Do any of you have any experience switching ECM computers? I have a 95 460 E4OD that is a California truck. I have been told that the CA truck computers are very de-tuned. What I would like to do is purchase a Federal computer and swap it in. What I want to know is what problems am I going to run into? anything to watch out for or what ever? I would guess the wiring harness is the same, but I don't really have any first hand knowledge, does anyone? My gut feeling is just swap it in and the new tables take control changing the performance... But that sounds to easy I think... Please let me know what you all think any opinion is a good one. Also if anyone has an ECM part number that is known to be a good one let me know that also....

Have A Great Day!

Mike

 

I do know that say for instance if your Ecu died & you had to replace it , you would have to have the part number etc off the original ecu in order to get the correct new one . The ecu & all the engine sensors are calibrated to work together so if you swap in a fed ecu it may do ok & then again it may run like a rented mule . I dont know exactly what all is different between a Calf & a Fed vehicle as far as ecu & emissions related parts go . The fed ecu may be missing some electronics that it needs to operate any number of things on a Calf engine .

 

Thankx for you opinions Paul anyone else have any ideas... I dont see why it would be that dificult but like I said I dont know I am just gussing... Thankx in advance for you ideas and opinions as well as recomendations

Have a great day!
Mike
95 F-350 Extended Cab Dually 460/E4OD
Too much done to list here but I'll be glad to share if you ask me!

 

If it were me i'd take ECU and the VIN# when i purchaesd a new one . Wrong ECU will really screw your truck up
Trouble

 

Perhaps I ask the question wrong... My goal is to replace the current de-tuned California ECM with a Federal ECM which allows greater performance do to less restrictive emissions requirements of the Federal trucks.

I have a set of the Helm Manuals for my truck, and they do not show a differant wireing diagram for the California verses the Federal ECM's... So I am guessing it is just a plug and pray operation! But I would really like to speak (type) with someone who has first hand experence switching ECM's... I am still waiting

Have a great day!
Mike
95 F-350 Extended Cab Dually 460/E4OD
Too much done to list here but I'll be glad to share if you ask me!

 

I swapped out my ecm with an eeciv from a 1987 truck. The truck had the same engine and tranny but was a 2wd not a 4x4. I had been having some idling probs before I took it to a Ford dealer for diagnostic. They said it needed a new ecm and that it had to be ordered through them with a specific part number for my truck. They wanted $350. I told them to shove it and found an old 87 truck with the ecm. Took it out of that one and my truck still had idling prob. Anyway, ended up being a bad IAC and bad O2 sensor at the same time. Still have the 87 ecu and my truck works fine. Long story short, if you take the ecu from another truck with the 460, it should work. Find out if there was anyting different with the engines form year to year. Maybe they switched from speed density to mass air one year. This would probably create a broblem. Be careful of electronically controlled trannies. You may want to count the pins on the ends of the wiring harness too. If you have the Haynes manual, in the wiring diagrams there is a diagram of the ecm and what each pin controls. This would be a good place to compare your california ecm to others. If you think about it, Ford probably did not create a different ecm for every single truck. The ecm probably came off an assembly line too. Your california truck might have different catalitic converters and extra O2 sensors. After all this I guess what i am saying is check the ecm diagram and what each pin controls. Another way to see if another ecm would work is if you knew someone with a Ford, same engine, you could try it. Good luck

'92 F150 XL 4x4, 5.0L AOD, Headers, K&N Air Filter, 3.55 Gears, 31x10.5x15 Tires.