85 3.2 ECM Removal/Disconnect
 

The driver's seat is out and the ECM unbolted from the floor. The question now is how to safely unplug it without doing any damage to the connector. Guessing wrong could get expensive. And yes, the battery is already out of the car.
Thanks.

Ecm
 

Once it's unbolted, it's easy. On the cable side (side where all the cables are entering the plug) there's a tab. You push that in, while lifting the cable side of the plug out. The opposite side of the plug has a little foot holding it in place.

So basically if you're facing the steering wheel, you push on the tab with your left hand and gently rotate the plug towards the center of the car, while pulling back on the ECM, towards the center. Once the left side of the plug is out, the right side comes out.

When you put it back in, insert the plastic foot on the plug into the right side first, and push the cable side/left side/tab side back in. You should hear it click. At least in my case, these things are pretty rugged.

For future reference, you don't really need to remove the seat, just push it all the way back and you should be able to access.

Thanks!

The DME can be removed with the seat in and moved as far as possible to the rear. It is just a bit hard. You have to work on the harness to get just enough slack.

My tip is once the DME is unbolted raise it up off the bolts. Then instead of stressing and moving the cable around move the DME box itself while pressing back on the metal tab. In other words maneuver the box off the cable rather than the cable off the box.

OK. Now that the ECM is out and I've removed the cover, another impasse.
I'm trying to find out if a PO installed an aftermarket chip, and seeing that the tabs holding the cover onto the base plate, it's pretty certain someone's been in there before. But now to gain access to the interior space between the two circuit boards (i.e., where the chip is).
The two small slotted screws on the backing plate turn, but down seem to release anything. And I see several plastic "standoffs" which seem to be the key to separating the two circuit boards. Better safe from sorry!
A bit more help please.

here you go
 

Follow this advice from the DME-Meister Sal Carceller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAo01_454IY

(I should know, that's my DME in the starring role)

Fantastic Video. Glad I asked. Thanks.

That's a huge connector with lots if wires; it's a lot stronger than you think!

Don't fear maneuvering it around.