ECM locked?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 151
Likes: 2
From: Savannah GA
ECM locked?
So from everything i can gather from these forums, my 06 C6 ECM which seems to be an E38 which was tuned from a local and was ok then i went to vengeance and had it dialed in . Now im boosted the local tuner came back by got it setup to get me by until i can make it back to vengeance for mike to setup my new tune since the car went kaboom. Sent the ECM to mike hes saying that the local tuner has it "locked" now. i cant really get back in touch with the local anymore. So what options does this really leave me with? Ive see. A tons of different info on here not sure which way to really go. Please help thank you
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 328
From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
Ok some tuners will LOCK their tunes---so no one else but themselves can ever re tune your ECM----This is a chicken s--t thing to do !!!!
However-----Any dealer can re-flash your ECM back to bone stock regardless of a tune
if it is locked or not-----Most Chevy dealers charge only from $100-$150 for a full stock re-flash----
PS----A tuner with HP or EFILIVE can sometimes re-flash your ECM back to stock---
However there are some issues that may pop up----Even in the family of C6/2006 ECM's there are several what they call "operating systems" Once your ECM is locked it becomes a "write only ECM" which means it cannot be read again-----The only way to get the exact correct operating system with aftermarket software is by using your VIN #--- But aftermatket tuning software cannot differentiate the different operating systems by VIN--only the dealer software can---The dealer can re load your stock tune and operating system with your VIN #
Then you can start over------------
However-----Any dealer can re-flash your ECM back to bone stock regardless of a tune
if it is locked or not-----Most Chevy dealers charge only from $100-$150 for a full stock re-flash----
PS----A tuner with HP or EFILIVE can sometimes re-flash your ECM back to stock---
However there are some issues that may pop up----Even in the family of C6/2006 ECM's there are several what they call "operating systems" Once your ECM is locked it becomes a "write only ECM" which means it cannot be read again-----The only way to get the exact correct operating system with aftermarket software is by using your VIN #--- But aftermatket tuning software cannot differentiate the different operating systems by VIN--only the dealer software can---The dealer can re load your stock tune and operating system with your VIN #
Then you can start over------------
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 151
Likes: 2
From: Savannah GA
Spoke with chevy yesterday down here , they are saying it is 115$ for back to stock flash . The issue here is they say that they "need the car to do it" . The car has a fully built motor and will not run at all if they get "get the car" bc of the stock tune and obviously the parts in the car. So now i don't really know where that lesves me.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 151
Likes: 2
From: Savannah GA
ok then maybe thats the only hope then , but for the price of tows i could probably buy a new ECM . Do i just need to find a E38 ECM out of my similar year car? Bc it seems this ECM. Was used in a million GM cars. I spoke with a tuner earlier that said he can unlock them without an issue, maybe i can send it to him and go that route if he truly can?
Pro
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 706
Likes: 337
From: Northwood NH
ok then maybe thats the only hope then , but for the price of tows i could probably buy a new ECM . Do i just need to find a E38 ECM out of my similar year car? Bc it seems this ECM. Was used in a million GM cars. I spoke with a tuner earlier that said he can unlock them without an issue, maybe i can send it to him and go that route if he truly can?
