Getting started with oBDII-EEC-V PCM access & manipulation

[ATPCR]

I have been working on and now restoring antique classic Mustangs and never have had the need to know much about electronic engine controls until now. I'm pro Ford and recently have purchased 1997 and newer Fords that have PCMs. I have searched the internet until bug eyed and most of what I find is GM LS information. That doesn't help me much as it has to do with FoMoCo products other than understanding the basic theory of tuning or as I called it, PCM manipulation. I've read what applies to Fords on tunerpro's forum, a lot here and keep re-reading Decipha's information too. Each time I pick up a bit more.
I understand the basic pieces that I need and know that there are some logical steps that I will have to take. I have PCs at work and home but I know that a laptop is best suited for this task as it has to do with the portability of it. I have been picking up the neccesary pieces and I still have a couple of more to acquire.
3 weeks ago, I purchased a junk yard 1998 explorer PCM and connector and data link connector for $20-, to make a bench harness to connect the PCM to the laptop via a pass thru device. Also the cheap PCM is to experiment with. Pic of PCM at bottom. I can't figure out how to rearrange pictures.

I also purchased a nearly new laptop, a Dell with Windows 10 pro and an equipment case for this endeavor. I also purchased an inexpensive vLinker to connect to a vehicle to read the DTCs. I know that this is nothing more than a device to do such, but it is something that I should know how to do.

The next piece that I need to access the PCM is some sort of pass thru device. I see Michael recommends a Mongoose however I haven't found a cheaper but equal device. Also, there is the J3 port way to access the EEC and it appears to me that it used to be the only way as it relates to EEC-IV OBD1 and involves a Quarter Horse however I'm not going to be doing anything OBD1 and the Moates people recently retired. So that points me towards the J2534 way of accessing. I saw where Cougar281 asked a question about this. Now I can't afford a FoMoCo Rotundra device which is a very nice tool but costs over $1000- dollars. This method of access would be good for me because it would allow me to flash program IDS updates, turn off PATS and a couple of other maintenance functions. It again seems like another logical step forward. Here is a link and picture to a J2534 knock off device. Has anyone used this particular one with success? It's not very expensive and if anyone and particularly Michael P. thinks it will work, It come with software for itself I presume. I can even ship it to him to try out before I try to use it. I'm not much of a PC guy so this does not help. It is a challenge for me to convert a picture from one format to another.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225395312695?h ... R7aX_c3MYQ

I know there will be IDS software involved and I'm going to purchase TunerPro RT to have available for when the time comes for that.
I know that this will be a long term learning process and it wouldn't hurt for me to get some basic PC training to where I can do more that just search the internet and post pictures to forums.
I also watched a video as it is to do with Ford IDS that I may need to have Internet Explorer instead of Edge as my browser. I would like to think that there is a striped down and cleaned up version of IE that wouldn't allow the invasive and annoying updates that seem to make matters worse after each time it updates. This may just be an EDGE issue but that goes to show how little I know about personal computers and the internet.
Thanks for any help and guidance that anyone can give me as I make my way through this long process. Also forgive me in advance if I tend to annoy or bug anyone with excessive questions as I learn. Thanks, Greg in north Alabama, just north of the Rocket City.

[decipha]

No doubt thats a chinese rip off vcm2. You can send it to me and I'll test it but even if it works no telling how long it'll work for.

OBD-2 port is ok but the real beauty of the J3 port is direct access. obd2 can't do any of the realtime stuff the j3 port can. If you can get your hands on a quarterhorse you'd be leap and bounds ahead and its cheaper.

The rotunda is just an overpriced downgraded mongoose. No reason to ever buy one.

TunerPro is free there is no purchase price.

[ATPCR]

Michael, Thanks for your reply. Testing the cheapese vcm2 for me would be great! I'll order it and, in the meantime, I will check with the 5.0 Fox Body people in my area to see if someone has a Quarter Horse that they are not using. Also, I will save up for a Mongoose for when the Chinese J-box gives up. Can I contact you through pm here. Thanks again. Greg in north Alabama.

