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Silver Connector'd OBD-II ECM?

J

JayTheCPA

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Am looking into a backup ECM and seeing two part numbers where it looks like the only difference is the connector's color and price:

> 218-12661 - Looks like the OE ECM with a single blue and double brown set of connectors.

> 16216588 - Looks physically the same as the OE ECM, but has silver connectors (and not the blue / brown). Aside from the connector's color, dimensions, pin orientation, and block order appear the same as the OE ECM.


AC Delco's site lists both part numbers as 'reconditioned' but no other tangible narrative for me to tell the difference. Vendor sites are not any more helpful (from a narrative perspective) except the 16216588 (silver connector version) is generally more expensive (for both the unit and core value).

Aside from price, anybody able to fill in the gaps in terms of the difference?
 
Is there a difference in application? Like 95-95 for the blue/brown and 96+ for the ailver?
 
From AC Delco's Online lookup, the part numbers are for the OBD-II 6.5L vehicles (96 - 2002). Other vendor sites reinforce this by showing both parts for the OBD-II 6.5.

Only real difference is that the blue & brown socket'd one shows up under AC Delco's 'Professional' grade list and the silver socket'd one shows up under the 'OE' / standard list.


The OBD-I ECM (94 - 95) shows a different part (#88963802)
 
What's the price difference? Could one be for sale to GM authorized third-party repair shops (professional grade) with a mark-up margin and the OE/replacement for DIY home mechanics? IDK, got me stumped on this one.
 
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Actually, I think that might be it. One (DIY) is pre-flashed V.I.N. specific whereas the "professional" is flashed by the installing shop with their Tech II and a download from GM. I remember my mechanic updating my 98 Burb's ECM flash to the latest GM TB when I had it in his shop back in '11.

Maybe that's it. Makes sense.
 
The top number is an AC DELCO number, and is most likely there line of aftermarket replacements whereas the 2nd number is the genuine OEM grade piece. AC DELCO has started carrying aftermarket grade parts to compete with the likes of CARDONE and other lower line manufacturers. The difference in color you are seeing is that the more expensive part has just a basic black and white stock photo whereas the AC DELCO part has a color photo.
 
That makes sense. Thank you Ferm!

Too funny that all the vendors I had seen with the part numbers (carid, Jeggs, JC Whitney, etc) all apparently used the same stock photo's where the AC Delco one was color and the OE one looked silver. And actually I did wonder if the latter was a B&W photo.

Kind of interesting though that AC Delco listed theirs under the Professional grade which was what I understood as heavier duty than OE . . .
 
JayTheCPA said:
That makes sense. Thank you Ferm!

Too funny that all the vendors I had seen with the part numbers (carid, Jeggs, JC Whitney, etc) all apparently used the same stock photo's where the AC Delco one was color and the OE one looked silver. And actually I did wonder if the latter was a B&W photo.

Kind of interesting though that AC Delco listed theirs under the Professional grade which was what I understood as heavier duty than OE . . .
Click to expand...
It's REAL screwy here lately with AC DELCO trying to figure out which is there OEM grade, and which is there aftermarket grade. With that being said, it's not to say theres any difference in the quality of the 2 parts, and they may even come off the same lines.
 
Funny you should say that. We used to have a BIG Goodyear Belt and Hose plant here in Lincoln (till Slick Willy Clinton signed NAFTA and they moved 3/4 of the plant to Mexico) and a good friend of mine worked there pulling hoses on the hose pots. He bid and got a job stenciling. A big old cart full of radiator hoses would be brought up, he would put the appropriate stencil in the machine, insert a hose in the right orientation and the machine would spray a Goodyear logo and a Part Number on the hose, then he'd toss it into an empty bin.

He would do that until the quota was met, then the full bin would be taken away to packaging, he'd change out stencils, reach into the supply bin with the same blank hoses and start stenciling on, say, a GM emblem and GM part number. The exact same blank hose might also carry a NAPA or house brand logo and P/N.
 
A lot of things are done like that. Friend of mine used to make butyl roofing self sealing sheeting 4 days a week, then on Mondays they change the printing to dynamat. Remember to get butyl for your truck- not the asphalt kind...

A few years ago I called and spoke to one of the guys at Mellings about 6.5 oil pumps. They make all the oil pumps for 6.2/6.5s. He couldn't tell me the brands, but I went down a list asking do you make "X?" - YES "Y?" - yes... I asked every brand I found available, like 10 or so, "YES" to everyone of them. Just different boxes.
They all could get optional relief spring changes, only a couple offer that to their customers.
 
And of course with all the corporate merging and acquisitions going on, it is not uncommon at all for "competing" brands to be owned by the same parent corporation a couple of rungs up the ladder. Oil filters are a great example. So are engine components like bearings, rings, pistons and seals. Tools are the same way, too. Certain well-known and respected house brands are the "little brother" major name brands. Then there's appliances. Basically two manufacturers in the US make all of the US brands. Sister brands GE, Hotpoint, and Maytag all "compete" against each other.
 
Most of the time a different color plug means it has a polarity tab difference. They can be trimmed off and plugged in if needed. GM/Delphi tries making them idiot proof while keeping cost low with a small change in the part.
 
Big T said:
Get your ECM from a wrecking yard.
Click to expand...

Went that route for one of them.

Decided to go with a vendor for part #16216588 as level of effort and higher likelihood of not DOA were factors.

The part does in fact have the light blue / brown sockets.
 
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