PCM performance

[lowboy1979]

Here is something I have been wondering about. Excuding the Cali pcms, do different pcm's have different performace? Does year to year matter? Crew cab to X-cab to regular cab? Just wondering, Thanks.

[85_305]

PCM's are attached to VINs, so yes they are dependant.

[lowboy1979]

So if I had a 95 X-cab, and a 97 CC, the 95 could outperform the 97 just because of the pcm?

[85_305]

No probably not.. but that ecm probably wont be able to control it... you cant, as far as I know, just plug an ecm into another truck. Most hp changes were due to hardware.

[lowboy1979]

That what I thought. It just seems some trucks run alot better than others. Im trying to find a pattern here and the ECM came to mind. Thanks.

[85_305]

I bet it all comes down to maintenance.

[mjonesjr]

The PCM's are not attached to a VIN. The only requirements for installing a PCM is that the engine and transmission combination. In the OBS 7.3's the pin outs are all the same. Obviously you will not be able to install a California PCM in a 48 state truck because the California trucks had split shot injectors.

The only differences in the Ford programming besides which type of transmission was how the glow plug circuit worked.


There won't be any advantage to switching PCM's. Install a TS chip with custom tunes on it and be done. All TS chip tunes are based on the '97 PCM codes. Once you select that tune, the base PCM code is what ever the '97 codes are (automatic is TDE1).

[85_305]

^So all ecu's can be used in any powerstroke, less CA models?? I didnt know that. Good info.

[mjonesjr]

Any OBS Powerstroke as long as the PCM is designed for the transmission you have.

[Patrick Feeley]

Originally Posted by mjonesjr

In the OBS 7.3's the pin outs are all the same. Obviously you will not be able to install a California PCM in a 48 state truck because the California trucks had split shot injectors.

Only partially true: California trucks with splitshot injectors are pinned out differently than the rest of the OBS trucks with singleshots. I made a couple of Word documents (one pin-for-pin and one with just the differences) for my own curiosity since I have a Cali 97. One exception to the PCMs might be the old 1995 TEE5 programming if you could find one that hasn't been reflashed (Ford sort of de-tuned them a bit due to transmission problems ... a lot of folks were ticked off after they got their trucks back with a non-consent reflash when they took them in for maintenance back in the early days!). Cheers!