Tune
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
Likes: 79
From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
None of the top tuners' lock the tunes, LPE, LG, ECS, Cartek. We don't either. If the tune is locked it's not recoverable from the dealer either, nor eligibable for updates as GM is always updating there PCM's calibration. That goes for something simple such as the recall on the column lock-the delaer would try t flash it and tur your car into paperweight. You would need to send the pcm back for a reflash or buy a new PCM.
OK, you got me confused, can you explain, are we talking about the same thing??
There has always been tons of talk in the tech and Z06 section for years about tuners locking their tunes so nobody can copy them or screw them up. LPE, Cartek, Mike Norris etc. Does it still not mean that the PCM can't be updated for other issues such as battery run down updates etc. etc.??
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,279
Likes: 1
OK, you got me confused, can you explain, are we talking about the same thing?? There has always been tons of talk in the tech and Z06 section for years about tuners locking their tunes so nobody can copy them or screw them up. LPE, Cartek, Mike Norris etc. Does it still not mean that the PCM can't be updated for other issues such as battery run down updates etc. etc.??
There has always been tons of talk in the tech and Z06 section for years about tuners locking their tunes so nobody can copy them or screw them up. LPE, Cartek, Mike Norris etc. Does it still not mean that the PCM can't be updated for other issues such as battery run down updates etc. etc.??
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 421
From: BC
Exactly-if the tune is locked you cannot get any updates from the dealer. Most people did lock tunes a long time ago, but most will not anymore as the computer can even crash while locking the tune. Plus if your at a race in Texas and your tuner is in NY and you need to make adjustments for altitude-then you can't, lose the race, lose your ride.
This is what I was trying to get across. If your computer is locked NOBODY gets in. It can't be reflashed by anyone. I heard of one fellow who had a "disagreement" with his tuner and had to buy a new computer, and have a GM dealer program it. Or, what if your tuner goes out of business, or retires, or dies, or is just too busy to be there....?
I DO have a pro tune from Jim Hall but I can remove it, modify it, or change it back to stock calibration myself as it's not locked.
Last edited by CanadaGrant; May 6, 2008 at 07:34 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 872
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None of the top tuners' lock the tunes, LPE, LG, ECS, Cartek. We don't either. If the tune is locked it's not recoverable from the dealer either, nor eligibable for updates as GM is always updating there PCM's calibration. That goes for something simple such as the recall on the column lock-the delaer would try t flash it and tur your car into paperweight. You would need to send the pcm back for a reflash or buy a new PCM.
I would hate to have higher flowing injectors on the car and then the dealer update the tables and roll me back to OEM specs as it
might just be running lean on me then.
If your PCM is locked I do not see how they can turn it into a paperweight if they cannot access the tsop directly?
I have never heard of this before?
My service rep always asks me if I have reprogrammed the PCM as he does not want them to ever overflash the code.
If you still under warranty then the last thing you want is a flash update buy a spare PCM if you have an Auto or basic bolton mods.
If you have a cam or head and heavy PCM code change then dont bother as you could not even drive it with the spare stock unit.
Last edited by NOT2MELO; May 6, 2008 at 08:58 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,279
Likes: 1
If you get your PCM tweaked due to performance hardware mods then you would not want any GM dealer to do updates to your PCM.
I would hate to have higher flowing injectors on the car and then the dealer update the tables and roll me back to OEM specs as it
might just be running lean on me then.
If your PCM is locked I do not see how they can turn it into a paperweight if they cannot access the tsop directly?
I have never heard of this before?
My service rep always asks me if I have reprogrammed the PCM as he does not want them to ever overflash the code.
If you still under warranty then the last thing you want is a flash update buy a spare PCM if you have an Auto or basic bolton mods.
If you have a cam or head and heavy PCM code change then dont bother as you could not even drive it with the spare stock unit.
I would hate to have higher flowing injectors on the car and then the dealer update the tables and roll me back to OEM specs as it
might just be running lean on me then.
If your PCM is locked I do not see how they can turn it into a paperweight if they cannot access the tsop directly?
I have never heard of this before?
My service rep always asks me if I have reprogrammed the PCM as he does not want them to ever overflash the code.
If you still under warranty then the last thing you want is a flash update buy a spare PCM if you have an Auto or basic bolton mods.
If you have a cam or head and heavy PCM code change then dont bother as you could not even drive it with the spare stock unit.
It just saves the hassle of mailing out your pcm-that's all.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 421
From: BC
I save mine on my laptop and can put it back in in less than five mins.
