What kind of sockets are people using to socket pcm flash chips?
I keep hearing them called zif sockets, but I have only found plcc sockets no locking mech to them.

 

PLCC 32 sockets, surface mount type.

 

ZIF is just an acronym for zero insertion force, which is what it takes to put the chips in. It usually takes a small screwdriver or other tiny prying tool to get the chips out, however, so there is little worry of the chips popping out, even in the jostling environment of the PCM of a car. The part # at www.digikey.com for the ZIF for the flash chips for a 94-95 PCM is ED80009-ND. They are the cheap and effective way to reprogram your PCM when it gets fried, rather than desoldering and soldering your board every time you corrup the PCM. Assuming, of course, you have quick and easy access to an EPROM programmer.

 

That's not a ZIF.
It takes a little bit of force to insert the chip in that socket. A PLCC type ZIF is pretty different and usually more expensive...

 

It's says ZIF socket right on my receipt from digikey. It does take a little bit of force to get a chip into the socket, but acronyms usually aren't that accurate. I usually just call them sockets, there's too many acronyms for these things as it is.

 

Here's a regular PLCC socket (not the surface mount type)
and
here's a ZIF PLCC. With the ZIFs, you just place the chip in socket, then lock it in with something... in this socket's case a little door.

The guys at digikey probably made a mistake.