I would say to experiment, and see if things change, it may not on a stock car, on a moded it may. though im partial to the 98/99 as being the best pcm/system before the damned Enhanced EOBD2 of the 00+

the 96/97 "obd2" sure seems like and OBD1.5 with refinements and without all the damn Com issues now that the knock system was integral in a "zit"