45 watt iron. i have yet to kill a single chip with this method.

however, the G1 and G3 units have never failed me either, just a bit pricey compared to a bare PROM replacement.

Got all the pros in here!

Worst case scenario, I fail somehow and a new chip is not readable through my newly soldered socket, would the G1 still work on it with a missing eprom?
I would assume so since it's supposed to bypass it anyways. Just being overly cautious and want a backup plan.

correct, the G1 doesn't use nor is connected to the PROM that should be in the MEMCAL, it only connects to the NETRES/knock filter portion of the MEMCAL.