Brought my car up yesterday to get my car dyno tuned, called me today and told me my computer crashed. Said it was "old and unstable." Figure he just said that to cover is butt. But now have to buy a new one. Just wondering if this has happen to anyone else.

 

I dont see happen to often but very possible.

 

I've heard that in the middle of a flash if you get a surge or the car or computer die that it'll fry your ECU. Don't know how common it is but I've heard of it happening.

 

he said $85 for a new one, soo i guess worst things could of happened

 

An interruption of power to the pcm or a glitch in the programming computer can cause this. Last I checked MadZ28 could fix them. I had him repair mine when a flakey copy of Windows Millenium froze one up.

Forgive the simple explanation, I am a carpenter not an electronics guru. At any rate my understanding is when reprogramming is initiated the pcm's RAM loads info on how to operate while the ROM chips are wiped to prepare for reprogramming. If anything disturbs the RAM before the ROM is completely reflashed the RAM has no info to reload on how to complete the reprogram. It is possible to desolder the chips from the board put them in a fixture for reflashing and do so. I had madz28 go a step further and make those chips removable so the next time I locked them up I could just remove them and send them to him instead of him having to get the whole pcm back and desolder the chips again.

 

[QUOTE=96capricemgr;14846760] a flakey copy of Windows Millenium froze one up.

[QUOTE]

When was Millenium not flakey? I think it was even flakey when the PC's were turn off.

 

PCMs rarely go bad unless there has been intervention by some outside influence. Never heard one being called "old and unstable" (if that is the case, everyone's is, LOL). Sounds like a CYA remark.

 

I'm new to this but I can understand the PCM going south if the download quits before it finishes. I've heard that opening the door will glitch the electrical system because the dome light comes on. Hard to believe. Now, having the USB plug fall out of the laptop, or the laptop's battery going dead I can believe.

Al

 

It is possible for a computer to just die, but calling it old and unstable sounds like someone covering up a screwup to me...

 

Yes-sir-re-bob

 

He likely doesn't have experience with how finnicky the LT1's computer can be and will **** it up again. I would call Ion and have it socketed, and get a pocketful of ROM chips.

 

PCMs do sometimes go bad but given the situation I'm about 98% sure he fucked up somewhere or had some kind of malfunction on his end and doesn't want to own up to it. I'd ask him about just what exactly happened there.

 

thats a CYA response i'm betting. somehow the software upload was interrupted and locked the pcm. a kicked loose cable, a power loss on either computer, or a glitch on the loading computer. fwiw, automotive pcm's are amazingly strong, considering the environment they live in and speed they are asked to compute lots of inputs. PC's wouldn't last 10 minutes in that environment. a kicked loose cable or power loss are the most common pcm killers imo though.

 

said he was in the middle of a download and his computer shut off

 

That will do it. He fucked it up.

 

Just me, but I'd ask him to replace it since its his fault and if he doesn't go for it take the car and call BBB. I'm a douche to businesses that don't own up to their mess up. Unless it's your friend or your on good terms with the guy, then it's your call I guess.

 

I ******* knew it. Directly or indirectly depending on how it happened, unless he had you sign a disclaimer saying otherwise that is his responsibility, not yours. Your computer was 100% fine.

 

So, does the $85 bucks he wants to charge you include a new computer for him that isn't going to shut off mid-download and fry your perfectly functional ECM? That would be what I ask from my cell phone while on the way down there to yank the car out of his retard shop.

 

i didn't sign a thing.

 

IMO, he just bought that PCM since his computer shutting off killed it.