Mine just arrived today. Time to get to work on this car and figure out what's wrong with the pcm.


This is wonderful... My documentation disk is empty.

Story of my life...

 

Here is my review of the purchase experience.
I just received mine the other day. $348 to my door, but it did not come with the storage case. The additional cost of the case and added shipping cost would have tacked another $140 onto the price.
From the condition of one corner of the box it was clear that DHL is not gentle with the way they handle packages, but I was lucky and had no damage to the contents. It took 10 days to arrive but I placed the order on a Friday which may have added a couple extra days. No signature required and they didn't ring the doorbell when they left the package, so be sure you ship to an address where the package isn't going to disappear off your front step.
I know that Ali Express has some better prices, but you really have no clue if you are dealing with a good company selling a better quality product or not. I went with Careucar because several people have purchased from them without issue, the product shipped from Singapore, and I was able to pay using PayPal. I will say that other than the original status update stating that the order was paid for and being processed, I had no tracking number or status updates. When I left them a message stating same, they did reply but the package had arrived by the time they replied with the tracking number.
I haven't had much time to play with it yet, but I plugged it into my GM truck and did a few things and everything seems to be working.

Also before I made the purchase I had asked the rep what the difference was between the SP23-B and SP23-C. They said different manufacturers so there could indeed be different levels of quality. Who knows?

 

Greg, I bought mine on Ali-Express and I'm perfectly happy with it. I got the case and all the modules with shipping for less money than you have in yours, and yes I did have to wait but I think it was about the same as yours. Maybe not 10 days in total but probably 7. I specifically got mine with the case because so many people complained about theirs showing up with smashed corners, broken disks and etc.

The extra money could be considered peace of mind fees, but I really didn't care about that. I was fine with using my CC to purchase it and worst case scenario, I refuse to pay the charges if they don't come through. I suppose it's a crap shoot either way but I chose to roll the dice on the cheaper end. Given that I've already programmed a used PCM with it, I am fairly confident that all this talk about clone vs original is all scare tactics to allow people to get screwed.

For anyone else... I say get the cheapest one you can find and don't pay a penny more.


Oh,
About the only thing I'd reconsider is to get the newer tool (3 letter acronym I don't recall) so you can work with newer vehicles. And possibly get one that's universal for all brands. But who knows about PCM programming with those? not me...

 

It was a matter of cost vs comfort level. It was worth it to me to buy from a vendor that had a track record with other forum members, and I didn't have to give out my CC info so I don't need to worry about fraudulent charges showing up on my statement at some future date. Maybe I just worry too much.
In any case we both got what we wanted at a price we were comfortable with, and they both work. I'll toast to that.

 

I purchased mine in September 2015 from Ali-Express. Have been completely satisfied with mine a year later now. As has been stated it is whatever one is comfortable with.

I did not get the case and it arrived in 7 days including a weekend. All was there and worked as it should. My price was $278.00 shipped to my door by DHL.

I had good communication with my seller from Ali-Express via email.

I am happy with my purchase and would buy from them again.

Use them and enjoy your Corvettes.

 

Greg, I considered going the same route for the same reason you did. But in the end I decided to go el-cheapo in addition to the more expensive ones didn't come with the case, or have an option for it in a kit. I wasn't paying >$100 for that box. no way. But! I wanted that box...

We're not talking about any significant money. As long as you got the thing and don't have someone from Bangladesh who now is an authorized user on your CC, all is good.

 

Is this a full function device that will allow bcm access to reprogram for Remote Key fobs and steering control modules, etc. or is it simply a diagnostic tool?

 

I'm sure someone with experience using this can give a better answer, but my understanding is this will do anything a real Tech 2 does. Depending on what you need to do, you may have to buy access to GM program files.
Read K-Spaz's thread on TISWEB. He had to replace his PCM and had to download the stock tune file for his VIN. I think it was $55 for two day access.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...h-tis2web.html

Also, to the people who used AliExpress, what vendors did you use? saying you purchased on AliExpress is like saying I got a great deal on Ebay.. There must be a hundred vendors selling those things and my guess is they all aren't good. Maybe if we can identify a particular vendor(s), we might actually find the grail. You Know. Cheap, Fast, Reliable.

 

I have not found anything that the Tech2 I purchased would not do. It is a clone of the GM Tech2 and will perform as such.

Was well worth the money paid IMHO.

 

Full blown and updated to current software, and you will get a cracked copy of TIS2000. The glitch, is that the TIS2000 has been cracked so it does not connect to the GM site to authorize the software, so if you need to download a updated flash file from GM, your not going to be using the cracked version of TIS200 to do so.

