PCM Diagnostics & Tuning HP Tuners | Holley | Diablo

Locked Tune?

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Old Dec 5, 2010 | 07:45 AM
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Default Locked Tune?

So my car is in need of tuning. I'm the third owner; I bought the car with a t-rex already installed, apparently by the first owner, and i'm guessing it was "tuned" to a degree. The guy i want to tune my car lives about 3 hours away... So i'd really hate to make what would be a 6 hour round trip just to find out that the current "tune" is locked.

Any ideas or suggestions of what i can do to find this out before hand?
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Old Dec 5, 2010 | 12:12 PM
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40 views and no responses. So i'm to believe that no one on ls1tech knows anything about tuning??
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Old Dec 5, 2010 | 12:21 PM
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only way you'll be able to tell, is to get something to try and read/write the pcm... a code scanner, or someone close by that has tuning software or programmer, etc...

won't be able to find out unless you try to read from/write to the pcm...
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Old Dec 5, 2010 | 01:13 PM
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None of us have a crystal ball that tells us for sure if its locked. Trying to access the pcm is about the only way to know for sure.
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Old Dec 5, 2010 | 04:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Darksol
None of us have a crystal ball that tells us for sure if its locked.
Yeah,... no ****. I didn't ask anyone to tell me if i do have a locked tune. I only asked for input on what i could do to find out. Thankfully someone with some kind of experience was literate enough to read and understand what i asked for.
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Old Dec 5, 2010 | 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by 06MonteSS
only way you'll be able to tell, is to get something to try and read/write the pcm... a code scanner, or someone close by that has tuning software or programmer, etc...

won't be able to find out unless you try to read from/write to the pcm...
Thanks, it never occurred to me that something like a handheld programmer might give me an answer.
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Old Dec 6, 2010 | 07:32 AM
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Your smartass commentary will get answers really fast.....
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Old Dec 6, 2010 | 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by 06MonteSS
only way you'll be able to tell, is to get something to try and read/write the pcm... a code scanner, or someone close by that has tuning software or programmer, etc...

won't be able to find out unless you try to read from/write to the pcm...
a code scanner won't tell you. You won't know until you try and read or write to the onboard flash...

Originally Posted by Nemesis350
Thanks, it never occurred to me that something like a handheld programmer might give me an answer.
It won't unless it's a new unlocked hand held and even then, it's cost will be what you will be paying to have it tuned.

A spare PCM can be had for around $100. If you are REALLY worried, you should make sure that your tuner has one on hand or take one with you.
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Old Dec 6, 2010 | 07:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Nemesis350
So my car is in need of tuning. I'm the third owner; I bought the car with a t-rex already installed, apparently by the first owner, and i'm guessing it was "tuned" to a degree. The guy i want to tune my car lives about 3 hours away... So i'd really hate to make what would be a 6 hour round trip just to find out that the current "tune" is locked.

Any ideas or suggestions of what i can do to find this out before hand?

Originally Posted by Nemesis350
Yeah,... no ****. I didn't ask anyone to tell me if i do have a locked tune. I only asked for input on what i could do to find out. Thankfully someone with some kind of experience was literate enough to read and understand what i asked for.
Originally Posted by Nemesis350
40 views and no responses. So i'm to believe that no one on ls1tech knows anything about tuning??

Originally Posted by Darksol
Trying to access the pcm is about the only way to know for sure.

Without a tuner you would have no idea if it was locked or not. Being snide about it doesn't really make people want to help you. Just because people looked at your thread doesn't mean they have the answer. Perhaps they were hoping to find a answer for there own questions?
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Old Dec 6, 2010 | 09:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Darksol
Without a tuner you would have no idea if it was locked or not. Being snide about it doesn't really make people want to help you. Just because people looked at your thread doesn't mean they have the answer. Perhaps they were hoping to find a answer for there own questions?
I guess i'm a prime example of that...I am looking for a answer to a similar question...If the tune is locked how do you unlock it? I have a buddy that has a dablo (sp?) tunner but says that it is locked. Dablo sent him a update but he couldn't even to get it to update due to it being locked...thanks for the input!

Last edited by 97 SS LT1; Dec 6, 2010 at 09:13 PM. Reason: added more info
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Old Dec 6, 2010 | 10:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Nemesis350
Yeah,... no ****. I didn't ask anyone to tell me if i do have a locked tune. I only asked for input on what i could do to find out. Thankfully someone with some kind of experience was literate enough to read and understand what i asked for.
Take the car to a GM dealer. Ask them to flash the PCM with newest operating system. If they can do it, PCM isn't locked. If they are unable to write to the PCM, you need to find another one and flash it before you make the trip.

Of course, the dealer is going to charge for the reflash. Ask first for the fee. It may be cheaper than make 2 trips tho

You can find PCMs for $100 buck on ebay, maybe less
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