note: I posted this also on the C5 Scan & Tune

Hello All,

I finally decided to install the predator performance tune today in my 99 corvette coupe and read the manual first carefully and followed all the directions. My battery is fully charged. On the cycle that backs up the factory tune, the unit went up to around 51% as far as I can accurately remember and it stopped with an error message; i do not remember exactly what it said and i didn't write it down. So I figured to try it again and maybe it would complete it the second time around (the manual does not tell you to STOP at this point if it doesn't reach 100% and don't proceed any further. no warning at all). So I did the process again and it went to 92% but it stopped with an error message. As far as I can remember, I think it said that this vehicle's tune was not saved and the tune was not installed properly. So I try it again and this time it would not even cycle but said that it cannot find the VIN. At this point I am completely scared that my car's computer got messed up and so I disconnected the predator and tried a couple of quick clicks on the ignition (less than a second each) to see if the car would start (as it usually does) but no response and I just left it alone not wanting to possibly damaging it. My car ran flawlesslybefore this and it only has 34k miles on it. I just wanted to liven up its performance a bit and benefit from the higher shift points.

I did email predator support today. Meanwhile, if anybody can help me out with these questions, I would surely appreciate it:

1. can anything be done to restore my stock factory tune without having to take the car to the dealer?

2. is it possible to remove the computer from the car and just take the computer the dealer to reflash it?
(on my former 2000 Pontiac GTP, I had sent my PCM to the Grand Prix Store for reprogramming and they mailed it back to me); dang, otherwise I'm facing an expensive tow job

3. can the dealer do a remote reflash? (send a technician to my house with a laptop to reflash the car's pcm?)

4. has this happened to anyone and if so, how did you resolve it?

Many thanks guys from a C5 owner in need!

Ed in Hayward, CA

 

What was the error? Is this a new handheld or did you buy it from someone else?

 

Is your battery still charged?

 

i don't remember exactly the first error message that caused the predator to stop saving the stock tune (they should tell you to write these things down) maybe it was trying to access something but couldn't find it or wouldn't let it.

yes, my battery is still charged.

 

yes, this is a handheld unit and i bought it from a guy in ebay, sent it to diablosport with my car's vin, charged me i think 99 to install the tune and they sent it back to me.

 

Sounds like corrupted software that Diablo uploaded into the unit.

 

I had an issue recently writing to the PCM and it was a long process to solve the problem. Anyways in a nutshell this is what I learned from the process. The vehicles PCM, ECM and other various control modules use a serial data set-up, so a short anywhere in the system can cause havoc. For me I had a faulty connection leading to the passenger door module. Once the wire was fixed no more issues. For reference I was getting a No-Comm error.

Look at the following link for more and better information and good luck..

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ght=bus+serial

 

If I understand you the back up of the factory tune failed to save. If that's what happened there shouldn't be any problems. Saving the factory tune wouldn't be writing anything to the car. It saves the factory tune to the Predator. Personally I'd try starting the car. If somehow the PCM/ECM did get corrupt the dealer or anyone with a Tech2 could do it.

 

 

guys - thanks for your replies

Camjamsdad: is a Tech2 some kind of an editing software or a GM diagnostic tool? would this be a mobile unit that can be taken to a remote location to reflash a vehicle?

thanks for any info ... ed

 

Yes GM diagnostic tool and Yes if you can find someone to do it.

 

do you have aftermarket electronics? I had 1 wire hooked up wrong,incorrect by stereo shop, same prob. but everything worked fine in car until trying to load programmer.took forever to figure out!