This discussion was happening inside another thread. Figured I'd seperate it, as we had hijacked enough.

Well, it turns out, as far as I can tell, the answer is yes and no.

Some people have had no trouble popping a new one in, and others have had to have it reprogrammed.

I just plugged in my replacement last night. Starter was cranking, but it would not turn over.

I am off to an indy mechanic with a computer to try and sort out my mess.

 

no the ECM IS NOT PLUG AND PLAY

the alarm system, BCM and ecm all must have a good handshake signal to give spark to the coil pack.

when you replaced the ecm you must have the ecm/bcm initialized to read each other.... consider this... the bcm has a vin of 10101 and the ecm is 00101. different in the smalleset amount.... came from the same kinda car same engine but they need to be introdeuced to each out using a T4/testbook, rovercom, or autologic... dealer item only unless your indy shop has the proper software which is $$$$$$


why do you thik you needed to replace your ecm.

i started that other thread and learned that my old ecm was good and i'd blown some engine fuses

 

It can not be done, the ecu must be set up with a test book or other scanner.

 

I talked to some D1 owners who said they did it no problem. Others said they had to have it programmed.
03, I was glad your damage wasn't that bad. My problems are many. Cannot get a OBD read, misfiring, unsteady idle. Could be alot of things. I want to get the codes to start. Fuses and wires are good to OBD port, so I am hoping the ECU will get me my codes, and if I get really lucky, help with some of the other problems too.

 

Oh, btw my indy with the right computer is charging $150 for the install.

 

Maybe people saying it was plug and play were talking about one of the several ECU's and not the ECM. Land Rover calls it "ECM". It's generally better to refer to things by the correct term so there's no confusion.

 

Good point Tom. We were discussing ECMs. People have reported being able to plug in ECMs without programming.

 

Can you provide examples where people reported, from personal experience, that the ECM was plug and play? All I've ever seen stated was hearsay.

 

Tom, Sorry it took so long to get back to this. I was away for the weekend. The following are two quotes from Disco Web in a thread called "Newbie with ECU Question"

"Mike, here I only know what I've found for myself.
After the stealer told me in 2002 that my ECU was toast (despite obvious alarm problems), I got a 98 GEMS ECU from a breaker. I've replaced my (early 96) ECU with the 98, found that the problem was indeed elsewhere, but left the 98 ECU. A few years (!) later CEL started popping up, more as a reminder of impending smog check. This is when I figured out the differences (around 2005). Put back my 96 ECU, and haven't had any issues at all.
Didn't have to reprogram anything."


"I had an engine surging problem that was addressed in a TSB on my 97 GEMs. Instead of spending the $100 for the PROM chip, I got an ECU from a junkyard from a 98 with a vin that was not affected by the TSB. Plugged it in and it accepted it almost immediately. Idled crazy for a few minutes like the devil had possessed it, then it simmered down all on it's own. No more surging.

Disclaimer: try this at your own risk, I cannot guarantee that it will work for you."


Now, personally, mine did not work. I took it to the shop for reprogramming. My truck is running 100 times better.