Is it safe to test ECM in another vehicle?

Anyone know if it is safe to "test" an ECM aka PCM by installing it in another 2nd gen Tacoma that works and may be the same or different year of production?

I want to be sure that swapping it out wouldn't risk damaging my friend's truck before I ask her.

Can't bring her ECM to my truck since she doesn't live too close in this remote area, so I would like to bring mine to her.

Thanks for any help. After just visiting the site for years and finally posting, I've gotten lots of great guidance very quickly.

I live in on Moku o Keawe, "Big Island" Hawaii where the Tacoma is probably the most popular vehicle. Lots of folks work on and upgrade their rides. I'll be posting a link on Craigslist here to help folks find this place.

 

Not usually.
I’d rather try a bad ECU on a known good truck.
Than a good ECU in a know bad truck.

In the rare case there is a bad power/ground on the “bad truck”, you don’t fry a good ECM.

Ideally, you’d want inspect inputs and outputs of the bad vehicle first.
That way you “know” it’s not a wiring issue. But that’s not always easily done.


And for the record, yes.
Yes, I’ve tried a good ECU on a “bad” car.
I once dabbled in the Honda swap game.

 

About a week ago I suspected a bad ecm, #1 cylinder not firing, #2 weak spark. Did the swap with a known good ecm, problem solved. They didn’t want to pay for a new ecm so I put theirs back in, off they sputtered away.

 

If it's the same number PCM it should work, V6 trucks need an immobilizer reset but as yours is a 4 cyl it doesn't have one.

 

Ok, for clarification, I want to "test" my questionable ECM to a properly running truck.

 

Shouldn't be a problem providing they are the same part number.

 

Will report results after the test is done. Thanks.