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Extra Computer For My Truck

TexasAl

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TexasAl Enthusiast

TexasAl

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Hello, have been reading about the tunning options, and the possible problems with the dealer if they find a tune on my truck. So I am taking the advice of many members on this board, and ordering a computer for my truck, so that I can remove my stock computer(s), and install the mod on the "new" computers. I have a few questions.

 

What computer(s)do I need to order (ie. PCM, BCM....) ?

 

 

Where have some of you purchased your extra computers?

 

 

Average price for this computer?

 

 

Can I find the correct part number by simply looking at my stock computers, or will I have to go and ask a dealer?

 

 

Will the new computer need to be "reflashed", and how is this done?

 

 

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

 

 

-Al

 

 

Edit:

 

I have a 2008 Chevy Silverado 2WD LT Crew Cab with a 5.3 engine

ws6_guy Senior Enthusiast

ws6_guy

Posted
Posted

PCM is all there is. Custom tune costs will vary depending what you have done, average is $300 - $450. I dont have a custom tune personally, but I have looked into it alot and have been considering. Blackbear, Westerns, & Wheatley seem to have the best tuning and most satisfied customers.

TexasAl Enthusiast

TexasAl

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No the new 07 and up trucks have a pcm and a tcm. One for the trans and one for the engine!!

 

 

That is what I thought. I forgot to mention that I am doing this to a 2008 Silverado Crew Cab with a 5.3 engine.

TexasAl Enthusiast

TexasAl

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part numbers:

 

PCM 12597121

TCM 24234503

Awesome, thanks for the part numbers. I will start looking for them online (maybe ebay) as other have done.

 

-Al

alaska511 Senior Enthusiast

alaska511

Posted
Posted

I get the feeling the demand will increase for these modules, given the info that is now circulating. I am wondering if the prices will start to rise on the modules.

 

Hey Will, has any of that info been on the DTC forum? I was wondering if Butch could validate any of it.

It would be nice to see what Justin had to say too...

alaska511 Senior Enthusiast

alaska511

Posted
Posted
Scott, you mean the "GM looking in to people tuning their vehicles and 86ing their warranties" story? If so, then no.

 

Yes, sorry I should have been more specific. Okay, thanks Will, I was just curious what they thought. I have been following that thread on the Corvette Forum

Bostonsfavson Senior Enthusiast

Bostonsfavson

Posted
Posted

Here's what Butch had to say last time something like this came up. I think he makes some salient points:

 

GM just at the end of last year, and after a long court battle, has finally let the aftermarket into their SPS database, the complete database, not the aftermarket version we had to use before! So now that they were forced to do that, they come out with this!!

 

PITA, but we'll somehow get the tuning done! Every year we have to change, and find new ways to defeat this craziness. A well written tune, by someone that knows what they are doing will add life to the engine and drivetrain, even the GM engineers are on board with that. Unfortunately we have to suffer for the majority of tuners that do more damage than good! I know one that hurt 7 transmissions last year, simply from lack of knowledge. Making a truck go fast but ruining the transmission or hurting an engine is not quality tuning. GM engineers have examined many of these aftermarket tunes. I have sent some of the bad tune files to Lyndon and he has shared them with his GM engineer friends. They have also examined dozens of Lyndons tunes and even shared information. The engineers know factory tuning is very limiting, they also know that it can be improved, but cannot do it themselves since the stock programming must cover all worst case scenarios like bad gas and poor maintenance.

Maybe it's time for licensing? It's been talked about! Eliminating the garbage tuners and licensing the good tuners would do allot toward the war between the manufactures and the aftermarket.

 

Personally, I really like the idea of licensed tuners. Getting a tune from one of these people would not affect your warranty, and self-tuners who wanted to mess around could either run the risk of warranty problems or simply buy some spare modules. Seems like a smart and fair solution, but I doubt GM will ever go for it.

TexasAl Enthusiast

TexasAl

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Definetely great information. I have been following the thread talking about voiding GM's warranty with mods, so I am going to do it the "safe way", and use a spare computer. OK, so I;ve got most of the information I need. Will, I will email (MiamiDenali), and see if he still has the computers available. I will also be checking eBay to see what they are going for there. Now, once I buy the computers, how do I get them reflashed? Do I install them, and then have the dealer reflash them, or do I take them to the service dept. and ask them to reflash them? Either way, what do I tell them if they ask me why I need an extra set of computers for my fully warrantied truck? Thanks for all the info. Keep it coming. I will be sure to document the process, and write a detailed writeup.

 

Thanks,

 

-Al

j.roffel Senior Enthusiast

j.roffel

Posted
Posted
Definetely great information. I have been following the thread talking about voiding GM's warranty with mods, so I am going to do it the "safe way", and use a spare computer. OK, so I;ve got most of the information I need. Will, I will email (MiamiDenali), and see if he still has the computers available. I will also be checking eBay to see what they are going for there. Now, once I buy the computers, how do I get them reflashed? Do I install them, and then have the dealer reflash them, or do I take them to the service dept. and ask them to reflash them? Either way, what do I tell them if they ask me why I need an extra set of computers for my fully warrantied truck? Thanks for all the info. Keep it coming. I will be sure to document the process, and write a detailed writeup.

 

Thanks,

 

-Al

 

I'm not 100% with the NBS workings but you should just send the pcm to the tuner of your choice and they will tune it, then you swap them for the stock ones, simple plug and play, and keep the stock ones on a shelf in case you should need to reinstall it.

TexasAl Enthusiast

TexasAl

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Definetely great information. I have been following the thread talking about voiding GM's warranty with mods, so I am going to do it the "safe way", and use a spare computer. OK, so I;ve got most of the information I need. Will, I will email (MiamiDenali), and see if he still has the computers available. I will also be checking eBay to see what they are going for there. Now, once I buy the computers, how do I get them reflashed? Do I install them, and then have the dealer reflash them, or do I take them to the service dept. and ask them to reflash them? Either way, what do I tell them if they ask me why I need an extra set of computers for my fully warrantied truck? Thanks for all the info. Keep it coming. I will be sure to document the process, and write a detailed writeup.

 

Thanks,

 

-Al

 

I'm not 100% with the NBS workings but you should just send the pcm to the tuner of your choice and they will tune it, then you swap them for the stock ones, simple plug and play, and keep the stock ones on a shelf in case you should need to reinstall it.

 

 

OK, is that how it works. I have heard other mention this "reflash", so I was assuming that they tuner needed to have some stock values on the computer in order to do a tune. Anybody else that has swapped ECM's to do a tune know if this is possible. That would make it a heck of a lot easier.

 

-Al

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