[cleatus12r]

First, a little history on the vehicle:
1996 F-350 crew cab automatic


This thing has been a pain in the neck for the last 7 months. Everything I do to it seems to cause another problem. I wrote two programs for it 7 months ago. The first problem was a nearly constant double key up to wake up the chip. New chip....same problem (wash, rinse, repeat again for the same problem).

Ok, I finally had one that worked reliably. Well a couple weeks later, the guy calls me and says that it won't start. Cranks but will not start and the wait to start light is working normally. That's it for chip problems (it's got an intermittent HPO problem that shows up periodically though). He had Ford do some work on the truck and they said it needed a PCM (it didn't) so he had me install a NAPA reman. This comes into play later.

I've reburned the chip a couple of times since then to take care of some transmission shifting characteristics that he wants and to help a little bit with the low/mid RPM power.


So.....

Last night I was supposed to have a live tuning "session" with him to work on the last bit of transmission tuning (special needs customer). He's going to be hauling a trailer a long way today and he wanted to try it out while it's loaded. I took out the chip, installed the emulator adapter, and plugged the works into the laptop like I've done a dozen times before. I loaded the tune/.mdf and connected then downloaded.

The truck wouldn't start. Smoked like a mad chief but wouldn't fire except for once every 3-4 seconds when the WTS light would flash (like the PCM was resetting). Anyhow, that confused me so I tried again. Same issue. I took the emulator off and tried to start... Same problem with an "open" PCM. What did I just do? I start thinking of who I could call to borrow a PCM from so this guy could use his truck.

Well, I disconnected the PCM connector for a minute. Thank goodness it worked. It must have messed up something in the KAM.

My question is this:
Does the emulator need to be "blanked out" before installing on a different PCM? I know there is no communication without the PCM being powered up but does it do any damage when you've got say a PMT1 file on the emulator when you plug it into a TDE1? How does one go about erasing the memory on the emulator if it has to be done? This is the first time this happened.

Secondly, the PCM from NAPA has a tag that says F7TF-TB. That should be a TDE1. Why in the heck didn't it work? I JUST used it about a month ago on an identical truck with two in between.

Thanks for the help, Bill!

[88Racing]

I just throw these suggestions out there: How old are the batteries? Is the electrical charging system in good working order?

Lars

[Power Hungry]

Man, I don't even know where to begin on this one. (Sounds like you don't either!)

I don't know where to go regarding the chip issues you originally had so let's concentrate strictly on the emulator. The emulator is going to run whatever the latest program is that you put into it. If you've got a TDE1 and you are using the TDE1 file, then that's what the truck *should* be running on. It doesn't matter if the last truck was a PMT1, XLE4, VDH5, or even an MLE1.

One thing to keep in mind is that the emulator use RAM memory (kinda like your computer) and has a little battery that provides power to the flash so the data isn't lost. If you programmed the emulator with a PMT1 on another truck, disconnect the setup and then reconnect to a TDE1 without reprogramming (downloading) the TDE1 file in the emulator, it will still contain the PMT1 file. Whenever you hook to a new vehicle, you must download the correct calibration (either stock or modified) for that vehicle. Also, make sure you are not using 224K files. The emulator will only work with 32K files.

One final thought... despite the PCM having the sticker that indicate TDE1, is there a possibility that it's NOT actually flashed to a TDE1? Do you have a scan tool that will read the PCM HEX Code?

If you need, I can give you a call and we can bounce some ideas around.

Take care.

[cleatus12r]

Originally Posted by Lars

I just throw these suggestions out there: How old are the batteries? Is the electrical charging system in good working order?

The batteries are 2 weeks old, the alternator was replaced at the same time.
Thanks for the suggestion though. One of his main problems was weak batteries the last time he had an extended crank problem.

Originally Posted by Bill

The emulator is going to run whatever the latest program is that you put into it. If you've got a TDE1 and you are using the TDE1 file, then that's what the truck *should* be running on. It doesn't matter if the last truck was a PMT1, XLE4, VDH5, or even an MLE1.

One thing to keep in mind is that the emulator use RAM memory (kinda like your computer) and has a little battery that provides power to the flash so the data isn't lost. If you programmed the emulator with a PMT1 on another truck, disconnect the setup and then reconnect to a TDE1 without reprogramming (downloading) the TDE1 file in the emulator, it will still contain the PMT1 file. Whenever you hook to a new vehicle, you must download the correct calibration (either stock or modified) for that vehicle. Also, make sure you are not using 224K files. The emulator will only work with 32K files.

Exactly. That's where the issue of whether or not I'm screwing stuff up somehow by putting bank 8 of a certain code in with banks 1, 0,and 9 of something else. So there isn't a need (or a way to) erase the emulator between "flashings"? In addition, the PCM shouldn't be adversely effected by whacked-out maps for a minute while the emulator is receiving new binary?

No problems with the 32K files either. I just used the emulator a couple weeks ago on an identical truck and starting with the exact same 32K files.

I assumed that the programming would be correct but I don't know for certain. While stock (chipless) it shifts like a TDE1, but who knows what the deal is. Yes, I have the ability to dump the binary and look at the .hex code but I don't think this guy will have my tuning long enough for me to care....he's not really happy since all of his troubles appeared a month after I first got ahold of his truck. 1 out of 9 isn't too bad of a failure rate I guess.


Thanks for the input!

[Power Hungry]

Cody... It happens to the best of us. You can't please everyone and sometimes things just go wrong. Don't lose any sleep over it and just move on to the next customer.