93 LT1 Computer Question
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Nebraska
93 LT1 Computer Question I have a 93 Formula LT1 M6 and I'm just learning about the awesome speed density system (cough cough) and i just ordered a mild performance chip and I want to know how easy it is to install the chip in my computer and where its located. Your help would be appreciated
Very easy. Remove the two 10mm bolts holding down the ECU bracket then the two 1/2in (i think) retaining nuts holding the bracket onto the ECU itself. After the bracket is removed, there are 4 small bolts u need to remove (either a 7mm something else in sae). After you remove that cover, just push down on the tabs on each side of the factory chip and it will pop out. Repeat process but backwards
I would only hope he's smart enough to do that without someone's advice. Plus, you won't fry anything if you leave the battery connected (I accidentally left it connected and everything was fine).
I have a 93 Formula LT1 M6 and I'm just learning about the awesome speed density system (cough cough) and i just ordered a mild performance chip and I want to know how easy it is to install the chip in my computer and where its located. Your help would be appreciated
Launching!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 284
Likes: 1
From: Hebron, Oh
With most aftermarket proms, you will still have to use your factory chip piggybacked on an adapter that contains your new chip. The new chip should come with instructions. If not, remove the blue cover on our factory chip and you will see two chips, one large and one small. The large chip is what you are basically bypassing with the adapter. The pins on the adapter will plug into the end of your factory prom where the small chip is located. Then plug the adapter into the ecm in the same orientation that the factory chip was installed.
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With most aftermarket proms, you will still have to use your factory chip piggybacked on an adapter that contains your new chip. The new chip should come with instructions. If not, remove the blue cover on our factory chip and you will see two chips, one large and one small. The large chip is what you are basically bypassing with the adapter. The pins on the adapter will plug into the end of your factory prom where the small chip is located. Then plug the adapter into the ecm in the same orientation that the factory chip was installed.
For older cars yes, when ordering from MADZ28 or PCM4LESS they don't suggest that at all.. The instructions say pre-93 if I remember correctly. I've had tunes from both madz28 and pcmforless and i completely swapped them out both times and car runs great
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Verdad Gallardo Launching!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 284
Likes: 1
From: Hebron, Oh
I don't know about that. I have only ordered two chips. One Ed Wright which came with an adapter and had to use the factory chip(The small chip on the factory prom has info which the car needs to operate, I believe limp mode). The pcmforless I ordered for a diff. cam setup was just a file e-mailed to me and sold as "burn your own" since I had a prom burner. I still had to use my factory prom piggybacked to the adapter. I now just do my own tuning, have an adapter with the factory prom piggybacked and a ribbon cable going from the adapter to the autoprom. I run the car off of the autoprom and do not use a prom. I will experiment and remove the factory prom from the adapter and see how the car operates. I am off the rest of the day today so I will go do that and let you know.
Launching!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 284
Likes: 1
From: Hebron, Oh
I removed the factory prom and the car starts, although I am convinced that the factory prom should still remain in place. The other circuitry on the prom besides the chip is there for a reason from the factory. I don't believe the chips that are from other makers contain the information or use that the other circuitry provides. I believe that is why Ed Wright states to reuse it. Does the chip you are using look identical to the factory prom? It has the blue cover with the chip on one side and circuitry on the other. I am going to do more research on what the other part of the prom does. I always heard limp mode, but was not completely sure.
Launching!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 284
Likes: 1
From: Hebron, Oh
I was wrong on the limp mode. I found this on a gm proms "The MEMCAL is a large brown and blue 'T' shaped plastic carrier that plugs into a special 50 pin socket inside the ECM. Half of the MEMCAL is an EPROM [27C128 - 128Kbits - 16K bytes, 150ns or better] that contains the computer software and look-up tables for a specific vehicle. The other half of the MEMCAL is that neat little board covered in "squishy stuff" and a couple of chips beneath it. That is the Electronic Spark Control [ESC] module for that vehicle. The ESC "listens" to the knock sensor and sends a yes/no signal to the ECM to indicate the presence of knock. As you can imagine, an incorrect PROM can cause a car to run bad, or not at all. An incorrect ESC module can tell the ECM that knock is there when it in fact isn't, or worse yet, NOT tell the ECM when knock is present." Makes me wonder why some say it is not needed. Maybe it is not used on our vehicles, but would still wonder why it is there.
