EEC-V flashing

[Cougar281]

Is there a way to flash a BIN that is used in TunerPro to the PCM using something like a Mongoose or other other device, maybe using Binary Editor or some other application? I have a QH and a Moates J3 chip, but as it stands, the stock programming won't run the car due to the fuel pump config. I'd like to flash the PCM with my current base tune so that in the event that the QH were to fail, the PCM would be able to run the car without it or any chip. I have a GM MDI2 (real, not clone) and from what I've gathered, it seems that the MDI2 and Fords VCM2 are both made by bosch and supposedly are actually the same hardware - is there a way to use the MDI2 (which is a J2534 passthrough device) to flash the PCM, or is there some other tool that's less expensive than the mongoose that'll also do the job?

[decipha]

yep i do it all the time

pcmflash info is on the homepage >> getting started

step by step instructions on swapping file size is in the disassembly write up

[Cougar281]

Would you happen to have a XLS/XLSX strategy definition 'laying around' in your archives that'll work with the latest BE and the FBFG2/FBGI0 strategies that has just enough info to allow BE to read/write to the PCM using a J2534 device? BE has a '4bank' strategy that actually looks like you wrote, but when I tried to write to my J3 chip for grins, I got a message stating 'Blank Strategies are not allowed'.

[decipha]

No man sure don't. I hadnt been able to use BE since 2013. One day BE updated and my dongle was disabled. Apparently they didn't want me to use their software. That forced me to do all my own strat development with tunerpro. Was the best thing that could have happened though as I had no idea how lacking all other software is in comparison. I hadnt had an xls def file in 9 years.

[Cougar281]

That's a real low thing to do. But on the bright side, your strategy definitions are awesome. They seem to be amazingly complete and yours even was able to solve the stupid fuel pump issue that Adams could never solve (Maybe that's different and now his could, but I've been quite happy with Tunerpro since coming over to it) - even your 'ancient' FBFG2 definition was able to get it 'working' to where the PCM could actually control the pump, even if it wasn't 100% like stock and ran whenever the key was on - was still better than grounding the relay so it would get fuel.

[jsa]

'Blank Strategies are not allowed'.

BE now requires a minimum number of scalars, functions and tables in the definition. 22 of each I believe.
Those could be generic entries or actual known S/F/T.

[Cougar281]

'Blank Strategies are not allowed'.

BE now requires a minimum number of scalars, functions and tables in the definition. 22 of each I believe.
Those could be generic entries or actual known S/F/T.

Thanks, yes, Clint also said the same - I'm on the road to figuring that out - it took a little trial and error and I managed to get over 22 scalers and tables. Turns out I had to modify the 'PID', 'Key' and 'Parameter' entries for each to get unique entries. But the wall I hit was functions. I tried copying functions out of the CBAZA.xlsx definition included with BE, but when I try to load it, I get 'Input string was not in a correct format.Couldn't store <ACT> in Level Column. Expected type is Single.'. If I try to load the CBAZA definition that I copied the functions out of, it's fine. Any ideas?

Also, I assume it doesn't matter what's there valid or not, as long as BE likes it in terms of reading or writing? As long as none of the values are changed, then there won't be any issues?

[jsa]

Yes unique value requirements are in the BE help pdf. Well worth a read.

Never seen the Level Column error. Does the level on the function line also exist on the levels worksheet?

Yes you can have placeholders with generic details, so long as you don't change those, there's no issue.

[Cougar281]

Ok, I got it to where BE will load the def and it'll write to my F3 chip. BUT, the only concern I have is the 'System- Checksum'. After I got it happy with the Functions, when I tried to write, I got a 'missing ROM_TO'. There was 'ROM_TO' in the 'config' tab next to 'ChecksumStore', and upon research in the CBAZA strategy, I found that it's a scaler, so I added the appropriate scaler, copied from the CBAZA definition, and after doing so, it would write to my F3 chip. If it doesn't actually write anything to that address. no problem, but if it computes the checksum and writes it into that address, that could be an issue without the correct address there.

And this may be a dumb question... I know TunerPro and BE hav differnt ways the files are laid out, but I can't imagine that they're different once written because no matter who is doing what, the PCM is always expecting specific data in specific locations... If I wrote a tune to a chip with TunerPro and then read it out with BE using the 'blank' strategy def, would that put it in the right format for BE?

[jsa]

Yep a scalar with the rom-to address is needed. It should only be written if changes to the bin are made.

Yes you can read it out with BE. So long as you set your DEF up suit the default BE bin layout, it'll be all good. You can use your BE DEF to read as well.