Code P0601 showing up after I incorrectly flashed my PCM w/ new 2Bar SD from HPTuners
04-27-2006, 10:42 AM
#1
Code P0601 showing up after I incorrectly flashed my PCM w/ new 2Bar SD from HPTuners OK, I wish that I had never even messed with the OS in my 98 Z28.
Recently, HPTuners released a new (beta) 2Bar SD OS for the 98's. I got on their list to try it out as I was dying to get rid of the low resolution secondary VE table. I did all of the steps except for one critical one. I pushed the button to "write calibration only" instead of "Writing entire". It seemed to write the new file ok. It finished, I closed out and turned the key to start the car and it would just crank but not start. I took the key out and put it back in and noticed that the fuel pump wouldn't prime. So it just cranks and no fuel. Next I hooked the laptop back up to the car and tried to put my old tune back in. It keeps failing at "preparing VCM". I closed out the Editor and opened the scanner to discover that I am getting this code P0601 which means that the PCM is in read only mode or something. I have been sending e-mails back and forth to the support team over at HPTUners and the last one said to take the PCM out of the car and take it to my dealer and they should be able to clear it up. I called the dealer and told them what was going on and they said that 1) they can't do anything without the car as they have no way to hook up to the computer and 2) the tech manual says that if you get that code, you have to replace the PCM and reprogram the new one with all of the cars information. So, I should have just left it alone and never done this switch. I just figured that it was better and I had the extra credits to burn. If what the dealership is telling me is correct, I am looking at close to $1,000 in parts and labor to fix this problem.
Someone please shine a light on this and tell me that there is another solution.
Thanks in advance.
Recently, HPTuners released a new (beta) 2Bar SD OS for the 98's. I got on their list to try it out as I was dying to get rid of the low resolution secondary VE table. I did all of the steps except for one critical one. I pushed the button to "write calibration only" instead of "Writing entire". It seemed to write the new file ok. It finished, I closed out and turned the key to start the car and it would just crank but not start. I took the key out and put it back in and noticed that the fuel pump wouldn't prime. So it just cranks and no fuel. Next I hooked the laptop back up to the car and tried to put my old tune back in. It keeps failing at "preparing VCM". I closed out the Editor and opened the scanner to discover that I am getting this code P0601 which means that the PCM is in read only mode or something. I have been sending e-mails back and forth to the support team over at HPTUners and the last one said to take the PCM out of the car and take it to my dealer and they should be able to clear it up. I called the dealer and told them what was going on and they said that 1) they can't do anything without the car as they have no way to hook up to the computer and 2) the tech manual says that if you get that code, you have to replace the PCM and reprogram the new one with all of the cars information. So, I should have just left it alone and never done this switch. I just figured that it was better and I had the extra credits to burn. If what the dealership is telling me is correct, I am looking at close to $1,000 in parts and labor to fix this problem.
Someone please shine a light on this and tell me that there is another solution.
Thanks in advance.
04-27-2006, 11:22 AM
#3
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Some dealers have a bench flasher where they've rigged up a wiring harness/battery so they don't need the car - but it's pretty uncommon at dealer service since that requires some common sense.
Besides, the dealer service dept. wants your car in there so they can generate a service order and $$.
They should be able to rewrite your entire PCM with the Tech II, they will need your VIN # and car info to download your factory tune into the Tech II and then use the Tech II to program the PCM.
If the PCM is in a state where the Tech II can't rewrite it, you may indeed need a new PCM. Someone on this board has cheap ones, can't remember who offhand, but ask/look around if you need a new one to save some $$. Hope that's not the case with yours, good luck.
Rob (Bad30th)
Besides, the dealer service dept. wants your car in there so they can generate a service order and $$.
They should be able to rewrite your entire PCM with the Tech II, they will need your VIN # and car info to download your factory tune into the Tech II and then use the Tech II to program the PCM.
If the PCM is in a state where the Tech II can't rewrite it, you may indeed need a new PCM. Someone on this board has cheap ones, can't remember who offhand, but ask/look around if you need a new one to save some $$. Hope that's not the case with yours, good luck.
Rob (Bad30th)
04-27-2006, 11:24 AM
#4
Originally Posted by 98Z28CobraKiller
OK, I wish that I had never even messed with the OS in my 98 Z28.
Recently, HPTuners released a new (beta) 2Bar SD OS for the 98's. I got on their list to try it out as I was dying to get rid of the low resolution secondary VE table. I did all of the steps except for one critical one. I pushed the button to "write calibration only" instead of "Writing entire". It seemed to write the new file ok. It finished, I closed out and turned the key to start the car and it would just crank but not start. I took the key out and put it back in and noticed that the fuel pump wouldn't prime. So it just cranks and no fuel. Next I hooked the laptop back up to the car and tried to put my old tune back in. It keeps failing at "preparing VCM". I closed out the Editor and opened the scanner to discover that I am getting this code P0601 which means that the PCM is in read only mode or something. I have been sending e-mails back and forth to the support team over at HPTUners and the last one said to take the PCM out of the car and take it to my dealer and they should be able to clear it up. I called the dealer and told them what was going on and they said that 1) they can't do anything without the car as they have no way to hook up to the computer and 2) the tech manual says that if you get that code, you have to replace the PCM and reprogram the new one with all of the cars information. So, I should have just left it alone and never done this switch. I just figured that it was better and I had the extra credits to burn. If what the dealership is telling me is correct, I am looking at close to $1,000 in parts and labor to fix this problem.
Someone please shine a light on this and tell me that there is another solution.
Thanks in advance.
