Anyone use a tuner chip to avoid column lock problems??
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 25
From: Rochester Minnesota
Anyone use a tuner chip to avoid column lock problems??
Rather than buying a CLB from someone, I'm considering getting a chip that is supposed to take care of the column lock problems and the CAGS as well as provide a tune.
Anyone else done this?? How has it worked out? Where did you buy the chip?
Thanks.
Anyone else done this?? How has it worked out? Where did you buy the chip?
Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
CLB chip kit Fit!
Barking up the wrong tree. You don't know where to get the chip. You know where to get the CLB kit. You read on the forum of all the advise and how many of these forum members has given the advise of a chip?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 25
From: Rochester Minnesota
Oh, but I do know of at least one reputable tuner that will provide a chip that is supposed to do this. Sounds like a cleaner way to do this thing and get a tune on top of it.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,465
Likes: 1,166
From: Dyer, IN
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 16,825
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From: One Particular Harbour
Cruise-In 9-10-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10,-'13
I believe in the Beer Fairy
...and getting the CLB won't promise that every single day you'll still get 'pull key, wait 10 sec' 
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 25
From: Rochester Minnesota
What's wrong with this forum today? I direct a simple question TO Corvette owners that have bought a chip that included a column lock fix, and (with one exception), I get smart a$$ responses instead of answers to the question I asked. That's just plain 
!!
That's just plain !!
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Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 16,825
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From: One Particular Harbour
Cruise-In 9-10-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10,-'13
I believe in the Beer Fairy
hell, if it works, i'll try it. I'm just sick of the pull key and wait thing I've been dealing with for the past 8 months straight as a result of the CLB.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 25
From: Rochester Minnesota
When you say "CLB," are you referring to the factory fix or an aftermarket fix as available from Corvette's of Houston and others?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
CLB=Column Lock Bypass. Plugs in under the steering wheel to trick the electronics. Mostly passive devices, works like/better than the GM version (K harness). There is no "chip" around this, I think your tuner is selling you a CLB.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Somers Point New Jersey
Please excuse them, as I have been the target of the same type of rude sarcastic remarks and closed-minded opinions. They do USUALLY know what they are talking about, they just haven't learned how to be nice to people who do things differently. They know what works for them and thats that. Anything else must be wrong. But hey, at least they will tell you something ELSE that DOES work. Just try not to take their offensiveness personally. I'm sure there will be more of these comments to come...
Now I will say what I believe they were trying to say:
This is an issue that has troubled MANY MANY MANY a c5 owner and it has been damn near beaten to death on forums. The most common sure-shot way to fix this is with the column lock bypass. It is strongly recommended because, like the Ronco Rotisserie Oven, you SET IT and FORGET IT. BOOM, problem solved. This may or may not be what this tuner is trying to sell you, but if not, make sure he gives you some kind of guarantee that it will work forever. Let us know how it goes, though. I myself am curious.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,804
Likes: 358
From: Northville, MI
Maybe your referring to a tuner flashing the PCM to eliminate the cags and fuel cut off. Anyway, going from memory of this problem from several years ago, you could possibly still get a column lock up. If you have had any of the GM recalls for column lock then your PCM has had the segment 1 change. If the column lock signal is set, the column may not lock but it will still give you the fuel cut off.
If you have never had a recall reflash, then do NOT get it and install the CLB. As long as that resistor is not blown, you will not have any problems. If any of the recalls were done, you may still be prone to the fuel cut off. Search will give you all the answers as these questions have been going around for 10 years. The old advise I used to give for column lock was grip the steering wheel hard, with the engine running and in nuetral, and then jerk the wheel right and left until you break the lock. Doesn't solve the problem but lets you drive the vette.
If you have never had a recall reflash, then do NOT get it and install the CLB. As long as that resistor is not blown, you will not have any problems. If any of the recalls were done, you may still be prone to the fuel cut off. Search will give you all the answers as these questions have been going around for 10 years. The old advise I used to give for column lock was grip the steering wheel hard, with the engine running and in nuetral, and then jerk the wheel right and left until you break the lock. Doesn't solve the problem but lets you drive the vette.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 25
From: Rochester Minnesota
I would think that someone that can reprogram the ECM to provide better performance could also program the ECM to eliminate the fuel shutoff and also to just keep column lock in the unlocked position. My car has no outstanding recalls but the steering column also still locks up. That tells me the ECM has been re-programed by GM to shut-off the fuel if the correct signal isn't sent to it from the column lock.
While the CLB's seem to work better than GM's K-harness due to better quality components, they are still passive devices that can fail (as some have experienced). If the ECM is re-programmed, the odds of a subsequent failure would be less.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 23,900
Likes: 218
From: Foxtrot Delta Tango
I have heard of tuners being able to kill the fuel shutoff but I don't believe a tuner can prevent the column locking up...that's an issue between the BCM and the locking device in the steering column....
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 335
Likes: 34
From: Lincoln Nebraska
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
If a tuner tells you they can tune out the column lock function get the hell out of their store immediately. They don't know what they are talking about. The BCM sends a message to the PCM telling it to cut fuel. The tuner may be able to change the PCM programming for the fuel cutoff but they cannot do anything with the BCM. Tuners can reprogram portions of the PCM but have no way to do so with the other modules in the car.
Bill
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 25
From: Rochester Minnesota
I bought the car new in January, 2006 (the original dealer had kept it untitled since 2003) with 172 miles. That dealer said he had done whatever recalls that had been issued. That dealer is no longer in business today. I checked with a local dealer (also a member of the Corvette club I belong to). They checked the VIN last year (2007) and said there were no outstanding recalls. However, the steering wheel definitely locks up when you turn the ignition off.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
If a tuner tells you they can tune out the column lock function get the hell out of their store immediately. They don't know what they are talking about. The BCM sends a message to the PCM telling it to cut fuel. The tuner may be able to change the PCM programming for the fuel cutoff but they cannot do anything with the BCM. Tuners can reprogram portions of the PCM but have no way to do so with the other modules in the car.
Bill
There aren't any programmers or tuning software that I know of other than the GM Tech II that can interface with the BCM and the stuff that it can change in the BCM is limited to RPO code changes and re-flash programs provided by the GENERAL. So,,,if a tuner is telling you that he is providing you a CHIP to alter the BCM,,,,,,,I would be very leery.Like it was previously stated,,,it probably just a CLB that you can purchase and install yourself.
BC
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 335
Likes: 34
From: Lincoln Nebraska
I bought the car new in January, 2006 (the original dealer had kept it untitled since 2003) with 172 miles. That dealer said he had done whatever recalls that had been issued. That dealer is no longer in business today. I checked with a local dealer (also a member of the Corvette club I belong to). They checked the VIN last year (2007) and said there were no outstanding recalls. However, the steering wheel definitely locks up when you turn the ignition off.