[decipha]

keep in mind thats only part of it. Youll still need to purchase pcmflash to read and write. Also it doesnt support the 97 and older ecus only 98 and up.

If you need the address to ship to its on the homepage. Send it to the shop with attn mike on it.

[ATPCR]

Thanks Mike. Do you prefer Mike or Michael? In a brief explanation, I'm wanting to convert my 1997 5.0 with the waste spark set-up to coil-near-plug. I know that I need to use the best of the 104pin PCMs. From reading your suggestions to other people, the 2003 to 2004 Marauder RZASA would be the best PCM for this. So if I'm thinking this correctly, a strategy for an old Windsor 5.0 needs to be programmed in to the 4.6 PCM to operate the 5.0 properly. Keep in mind that I'm asking a question so I may or may not be on the correct thought process. I have a pinout chart for my 1999 Crown Vic harness and I would assume that a 2003 harness does have some wires going to different pins. It would be easier if I did have the 2003-2004 harness. I just found your comprehensive pinout chart for EEC-V. I have started looking at the first few lines of a 2003 pinout chart and see that I will need to rearrange many of the pins. So Ford made the 5.0 and installed into Explorers up to 2001. I see that you have a tune file for 1998-2001 Explorers. So that 5.0 tune, strategy will need to be programmed into the RZASA PCM? Do the 2003-2004 Crown Vics also have the RZASA PCMs? Or to make things a whole lot simpler, should I use my 1999 Crown Vic PCM with the 1999 CV harness? Also, I'm not building a "track" vehicle, I'm just trying to upgrade the Mountaineer/Explorer 5.0 to coil-near-plug.
I have a question about the PCMFLASH software ad DONGLE. Is the dongle more or less an "electronic" key to be able to read and write? Thanks for your patience helping me and your answers.

[decipha]

Michael is typical what Im called but doesnt matter.

You dont need to swap the ecu to go to CoP. Many many write ups out there for the 96-97 cobra guys that do it all the time.

Marauder ecu is going to be next to impossible to locate and the price will be jacked. Any 03/04 luxury sedan ecu will suffice. vic town car marquis etc...

No you cant swap strategies from the explorer ecu to the luxury sedan ecu. You simply tune the rzasa strategy for what you want.

No the 99 vic ecu is going to require alot more work its not ideal.

Yep the dongle is just the license key to use the program.

[ATPCR]

Thanks Michael. My early '97 Mountaineer 5.0 PCM as far as I can tell, is damaged so I wouldn't be using it anyway. I have two rollback towing service guys that routinely haul junk and abandoned vehicles from apartments and residential property. They are going to text me when an '03-04 FoMoCo luxury sedan pops up that I can get the PCM out of. Thanks for the help and when the vcm2 shows up, I will ship it to you. Knowing that it works for you will be half the battle for me. Greg in north Alabama

[ATPCR]

Bit by bit I'm comprehending more each day that I have quiet mornings to read Michael's website and other places too. I feel like I'm in the kindergarden stage of all of this. As I learn more, I have more questions. I have studied the 4 modules and what I'm attempting to do in the near future. I'm hoping in a year when all of the mechanicals of the drivetrain part of the project are complete, I will be able to program the 2003-04 CV PCM.
Question:
1-Can I purchase PCMflash from ECUTOOLS.EU module 29 just to start with and a few years later when I need another module or two, will the same access dongle still work for my first module and the new ones that I purchase later? Or will a replacement dongle be sent to me to access all of them?
2-What is Real Time Tuning?
Thanks Michael or anyone who knows the particulars about this.
Greg

[ATPCR]

Delete please, accidental post

[decipha]

yes

they will send you an update code to add the module to your dongle

real time tuning means the changes you make on your laptop take affect immediately while the engine is running. So if you change the idle rpm from 600 to 1200 on your keyboard the engine will rev up to its new 1200 rpm you commanded.

All other methods require making your changes and then writing the tune which requires the engine not be running.