Will this wire work to ground a diagnostic terminal and get info out of the ECM memory?

 

Yes. Anything thats a good conductor will work. Paper clip, bailing wire etc.

 

Hehe yeah that should work, but you wont need all of it. The two terminals are like a few mm's apart.

 

I know I wont need all of it, Im just gonna cut a lil like 4-5inch sliver off

 

what are all the other terminals for if the only ones we really use are right next to each other?

 

Downloading info to a scanner of multiple sorts.

 

the wire didnt work, does this mean I need a new wire or my ECM just doesn't work?

 

That wire appears to be varnished. With that coating, the contact between the wire and ALDL sockets is suspect. Either scrape off the varnish from both ends of the wire, or find a piece of bare wire or paper clip.

As for the rest of the ALDL terminals, the diagram shows the possible connections. Not all these features are used on all ThirdGens.