How does HP Tuners unlock the TCM's?
 

I have been doing research now for almost a month and calling all different kinds of shops and cant find anything on this subject. From my research i have found a few different bits of info but nothing is written in stone or for sure. This is some of the information i have found (whether or not any of this is accurate is above me) HP Tuners opens the TCM/PCM up, lifts the chip and burn a stock file on. This way dont really make sense to me though because i dont see how doing so would bypass the new security that GM has implemented in there software. The next way is there is a "security bypass code" you can obtain from someone from GM (Obviously pretty high up to be able to get access like this). This way also does not seem logical especially if every vehicle has a different code.The last way i have heard about is with an "EMFI Tool" Which from my understanding just shocks the hell out of a certain part of the board to try and disrupt the security side of the TCM/PCM. This way seems very complex and complicated if you do not know your way around the internals of the TCM/PCM. The last way i have heard about is HP opens the module up and takes the cip out and puts some sort of "pass-through" chip in its place. This way makes the most sense to me.

I know there is a lot of people out there trying to figure all of this out but i know they dont want people knowing too much. If there is anyone that knows the exact process i will pay to know. :secret:

Why don't you contact HP Tuners directly, I'm sure they would love to share with you.

@NicD

They will not say anything or send me in the right direction for information (completely understandable from a business standpoint). I understand sending these modules directly to HP would be easier but time is money. weather I am going to be doing 2 a month or 20, sending these to HP takes a lot of unnecessary time especially when they need to get there vehicle back on the road as quickly as possible.

Yeah, I know they won't and I wouldn't either. The other option is you buy unlocked ones and keep them on the shelves, like anybody else does who does 2 or 20 a month.

I am not disagreeing with you. I fully understand why they dont share. I love HP Tuners but again, time is money. If there is a way to speed the process up i am absolutely game for it as anyone else would be. If I could save the customer a little time and money im obviously going to explore those options.

Unless you wish to recover the tune file on the locked PCM, there are ways to get in and overwrite the operating system files. You Tube can show you which pin to ground and how to do it. Ground the pin, load up a small "kernel" file into extended memory that takes control of the PCM and you can do whatever you want at that point but you have lost the original tune file after this process. Its thusly, un-bricked but its easier to simply go to the junk yard and get a different PCM.

You don't indicate one way or the other but I think this process only works on the P01 and P59 devices.

Rick

That is just how you clear a tuner locked module though correct? I am talking about the factory locked modules.But hypothetically if you were talking about a factory locked module and i had a stock file from that exact vehicle it could be done then?
In response to which device, im talking about all the factory locked modules.
Thanks Rick!

Ah, Ok. The very latest PCM devices unlocks are what you seek. There are people working on that but the security is quite strict because the EPA has told the vehicle manufacturers to make this extremely difficult. Reverse engineering a way to do this with brute force hacking is virtually impossible.

Rick

You may not have an answer for this but how do you suspect HP is unlocking them then? I was in contact with a PCM "Hacker" and he said that using the EFMI tool works roughly 60% of the time but if it dont work it bricks the PCM, so i cant see them going that route unless they know exactly how and where to attack the board to obtain a MUCH greater success rate.

Which is why it took HP Tuners so long to figure out, and at I'm sure a fair amount of $, and why they positively had anyone involved, sign iron clad NDA forms.

Again, buy some unlocked TCMs to have on the shelf and you won't wait a single second to help your customers. It literally couldn't be any faster... but if you are trying to make it cheaper by reverse engineering it yourself for your own use your time must not be worth anything at all.

Why don't you just sign up to be an HP Tuners dealer and then you can do it in your own shop? We do them almost every day.

They flash the bootloader of the TCM. Use a Magic Motorsports Flex on the bench, you can do it yourself. You need to build a bootloader patch for the T87 ;)