Used ecm

[Mrkentee]

Thinking about buying a used ecm from a junkyard and programming it to keep as a spare.
Also, maybe open it up and check for chafed wires, etc to make sure it’s not ready to fail.
Would probably only use it to get off the side of the road, and then get a reman.
The cost is app $700
Wise or unwise?

[mikkhh]

Depends when it is manufactured, if it is not old by date code / part code it makes sense completely to buy it as a spare.

[Mrkentee]

(10-23-2026 )mikkhh Wrote:  Depends when it is manufactured, if it is not old by date code / part code it makes sense completely to buy it as a spare.

How old is too old?
The one pictured has red paint on it, so could be original.
Mine is a 2010 871.

[tree98]

Yours is 16 years old, why not just buy a brand new one and call it a day, then you don't have to carry a spare of questionable integrity.

[Mrkentee]

(10-23-2026 )tree98 Wrote:  Yours is 16 years old, why not just buy a brand new one and call it a day, then you don't have to carry a spare of questionable integrity.

This is the third one for this truck. It’s 3 years old. The last one only lasted about 5 or 6 years. That’s why I don’t trust them. All OEM remans.
A reman now costs around $2500 I think, plus core charge. A few hundred for insurance just in case this gives out early. It may not.
Probably less than the cost of a tow.

[tree98]

The quality of everything is going to shi#t.

[Rawze]

The most common cause of premature ECM failures is excessive higher frequency vibrations on the engine.

This is usually because the crank shaft damper is not doing its job correctly any more.


Set a glass of water on top of the engine while idling and video record it. - then do the same after replacing the crank shaft damper with a new one.. make sure its an OEM crank shaft damper.


just the beer talkin'

[Mrkentee]

(10-24-2026 )Rawze Wrote:  The most common cause of premature ECM failures is excessive higher frequency vibrations on the engine.

This is usually because the crank shaft damper is not doing its job correctly any more.


Set a glass of water on top of the engine while idling and video record it. - then do the same after replacing the crank shaft damper with a new one.. make sure its an OEM crank shaft damper.


just the beer talkin'

Third damper since 2016. This one is 3 years old. But I did replace front motor mounts with poly at the same time.

[mikkhh]

Polyurethane plastic like bushings?