I've got a few questions I need help with (probably a lot more in a few days ).

I have a '96 Z28 and I've sent Ion a computer from a '95 to put a resistor in for an obdi conversion, socket it, email tuning, got a cable from AKM, got a laptop and a pcmcia serial card, downloaded freescan, datamaster, pcmcom, pcmread and aldltest. Have I forgotten anything?

1 Is the "Free, easy to use boot floppy disk with software " that comes with Ion's Email Package programming all I will need in the way of software to transfer programs to/from my computer to the ECM or do I need to go ahead and order tunercat to be able to do this?

2 Will this software work on a Dell Inspiron 1100 with Windows XP or do I need to go ahead and make a harness to use my desktop that has Windows 98 on it for reflashing out of the car?

3 Is programming the ECM out of the car more reliable in terms of frying it or not worth the trouble?

4 Can I use Winbin, Winaldl or Gmecm on a '95 Camaro computer?

5 What happens to the rear O2 sensors? Does one of them get used like in obdi or are they just dead now?

Thanks in advance for bearing with me on all of the newbie questions, I just haven't been able to find answers on these.

 

I'm new as well, i have pcm for less sending me a program over email right now. he said that when he sent the program he sends the software to download and upload. i got the cable form AKM as well, and i have a dell inspiron 600 with windows xp so i hope it works too. i dont think you will need all of those programs you got for free. And to answer your question about programing being hard, i thinks so and you could lock up your ecm if you don't totaly upload to it, then you have to send the ecm off and get it reprogramed. good luck and i will let you know if i have any problems , my program should be in tomorrow

 

Hi,
first of all, you should be getting the stuff and your $1 back most likely tomorrow.

The boot disk I sent you allows you to upload the tunes I email you and if you want to do tuning on your own, you will need tunercat or lt1_edit.

I also uploaded the file on that bootdisk to your PCM so you shouldn't need to use it until the next update.

The disk should work on your laptop as long as the PCM to laptop connection is good. It will boot it to DOS so that chances that you're going to close the program accidentally or another program will interfere with your upload will be minimized.

Yes, programming the PCM on a bench harness is much more reliable than doing it in the car.

The OBDI ignores your rear O2 sensors.

 

roadtrip120 - Thanks. XP has me worried, it has some real nice features but seems a little flaky on some things. Also my laptop had no serial port so I got a Silicom eitherserial card off of ebay. The serial side seems to work fine but the eithernet side says the drivers won't work.

Anyway seems like most people here prefer datamaster so I'll probly use it since most people can help me with it.

madwolf - I'll start working on the bench harness when I get the chance. Is there anywhere you can get the connectors that plug into the pcm or are there any others you can use. I'd like to make hooking it up more foolproof.

The aldltest checked good doing the extended test but when you swapped the test mode to "run diagnostics" nothing happened. Does it have to be hooked up to the car for this?

I think I'll leave the tuning up to you for a while till I get a few more things figured out. thanks


I know your probly busy but when you get the chance could you send me the same program but for 3.23 gears? I might get the chance to swap them out if I get some parts in.