Fred94LT1

When you buy a remanufactured computer, flash a program from a floppy which has tunercat programming on it along with a file... Is it necessary to have your VIN added to the programming before the car will start?
Last night I installed my new computer,(Made sure Scan Master was disconnected) I ran my old programming from a floppy disk and the laptop gave me the status bar and indicated programming sucessfully completed 100%. I unhooked the computer turned the key off. Then after 10 seconds or so attempted to start the car but it wouldn't start and the fans was on. WTF. Could it be the Vin for my car simply has to be reflashed into the computer. I got the programming for the old computer from the moderator here. I haven't been able to get a hold of him, can someone shed some light on this,
Fred

------------------
1994 Z28, A4,
BEST 1/4 12.413@109.55
BEST 1/4 MPH 110.49
BEST 60' 1.668
BEST 1/8 7.884@86.35
BEST 1/8 mph 86.77
Race Weight 3600lbs
No new times with P&P heads Flow 239.4 INT 182.1 @525 lift, or
24lb SVO inj's...

Hal Fisher

Vin doesn't matter. Remanufactored PCM? Why not just a good used one ($50)?

Hal

Fred94LT1

Hal, I'll keep that offer in mind, however right now I don't think the new computer is trashed yet. BTW, it came with a 90 day warranty. If a VIN doesn't need to be added to the programming, and the programming was sucessful what's going on.
The shop I bought the remanufactured emc from told me it had to be flashed to work. I assumed my prog file which I've flashed my old computer before with, would have done the trick.
Fred

Fred94LT1

BTW, I just called the local Chevy dealer and the svc dept informed me that the VIn does need to be programmed in as it tells the computer what options the car has. Moderator help if you read this,
Fred

Hal Fisher

I don't sell pcms. I just meant thats about how much they are.

Dealer smealer, my pcm was out of a caprice and never needed its vin changed. You flash it with the options you want. What the heck else do they think there is? Dealer wants you to come in and pay a redicules amount and they'll probably just rehook it up and flash it again to get it to work. Either that or its bad. I would never buy a fixed bad one.

Hal

Central PA Z

FWIW, I use LT1 Edit. If I understand your origional post, you got a new PCM and are trying to upload one of your existing files you already had for your old PCM?? I could be wrong, but I don't believe it is going to work. In LT1 Edit, I can only EDIT files that have my VIN No. in the file. I can open and view other, but it says it's an unrecognizable something or other....

Anyway....to my thinking, every PCM has a VIN assigned to it. This VIN is not reprogrammable by our primitive software, and the file you try to flash into it NEEDS to have this VIN in it's code, or it will not work - hence your problem.

What I would try if I were you is take the new PCM, hook it up in your car so it has power and then try to download the file that's currenty on it. Open this file with your software and compair the VIN in it to the one you are trying to upload. If they do not match, it won't work. I have a VIN reprogrammer program that you could use to change the VIN of the file you want to upload to match your new PCM, which would work.

Let us know how you make out.

~John

------------------
1994 Z Car
www.slfba.com
The usual stuff on a set of Nittos and a dead posi.
60' = 1.920
1/8 = 8.368 @ 83.88
1/4 = 12.968 @ 108.04

Hal Fisher

Well, as long as he is using Tuner Cat, he need not worry about the vin number.

Hal

Central PA Z

Well that may be true, just thought I would add something else to consider / try. But thanks for that update.
MKIA

~John

Dr.Mudge

Or, you can use VINchange, you can't change the VIN in the PCM of course but you can modify it on a file sitting on your computer.

www.carputing.com has a copy

gb95zconv

If you bought a remaned pcm I belive it must be intialized so to speak before you can edit the pcm which is what you are doing when you use TC or lt1edit. In other words it needs to have a file in it when you get it. At least thats the way I understand it.

