bricked another 98 pcm...what am i doing wrong?

i picked up another 98 pcm and after i licensed it and save a stock hpt file i renamed it to another one so i was able to compare and transfer my settings from my original tune over to this one. once i completed that i then did a calibration only(is that correct as you only do a full write if doing parameters like going from a4L60 to a $l80 or from 1 bar to 2 bar correct?). it finished and i heard the fuel pump primed. i turned the key to off and waited a few seconds then i turned the key to accel on and heard the fuel pump for a split second, meaning the pcm was bricked. i confirmed that and turned to ON and it just cranked. pulled the DTC and once again its P0601 code. was i suppose to had done a full write the first time and a calibration only after that going forward? if so, then i am to blame on lack of reading the how-to flash tune to the pcm correctly. if not then im lost:banghead::doh:

looks like i'll be looking for another 98 pcm for the time being. does anyone know if a Tech II can remove and revert the pcm back to its original/factory tune so i could try again????

You only write calibration if you are writing the file (original or edited) read out of THAT pcm. If you are trying to write a 98 file from any other 98 pcm to THAT pcm you need to do a write entire. And no a Tech 2 will not fix a bricked 98 pcm.

ok, then i did it correctly then. i used the same file from the same pcm. i just changed the settings in the folders to match what i had from my other 98 pcm. so what happened? it wasnt a low voltage as the battery's new and i charged it before i did a read and flash(disconnected the battery charger before performing the read/flash to prevent an offset power).

hard to tell, maybe posted the file you read & the file you wrote to the pcm that created the issue.

bill, appreciate your help along the way. i'll post a copy of the file i read and the file i flashed with the changes from the read file when i go on lunch break in a couple hours.

see original post. the first one is the read file and the 2nd one is the adjusted changes for my current setup.

email support a vcm suite infolog while connected to your interface and I'll have our head engineer take a look.

ok, i'll do so and email the infolog to the hp tuners support. i also emailed you a bit ago as well bill. thanks in advance.

For future reference the only time you "Write Calibration" is when you have the same exact file you pulled from the PCM opened. Is it possible you opened the tune file from one of the other PCM's and wrote it?

Like I said before... do yourself a favor and put a 99-up PCM in it.

no because i created a new folder solely so i wouldnt mistaken it with any other files.

You may have had the same issue I did.... I bricked 3 '98 PCM's within the last few months and for no reason. I've been tuning these things for a while now and take extra care on 97-98 cars to make sure voltage doesn't drop below 11.7v and make sure no disruptions occur. Just part of it. Just like the older OBD1 LT1 PCM's... just bricked one of those Friday. They are as problematic as the 97-98 LS PCM's are. I normally don't take them anymore without an '896 / '411 PCM swap but get suckered into it.

Turned out to be a bug in one of the 98 LS1 definitions, we fixed the bug back in may but fst100 was using one of the earlier versions of 2.24 which had the bug in it. In any event I recommend that anyone planning to tune a 98 LS1 application to redownload & reinstall 2.24 from their customer page to avoid any issues.

GOOGLE search on bricked 98 PCMs led me to this thread. I recently lost a 98 Camaro PCM while tuning (after maybe 20+ edits). Last night I bought a replacement 98 Corvette ECM and it bricked as soon as I attempted a write entire. So then this morning I find this thread. I checked my Suite file date and it was 5/2/13. So it looks like the V2.24 "bug" cost me 2 PCMs (couple hundred dollars plus 4 hours on the side of the road).

Days like this I think about packing up and going fishing.

i think im having this same problem, i just hooked up my hp tuners to do a simple vats delete and got this p0601 code. if this is caused by a bug hptuners should have done something about it by now. i have read forums with people having this problem more than 10 years ago, and if its a problem with the 98 pcms they shouldn't even give you the option to license them with their device. i purchased an hptuners device just for vats and now i feel like my new hptuners device is a paper weight with 2 credits spent on a burnt ecu not to mention the car i bought that drove home the other day now doesnt start and it too is now a 3500lbs paper weight

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mani01

i think im having this same problem, i just hooked up my hp tuners to do a simple vats delete and got this p0601 code. if this is caused by a bug hptuners should have done something about it by now. i have read forums with people having this problem more than 10 years ago, and if its a problem with the 98 pcms they shouldn't even give you the option to license them with their device. i purchased an hptuners device just for vats and now i feel like my new hptuners device is a paper weight with 2 credits spent on a burnt ecu not to mention the car i bought that drove home the other day now doesnt start and it too is now a 3500lbs paper weight

---

mani01 what is the version you're using in HP tuners? also fwiw, after I updated to the fixed version, and after a few months I went and upgraded to the 0411 OS pcm to prevent any further issues.

closing out this 6 year old thread, if you have an issue with flashing we recommend opening a support ticket which can be done here https://support.hptuners.com/index.php?/Tickets/Submit