ECU replacement question

Hey all,

I recently had the physical skim unit on my 2001 go bad leaving the jeep dead. After calling the dealership and getting a quote north of $500 to install a new module, reprogram 2 new keys I've decided another route would be wiser. I don't really "need" the added security of the chipped key as I have a fuel system kill switch and electrical system kill switch hidden, so I feel the heep is pretty safe. I looked briefly at the skim bypass kits for remote starters but most had little documentation and I'd rather not cut the harness up and trust some cheap chinese RF spoofer. So that leaves me with two choices, either find a used ecm from an 01 that doesn't have skim enabled (which I haven't been able to find after calling 5+ junkyards within 50 miles of my location) or getting a reman ecu. Cardone looks like the most prevalent choice in ecu business. Now my question is if I buy one of these units, give them the vin and mileage is it going to ship with the skim function enable or dormant?

Thanks for your time

Technically, with the correct VIN programmed you you should be able to drop it in and run with the sentry key system enabled. However, You can unplug the skim module and the PCM won't see it.

Well that's exactly what I want it to do, not see the skim if I leave it unplugged. I don't want to replace the skim nor use it anymore so I'm just making sure that if I get a reman ecm it's not going to expect to see the skim signal.

Talyn said:

Technically, with the correct VIN programmed you you should be able to drop it in and run with the sentry key system enabled. However, You can unplug the skim module and the PCM won't see it.

Click to expand...

The issue with just unplugging the SKIM is that if the SKIM module has talked with the ECU then the ECU has the Anti-Theft bit set in the ecu and the jeep wont stay running unless it gets an all clear from the SKIM module. If he leaves the broken SKIM plugged in and plugs in a new ECU it will set that bit in the ecu and he will be back to square one. :explosion

But of course if you have access to read and write to the EEPROM area of the ECU, we have ways of fixing that.:greensmok

What I meant was un plug the skim then plug in the NEW PCM so it will have never seen the Skim module.

Couldn't the Dealer reset the OP's PCM to remove the SKIM with the DRBIII tool? I'm just asking because I am not sure.

No, once the PCM has learned the skim the dealer can't remove it.

The only way make the ECU unlearn the SKIM module is to manually edit the EE area which requires some very specialized tools. The only thing you can do with a DRBIII would to relearn a new SKIM module to your ecu, but you would need your 4 digit secure access programming pin.

Well, that is Draconian. But, I guess it slows down the theft rate. Anyone remember 12 years ago when XJs were in the top 10 list of stolen vehicles?

Good to know about the SKIM, thanks for the schooling!

Yeah I can't forget. My XJ was stolen in 2001 a month after I got it. Even with that POS sentry key crap.

Yup, that was the time era...

Couple of options:

1) you already know that if you get a non skim ECU and disconnect the skim your vehicle will be skim free.

2) there are tons of used ECUs out there, sentry keys are relatively rare in the XJs so finding one with SKIM is harder than without. check car-part.com for used XJ ecus. you can have one shipped from the opposite side of the country cheaply.

3) I have dealt with http://autocomputerperformance.com/ before getting the skim deleted on a WJ ecu. Cost me $125 to get the skim deleted from my WJ ecu.

Tons of people are parting out Jeeps, if you did a nationwide search of craigslist you would find lots being parted, paypal and and a phone call could get an ECU to you via a flat rate box in a matter of days. I also see them all the time in the pick n pulls here. Just never needed one.

check and see if there are any LKQ locations near you, they will ship inventory from one location to another for you to pickup.

I found an 00 ecu here on my shelf but I don't recall if it has sentry key or not, I suppose it would be easy to test......