------------------
Greg
95 Z28 conv M6
Georgia F-Body Association

Stage 1 heads, 1.6rr, Meziere WP
lt4 hot cam,lt4 timing chain kit,52mm TB,
Hooker Headers, Pro 5 shifter,3.73s,
NX 150 progressive,
Self-tuned via Tunercat

dayusmc

Well here is my 2 cents! Hal is right, you do not need the Vin to match to get it to start- unless the file from your old ecm was done in lt1Edit- then the program is vin locked(along with other locks) I don't know alot about tuning for performance, but I do know how the ecms and the editers (lt1Edit, Tunercat)work. I did extensive research on how they work. The best way to find out if it is your program or the ecm- is to try another .bin file. Post what your car has in it(A4, gears, ext...) and one of use will send you a .bin file. Was your other ecm programed buy lt1Edit or Ed wright? Also if the ecm needed to be flashed, it might not mean, putting a program in it. I know if your computer(laptop) or ecm gets interuped while you are loading the program, the ecm locks up. Than you must send it to someone like Bryan(PCMFORLESS) and he removes the chip and Flashs it. I believe he has to put the chip on a special chip eraser. But I am 100% Vin DOES NOT MATTER( Unless using lt1Edit) because I switch mine and my friends ecms in our cars alot of times. Also just a thought but try diableing the vats in the program you are useing and see if that works. But most important try changing things, just don't speculate. First try a different .bin. Post what you have and we will see who has a bin that is close to what you need. If that doesn't work the chip may have to be Flashed(Removed) or you have a bad ecm. Well there you have it, my 2 cents. I don't know alot about the ecm programing, But I do know what I said is right, I do my research!! Hope I helped!!

------------------
KYLE P. DAY-SERGEANT USMC
97 Trans Am with minor mods.
EMAIL: dayusmc@marinecorps.com

[This message has been edited by dayusmc (edited August 15, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by dayusmc (edited August 15, 2002).]

Hal Fisher

Where in the heck would the pcm have to match to something else in the car? What, they have a secret chip in the cigerette lighter? No, the pcm is everything and the only thing that cares. Its just another number in an address to it. Only Lt1-edit restricts by vin (program only allows editing files with the same vin # in it).

I realize your stuck right now. If your out in nowhere the dealer is going to screw you because he knows you don't really know what your doing. Maybe get on the LT1 list and buddy/beg someone local to stick there pcm in (really doesn't matter, won't hurt a thing, I do it all the time).

Hal

Fred94LT1

Thanks for all the info. I talked to the moderator here last night and he told me he would repair my computer, program it for my mods and express mail it back to me. Best of all he has a 94Z and will try it on his own B4 he sends it back. I owe him a X-Mas present for sure. BTW, I asked him to lock my BLM's at 128 so hopefully my o2's will quit giving me trouble,
Fred

------------------
1994 Z28, A4,
BEST 1/4 12.413@109.55
BEST 1/4 MPH 110.49
BEST 60' 1.668
BEST 1/8 7.884@86.35
BEST 1/8 mph 86.77
Race Weight 3600lbs
No new times with P&P heads Flow 239.4 INT 182.1 @525 lift, or
24lb SVO inj's...

Dr.Mudge

Ok, read the first post, see that your using tunercat. If there is no VIN in the PCM then you need to get it flashed, but only a dealer can access that memory portion, cant be flashed at home.

Try unplugging the PCM BATT fuse and plug it back in, if that doesn't do it then something is wrong. I turned off my laptop once at 100% without waiting for the fuel pump reset (I thought I did but I couldn't hear well, was at the track). Had to unplug the fuse for it to start since the PCM was not reset successfully by TUNERCAT due to my goof.

If nothing like this works take the PCM to the dealer, or of course Andrew as your last post says Good luck

[This message has been edited by Dr.Mudge (edited August 16, 2002).]

Hal Fisher

Oh, jeesh. Dr. Mudge is right! If the thing has NO VIN then thats a whole other problem. Man, I would ship that recondition thing right back for a refund. Sorry I read the post wrong and went in a whole other direction.

Hal