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I know the Junk yard PCM question has been asked a million times but I have a little twist on the question for my project. I did a Cummins/NV4500 swap in my 2002 2500 Suburban. I have been driving it all the while sorting little things out here and there. Today the PCM fell from where I had tucked it up in the fender well and the tire pushed on the PCM case while I was backing up. I honestly can not find anything wrong with any wiring or the PCM but after 3 hours of making sure all the wiring was in good shape I have determined the PCM must have some internal damage that I can not detect by looking at it. With this being said, I can still start and drive the Suburban no problem but The whole reason I left the PCM in place was to use the factory cluster. Would it not be possible to get a cheap junk yard PCM and use it to get my cluster satisfied? It will not have to control and engine or transmission just supply my cluster with the signals for the gauges. Any suggestions?
The junk yard pcm will need to be programmed the same way your current pcm is programmed.
So to control the tach, speedo, and fuel gauge I will have to go through the trouble of getting a programmed PCM? What if I swapped the PCM and BCM as a pair from another donor suburban of the same year? I am not 100% positive it is a PCM issue but I suspect it at this point after hours of checking all the wiring out with a meter.
The donor PCM would not recognize your current vehicle and "VATS" (Vehicle Anti Theft System) at the very least will need to be defeated. This will require at least two HP Tuners credits and somebody with HP Tuners skill and hardware.
I think what confuses me is that I don't think VATS will be an issue as I do not even need the PCM in place to start and drive the Suburban with the Cummins and NV4500..I just need my cluster to work again. Only need the PCM left in place to control the cluster and that is all.
Well, I went and found a PCM at the junkyard, plugged it into my suburban harness and tested it out. My Cluster works as it should now with zero editing of the PMC itself. I already ordered a OBSX so I guess I will mess around with the fuel gauge settings to try to get my gauge more accurate.
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Junk yard PCM? (Little different situation) 
