Cadillac ATS Tuning - Getting started questions

Hi! I'm thinking of purchasing HPTuners and tuning my car with 30,000 miles. I would like to learn the tuning software myself and tune my car to be a little more lively daily driver but still have reliability. I only plan on doing a catless downpipe and potentially a catback and intake. I have seen some resources for the LNF and LNJ engines but have not seen anything on the LTG and was wondering if there is anywhere I should get started in terms of reading before purchasing my tuner. I plan on buying the tuner and just studying the tables extensively to understand my vehicle before tuning and would like some extra resources :)

Also when tuning, is it possible to swap out my PCM from another vehicle and tune that so that I can return to the stock PCM with no flashes?

you need to learn virtual ve tuning.
if you want a second ecu, purchase a new one and have the dealer flash it specifically to your vehicle. this way you have one you tune on and one that you have as a spare.

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Originally Posted by cobaltssoverbooster

you need to learn virtual ve tuning.
if you want a second ecu, purchase a new one and have the dealer flash it specifically to your vehicle. this way you have one you tune on and one that you have as a spare.

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Will I need to bring my car in or can I just bring them a new ecm and my car information? Will I need to purchase it through the dealership? Is it possible to flash the ECM myself?

The favorable way includes a new blank ecu from dealer. They write it with their tool and now you know both work without issue in the vehicle.

Iirc anything older than 2010 requires the new dealer tool to flash, not the tech2. But I'm not 100% certain that's the correct cutoff year.

If you purchase a used one then you have to bypass the vats security and purchase credits to unlock it. It will now have a vin that doesn't match your ecu. I'm not familiar win vin changes on these so I dont have a comment for that. I know others know more about this particular uh it than I so hopefully one stops by.

Get a ecm from zzp, for as far as I know they don't lock their tunes.

That will get you started and you'll always have the original ecm to fall back on.

Best is to contact the tuning school and take some of their courses because the modern PCM's are nothing like the old.