Maybe, but I doubt that as they have energon in them quite some time after death.
Odds are though the reason you gave would be the answer that would be given if
the writers were pressed on the matter.

In two days we will know how 'Bee gets his wheels back, and I am sure that
will answer a few questions on parts interchangeability in TF-Prime.

 

Mech gained a new respect from me when I read that Silas is voiced by, oh, I don't know, Lex Luthor.

 

Hahahhah

 

 

The cons have already a battleship, an army of Steves and the advanced tech. I think the creators want MECH to become quickly in a real treat, if even lesser to Megatron, but right now they are too weak to directly oppose the bots or cons.

I think that is Jack´s whole purpose of development.

 

^This.

Though If it was up to me Clancy Brown would have been Megatron had Welker not come back in the role.

 

I don't see the problem with MECH's progression, seems pretty natural to me.

1.They scan Optimus's body, giving them a basic understanding of a Transformer's body.
2.They dissect and study Breakdown for an unknown period of time, giving a more in-depth understanding of the body and transformation.
3.They work with Airrachnid, she probably fills in some of the blanks for them as part of their deal.
4.They see Airrachnid scan the copter, they see how it's done and most likely were scanning her body to see just what changes were happening, from this info they work out how scanning an alt-mode works.

They likely began work on Chimera after step 2 and found out about the t-cog on 3 or 4.

Ratchet said stealing 'organs' from other living Cybertronians is something he doesn't think even zombie-raising Megatron would do. Odds are the same taboo applies even in death, at least for the Autobots.