Recently, HPTuners released a new (beta) 2Bar SD OS for the 98's. I got on their list to try it out as I was dying to get rid of the low resolution secondary VE table. I did all of the steps except for one critical one. I pushed the button to "write calibration only" instead of "Writing entire". It seemed to write the new file ok. It finished, I closed out and turned the key to start the car and it would just crank but not start. I took the key out and put it back in and noticed that the fuel pump wouldn't prime. So it just cranks and no fuel. Next I hooked the laptop back up to the car and tried to put my old tune back in. It keeps failing at "preparing VCM". I closed out the Editor and opened the scanner to discover that I am getting this code P0601 which means that the PCM is in read only mode or something. I have been sending e-mails back and forth to the support team over at HPTUners and the last one said to take the PCM out of the car and take it to my dealer and they should be able to clear it up. I called the dealer and told them what was going on and they said that 1) they can't do anything without the car as they have no way to hook up to the computer and 2) the tech manual says that if you get that code, you have to replace the PCM and reprogram the new one with all of the cars information. So, I should have just left it alone and never done this switch. I just figured that it was better and I had the extra credits to burn. If what the dealership is telling me is correct, I am looking at close to $1,000 in parts and labor to fix this problem.
Someone please shine a light on this and tell me that there is another solution.
Thanks in advance.
ok, first heres what happened.. you took part of the program, and wrote it over part of another program... obviously, this makes a corrupt program that cant run anything... hence, why your car wont start.
the dealership doesnt need to know any of that. the dealerships machine is made to plug into the ODBII terminal, so you will need to bring your car to them for that solution... sucks, but it happens..
the reason the dealer recommends a new PCM is that NORMALLY that code only shows if the PCM goes bad... of course, yours ISNT bad, you just flashed a bad program onto it... the dealership doesnt expect you to be flashing anything, hence their recommendations...
possible courses of action:
1. tow/trailer car to dealership and have them reflash it.
2. send PCM mail order to someone like wait4me and see if they can flash it.
3. buy new PCM, tow/trailer car to dealership/ have dealership flash PCM thru car with stock program... then reflash it correctly with HP tuners so the car is tuned.
a possible 4th one is to build a programming harness with a ODBII port, and take that and your PCM to the dealer...
id probably try #2 there first...
04-27-2006, 11:58 AM
#5
Dude,
Thanks. What you say does make sense. So you think I should either tow it to the dealer or mail order it to some one (which ever is faster and cheaper). I will try to contact wait4me to see what kind of turn around I can expect.
Thanks. What you say does make sense. So you think I should either tow it to the dealer or mail order it to some one (which ever is faster and cheaper). I will try to contact wait4me to see what kind of turn around I can expect.
04-27-2006, 12:08 PM
#7
Originally Posted by 98Z28CobraKiller
Maybe someone in the Palm Beach County area could be enticed to come over with their TechII to do at my home.
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04-27-2006, 02:58 PM
#10
Originally Posted by wait4me
It is the epprom that needs reset after this kind of error..
I wont be able to send you my stock, modified and 2bar SD tunes until tonite when I get back home. I am hoping that you can read .hpt files.
Thanks in advance.
04-27-2006, 06:14 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by TAQuickness
I'm surprised HPT doesn't check the OS before flashing the cal. good luck.
- Keith, HP Tuners
04-27-2006, 07:46 PM
#13
Originally Posted by Magnus
We do this on every single vehicle that supports it.
- Keith, HP Tuners
- Keith, HP Tuners
04-27-2006, 07:53 PM
#14
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Yea, the problem is the 98's do not report the operating system ID #... so there is no way to verify it, unfortunately. 
If you try to do the same on the 99+ V8 vehicles, the software will catch you and prevent you from going any further.
This very example is one of the reasons we were hesitant to release the 98 VCM Enhancements back in the day...
I wish I had a simple solution for ya to get you back up and running.. frying PCM's sucks.
- Keith, HP Tuners
If you try to do the same on the 99+ V8 vehicles, the software will catch you and prevent you from going any further.
This very example is one of the reasons we were hesitant to release the 98 VCM Enhancements back in the day...
I wish I had a simple solution for ya to get you back up and running.. frying PCM's sucks.
- Keith, HP Tuners
04-28-2006, 04:04 PM
#16
I just got the good news that Jesse (wait4me) has breathed the life back into my PCM and is sending it back today so that I have it tomorrow. I will post again after I receive it and try it out. Talk about fast turn around. He got it today before noon and I will have it back here in Florida by tomorrow afternoon.
04-28-2006, 04:59 PM
#17
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I did the same thing , 1000 miles from home , with Edit a couple of years back, cost me a little over 700. - new PCM, towing, extra day in motel,and strighten up software,
WAIT4ME offered to help at that time also, I did not have the time to send him my PCM
thanks JES for the offer,Johnny
WAIT4ME offered to help at that time also, I did not have the time to send him my PCM
thanks JES for the offer,Johnny
Last edited by SS SLP2; 04-28-2006 at 05:06 PM.
04-28-2006, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by 98Z28CobraKiller
I just got the good news that Jesse (wait4me) has breathed the life back into my PCM and is sending it back today so that I have it tomorrow. I will post again after I receive it and try it out. Talk about fast turn around. He got it today before noon and I will have it back here in Florida by tomorrow afternoon.
04-29-2006, 03:48 PM
#19
Well, I just got it back and put it back in the car and I am getting the same code. I haven't even tried to do anything to it yet. I just turned the key to the on position and noticed that I still couldn't here the fuel pump prime. I hooked up the scanner and the same ******* code. I hooked up the editor to try to read the tune that he put in there and I get the same "failed" message when it gets to Preparing VCM. This is killing me. DAMN IT!!!! $130 dollars down the tubes.
