So how common is this?
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 1
From: South Dakota
So how common is this? 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.
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.
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.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,147
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From: Little Rock, AR
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.
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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.
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 749
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From: Spokane, WA
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.
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'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. TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 749
Likes: 1
From: Spokane, WA
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,025
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From: CT/NJ
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.
93, computer, corvette, ecu, fl, interuption, jacksonville, lt1, lt4, mechanic, pcm, programmer, programming, replaced