The way I figure it, it's my car, my computer, and if I buy it, it's my tune too. Nobody is going to lock my stuff.
The way I figure it, it's my car, my computer, and if I buy it, it's my tune too. Nobody is going to lock my stuff.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 96,496
Likes: 82
St. Jude Donor '03 through '17
Bottom line here is that you don't want your PCM locked. All the tunning software offers the feature to the tuner to lock or not.
Demand that your tuner not lock your tune, if he refuses, find another tuner!
Demand that your tuner not lock your tune, if he refuses, find another tuner!
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 4
From: Whitby
I would not want to lose the money invested in tuning the car $400-500, plus the cost of another PCM ~$300, and an hour labour at the dealship to flash back to stock ~$120, just to unlock it.
Or mail my PCM anywhere south of the boarder, wait for the tuner to unlock it and mail it back. We know that shipping across the border can take weeks, and that's one way. I would not want my car or my friends to have their car undriveable for 6 or more weeks.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: Dundas
good advice
Good Advice.
I would not want to lose the money invested in tuning the car $400-500, plus the cost of another PCM ~$300, and an hour labour at the dealship to flash back to stock ~$120, just to unlock it.
Or mail my PCM anywhere south of the boarder, wait for the tuner to unlock it and mail it back. We know that shipping across the border can take weeks, and that's one way. I would not want my car or my friends to have their car undriveable for 6 or more weeks.
I would not want to lose the money invested in tuning the car $400-500, plus the cost of another PCM ~$300, and an hour labour at the dealship to flash back to stock ~$120, just to unlock it.
Or mail my PCM anywhere south of the boarder, wait for the tuner to unlock it and mail it back. We know that shipping across the border can take weeks, and that's one way. I would not want my car or my friends to have their car undriveable for 6 or more weeks.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
Likes: 79
From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
Just as I thought..
Here is an e-mail back from Mike Norris which I sent yesterday.
Here is an e-mail back from Mike Norris which I sent yesterday.
Congrats on the purchase for sure. I believe the tune is locked as that is what happens beyond my control with LS2 Edit. This why I began using HPT for my tuning on the 2005 and newer cars. I should be able get it back to stock for you and I guess Dan needs to come by to get it done. Just let me know. As far as a bulletin, I have not seen anything official and I still do a lot of tuning work for a local Chevy dealer here. Go figure.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 421
From: BC
I have LS2 Edit and it doesn't lock anything unless the tuner decides to do it. You can replace the tune with the stock one any time you want.
As far as "not seeing anything official", if this is about warranty just check out GM PIP4386 entitled "Identifying Aftermarket Engine Calibrations".
It is dated April 8,2008. All the dealers have it and if yours is still on warranty and you visit with a locked tune, (or any tune other than stock for that matter) you won't have one (the warranty) when you leave...
As far as "not seeing anything official", if this is about warranty just check out GM PIP4386 entitled "Identifying Aftermarket Engine Calibrations".
It is dated April 8,2008. All the dealers have it and if yours is still on warranty and you visit with a locked tune, (or any tune other than stock for that matter) you won't have one (the warranty) when you leave...
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
Likes: 79
From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
I have LS2 Edit and it doesn't lock anything unless the tuner decides to do it. You can replace the tune with the stock one any time you want.
As far as "not seeing anything official", if this is about warranty just check out GM PIP4386 entitled "Identifying Aftermarket Engine Calibrations".
It is dated April 8,2008. All the dealers have it and if yours is still on warranty and you visit with a locked tune, (or any tune other than stock for that matter) you won't have one (the warranty) when you leave...
As far as "not seeing anything official", if this is about warranty just check out GM PIP4386 entitled "Identifying Aftermarket Engine Calibrations".
It is dated April 8,2008. All the dealers have it and if yours is still on warranty and you visit with a locked tune, (or any tune other than stock for that matter) you won't have one (the warranty) when you leave...
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 421
From: BC
Not sure if you are talking specifically to me or not. I already know all about that bulleitn, and the warranty issues. The car I purchased only has an air intake and a (locked) tune. I want to put the stock air intake on it and put the stock tune back in it. What I still don't know for sure is, does the original tuner who has kept the original tune from the car have to put that back into the PCM, or can my tuner here in Calgary just flash it back to stock and if so, would it be totally as it was from the factory when GM "looks" at it. Anybody??
Grant
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
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From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
You will have to get the original tuner to either flash it back to stock or unlock it so your guy can do it for you. The third choice is to purchase a new ecm and have the stock program installed by a dealer. I would think that the original tuner would be willing to return it to stock for you? Good luck with it.
Grant
Grant