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Please bear with me as I'm still a newbie when it comes to the tuning stuff. Just a quick prologue, I bought this 1999 Camaro with a bunch of issues to include an engine on the brink of catastrophic failure. I fixed the major mechanical issues by swapping in a 4.8L with a small cam, 80lbs/hr injectors, 3bar MAP, and a Huron T4 turbo kit. The trans is a 4l60e with a unknown brand 3000 stall converter.
I'm finally at the point to start on a basemap, so I put in the battery, power up the ECM, and read the tune. The computer calibration has been modified to a Speed Density OS and fortunately it hasn't been tuner locked (as far as I can tell). The problem is that when I open the OS window, it's blank.
From searching the HP Tuner forum and this forum, it looks like my best option is to reflash the ECU with a Tech 2and I should have the option to use a 3 bar Speed Density OS. Is this correct?
I also have a spare ECM but it has a different VIN, which from what I've read, would eat up a bunch of credits to change. I'll plan to keep this option as a last resort.
As I understand it, the "OS Mod Lock" is different than a "Tuner Lock". If it were "Tuner Locked", I wouldn't be able to read the file or even make changes, but I am able to do both. When you upgrade the OS, the other OS options become unavailable and the ECM is "OS Mod Locked". In order to get a 3 bar OS, I have to start with an un-enhanced tune file and stock OS.
I have heard some say that a Tech 2 reflash will work, and others say that it won't. If that doesn't work, I'm considering loading the tune from the spare ECM and seeing if that will work.
The Operating system window is blank because it has been updated to a custom OS.
You cant use that tune as-is to convert to a 2 Bar or 3 bar. It looks to have been modded to a 1 bar SD RTT tune.
OS Mod lock means it has been converted to a custom OS and you can't mod to a different custom OS
Not the same thing as a tunerlock.
You will have to start with a fresh non-custom OS
A Tech 2 reflash to stock will work.. Use your right VIN number when you do so (so the Tech 2 loads the right setup for the car), then you should be able to read it back with HPT and convert to a 3 Bar without killing any more credits as long as it has been licensed to your cable already.
Swapping pcm should be best would only use up 2 credits then. When I swap my to a different pcm I only used 2 credits to licence it no matter the vin.
I might try that. I read somewhere that I would eat up 2 credits for each VIN, then still have to spend another for the OS upgrade. Of course, now I can't find where I read it. I'm almost in **** it mode anyways.
Originally Posted by Steve01SS
The Operating system window is blank because it has been updated to a custom OS.
You cant use that tune as-is to convert to a 2 Bar or 3 bar. It looks to have been modded to a 1 bar SD RTT tune.
OS Mod lock means it has been converted to a custom OS and you can't mod to a different custom OS
Not the same thing as a tunerlock.
You will have to start with a fresh non-custom OS
A Tech 2 reflash to stock will work.. Use your right VIN number when you do so (so the Tech 2 loads the right setup for the car), then you should be able to read it back with HPT and convert to a 3 Bar without killing any more credits as long as it has been licensed to your cable already.
Thanks. That's pretty much what I gathered reading off the HP Tuners forum, but I was seeing different opinions on the solutions. After reading this:
I'm wondering if it's best just to pull the file from my other F-body, which I've licensed, and write it onto the Camaro ECM. Should only cost me 2 credits to license it to the Camaro and 2 more to convert to 3 bar, right? I'm not trying to be a broke dick and save 2 credits, but I don't like to waste money either.
there is no additional credits to upgrade the OS anymore. That was nulled about a year ago IIRC. All you have to do is pull the file from your other F body, and do a write entire on the vehicle you are currently trying to tune. You will have to license the current file however for a total of 2 credits spent.
Couldnt u download a stock fbody tune file from the tune repository tht matches your year model. Thin use the segment swapper to flash back to a stock system. Thin write entire and start over from scratch. I think this should be possible.
there is no additional credits to upgrade the OS anymore. That was nulled about a year ago IIRC. All you have to do is pull the file from your other F body, and do a write entire on the vehicle you are currently trying to tune. You will have to license the current file however for a total of 2 credits spent.
Thanks, you're right about that.
I ended up using the tune file from my 2000 Firebird, chose "write entire", and successfully wrote it to the Camaro PCM. I even read it back to make sure. That was 2 credits.
The Camaro ECM stored the Firebird VIN, so I used Edit>Change VIN Wizard and got the VIN changed back. That was another 2 credits though.
At least the OS change was free. Thanks again for that piece of advice.
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HPT OS Question 