So, the tool itself will allow code programming and testing just like a real GM Tech II, and you don't need to use Tis2000 at all to do this with the tool.

Its when you are trying to reflash a module with upgraded software instead, and where you need to have access to the needed update file that things get a little more difficult instead. With TIS2000 (used mostly for updating software in the module), the TechII becomes a pass-through module so you can connect the car to a laptop and upgrade the software.

Since the cracked version of Tis2000 is not connecting to GM, it can't be used to try to download the needed file from GM directly instead.

Here is you can't find a source for the needed file other than GM direct, then GM does sell a one day subscription for $55 that you use instead. Hence you will uninstall the cracked Tis2000 version, install a normal Tis2000 version and use your one day key to activate it, down load the needed file for GM, and use it with the clone as pass-thou to reflash a module instead.
Note, if you do this, download all the files you can get your hands on during that one day for your car, and store them so you have them for a laster date if you need to change a module down the road and need to flash it at a later date.


As for the cracked version of Tis2000, it does make life a little simpler with the tool, since it saves a lot of Tech II button clicking instead. hence instead of using the tool as stand alone, your using your laptop to drive the tools normal functions instead.
Note, the tech II comes with a rs-232 cable to connect to your laptop. Since most new laptops do not have a RS-232 data port, then you will need not only a USB cable instead, but the needed driver for the USB cable as well.

 

I should add that I bought one for $260, it arrived in like three business days (seriously!), and it worked fine.

 

Yep, and once someone clones and crack the GM MDI to do 2007 and older cars, your going to see the prices on the Tech II drop a lot lower as well.

 

Well, I ordered one through the Ai-Express web site. $254 delivered, no case. The last time I wanted the dealer to hook up a Tech 2 to one of my cars they charged me $120. No mas.

 

 

As to it being a "Clone". It's not so much a clone as it is grey market. The devices are not allowed to be shipped with the stickers on or it's a "REAL" Tech2. So they ship the stickers in a bag and you have to put them on.. There is also a sticker inside the unit which is not allowed to be applied. Other than that, it's the same device from the same assembly line. For $4000, I was happy to put the stickers on myself.

The way things work now, there is a little misinformation or omissions below.
You can't use the cracked version to do service programming regardless. You can't use TIS2000 to do service programming even if you have the current version, it's no longer supported. They now use a Java app that runs in your browser and you connect to the site, pay the subscription fee and do your programming. I just did mine as a week ago as I said above, I used the made in Bangledesh "Clone" and they never asked what it was, only that I had the most current firmware on it which it came with from the factory.

As I said above, TIS2000 isn't used at all. At least not by the ACDelcoTDS system. You don't need ANY software other than that Java download I mentioned above. And it has to be the older version, NOT the latest.
The $55 subscription is 2 days, not one. And they are open on Saturdays for tech support if that is a concern for folks working on their cars on the weekend. I started on Friday for this reason, though I was done early Friday.

I wasn't aware there were other files. There was nothing to do to change the BCM. I suspect there's not much to do with the other modules either but I could be mistaken there. I only needed the PCM file. BCM relearn and Crank position sensor are just a process you do with either the Tech2, or the car itself and no tool in the case of the BCM.

I found this rather slow, but it can be done that way I suppose.
For the sake of tech support, they specify only ONE USB to serial device is supported. it's got to be a Tripplite Keyspan or bust. They don't even want to talk to you if you have something else, even though it's entirely possible (and highly likely) that it makes no difference whatsoever. I used the generic serial port on my system and it worked just fine. Next time (if there is a next time) I might get the Keyspan gizmo just so I can use my laptop vs taking my desktop system out in the shop to do the programming.

Fwiw, I did mine pass-through and it worked just fine, and saved some time vs the recommended way of downloading a file from the web and uploading it to the Tech2, then having the Tech2 upload it to the car. Waste of time imo.

 

3 days and it has already hit customs in Cincinnati. With all of the stuff I have seen about how terrible DHL is, I figured it would take at least a week to get from Hong Kong to the US.

 

Right !!!!, mine took 2 weeks longer from New York to than it did from China ??? someone said something about Customs, I was not in a real hurry, was just glad it worked. has already paid for it self three times over !!!

 

Delivered today at 9:30 AM. I'm going to have to find the time to connect it to one of the cars and play with it.

 

So what vendor did you buy it from on AliExpress?

 

Invoice = MR Cartool Shop

Shipping Label = SZ Guangning Tech Co LTD