ECM Interchangability - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Marc Haibeck · 12-10-2012

I was wondering about ZR-1 ECM interchangeability. I did some testing and it appears that any model year ECM will work in any car. That is a 1990 ECM will work in a 1995 and a 1995 ECM will work in a 1990. The details of the testing are described below.

GM used three ECM part numbers across the six model years.
01228331 1990 to 1991.
16163993 1992 to about 1993 1/2.
16196394 about 1993 1/2 to 1995.

AC/Delco supplied the 16163993 as a remanufactured unit for repairs from about 2004 until about 2009. They shipped 16163993 regardless of what model year was ordered.

I removed a factory installed 1990 01228331 from a 1990 car. Then installed a 1995 BMCB calibration chip and installed the ECM on a 1995 car. Everything worked normally. The engine went into closed loop fuel control, it went into learning mode, the EGR worked normally, the ASR worked, the momentary contact full power key worked, and the engine data scanner displayed engine rpm with a resolution of 1 rpm. The ALDL data stream ran at 6.6 frames per second, just like a 1995 ECM.

I removed a factory installed 1995 16196394 ECM from a 1995 car. Then installed a 1990 AYBK calibration chip and installed the ECM on a 1990 car. Everything worked normally. The engine went into closed loop fuel control, it went into learning mode, the full power key worked. The engine data scanner displayed engine rpm with a resolution of 25 rpm. This is normal for a 1990 car. The ALDL data stream ran at 6.6 frames per second, just like a 1990 ECM.

A 16163993 ECM was tested in a 1995 car and it worked normally as a 1995 ECM would.
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12-10-2012	#1
Marc Haibeck Join Date: May 2007 Location: Addison IL Posts: 243	ECM Interchangability I was wondering about ZR-1 ECM interchangeability. I did some testing and it appears that any model year ECM will work in any car. That is a 1990 ECM will work in a 1995 and a 1995 ECM will work in a 1990. The details of the testing are described below. GM used three ECM part numbers across the six model years. 01228331 1990 to 1991. 16163993 1992 to about 1993 1/2. 16196394 about 1993 1/2 to 1995. AC/Delco supplied the 16163993 as a remanufactured unit for repairs from about 2004 until about 2009. They shipped 16163993 regardless of what model year was ordered. I removed a factory installed 1990 01228331 from a 1990 car. Then installed a 1995 BMCB calibration chip and installed the ECM on a 1995 car. Everything worked normally. The engine went into closed loop fuel control, it went into learning mode, the EGR worked normally, the ASR worked, the momentary contact full power key worked, and the engine data scanner displayed engine rpm with a resolution of 1 rpm. The ALDL data stream ran at 6.6 frames per second, just like a 1995 ECM. I removed a factory installed 1995 16196394 ECM from a 1995 car. Then installed a 1990 AYBK calibration chip and installed the ECM on a 1990 car. Everything worked normally. The engine went into closed loop fuel control, it went into learning mode, the full power key worked. The engine data scanner displayed engine rpm with a resolution of 25 rpm. This is normal for a 1990 car. The ALDL data stream ran at 6.6 frames per second, just like a 1990 ECM. A 16163993 ECM was tested in a 1995 car and it worked normally as a 1995 ECM would. [/SIZE]