Setting up a spare PCM

[55Belair]

Sorry if this has been asked before but I have just spent a half hour looking for an answer with the search function and didn't even get close. I read the "write entire" section in the "help" section but I'm kind of fuzzy on when to use the procedure.

I have a 4698 from a 2000 Silverado HD 2500 that I pulled with my swapped engine and 4L80 which works very well. I purchased a 0411 PCM from the local U-pull to have as a spare. What is the best way to copy the good running tune from the 4698 into the 0411. Do I have to do a compare of each table and make them match or is there a quick way of transferring the tune onto the new PCM. I do realize that I will have to purchase the license for the new 0411 before I can write to it.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

[5FDP]

It's going to be one of two ways.

Either the computer you got is already a 6.0/4L80e or it's not.

The first way would just be to open both with the compare feature, click compare again, comparison log, collapse all the boxes in the new window, right click the engine and transmission icons and click copy over all difference.

If it's not a matching engine/transmission computer. You can do the compare feature trick for the engine side because that is easy. Say this computer runs a 4L60e and not a 4L80e. You have to do a segment swap on the transmission side with a OS that matches the 0411 computers OS. Do the segment swap to make it a 4L80e file, then copy over the differences if you need to on the transmission side.

[55Belair]

Thanks for the quick response. Yup - you hit the nail on the head, the 0411 PCM was running a 4L60. I just have to research "segment swap" and I'll be on my way.

[2xLS1]

Why do you think you need a spare? These PCMs are very reliable and rarely fail.

[55Belair]

You have to do a segment swap on the transmission side with a OS that matches the 0411 computers OS. Do the segment swap to make it a 4L80e file, then copy over the differences if you need to on the transmission side.

When you say the OS that matches, do they have to match exactly or is there a compatibility list somewhere that I can use? The 0411 has a 12208322 OS but the original 4896 has an OS of 9381344.

Thanks again for your help.

[5FDP]

Completely disregard your other computers OS.

The "new" 0411 computer OS is the only one that matters here, because the changes are only being made to this one. You need to find a 4L80e file that has that same 12208322 OS to perform the segment swap.

[55Belair]

Why do you think you need a spare? These PCMs are very reliable and rarely fail.

I'm a newbie tuner (you can probably tell) I want to have a spare that I can practice with that I will be able to swap in and out to play around with and see which changes work best. I'd like to keep one original on deck in case I make the car completely undriveable, I can slap in the old PCM and be back on the road.

[55Belair]

Completely disregard your other computers OS.

The 0411 computers OS is the only one that matters here, because the changes are only being made to this one. You need to find a 4L80e file that has that same 12208322 OS to perform the segment swap.

Ok, I think I got this. So find a file with the same OS as is in the 0411 and do the segment swap, THEN use the compare feature to make the tables in the 4896 and 0411 match each other. Got it! (I hope)

BTW, I found a YouTube video from the tuning school that explains the segment swap very well - but he doesn't mention any of this. Thanks for the tutorial.

[55Belair]

May as well ask while I'm here: Does this only apply to transmissions or do you have to do a segment swap for engines as well? If the 0411 has a 5.3L and my 4896 has a 6.0L, do I have to segment swap the engine as well after having selected it from the drop down menu?

[5FDP]

I covered that in post 2. The compare feature is all that's required for the engine side when dealing with V8's. The 4.8/5.3/6.0 are basically 99% the same except for the values in the tables because the engines are different sizes and required different values to run. Copy/paste the info in and it'll run like it was that way to begin with.

[55Belair]

Got it! Thanks for your help and patience.

[2xLS1]

I'm a newbie tuner (you can probably tell) I want to have a spare that I can practice with that I will be able to swap in and out to play around with and see which changes work best. I'd like to keep one original on deck in case I make the car completely undriveable, I can slap in the old PCM and be back on the road.

You just have to keep the original calibration file secured and flash it back in when you want. That is mush easier than changing the PCM. Only reason to change a PCM with a spare is if you happen to brick it somehow screwing up flashing it. Even for someone new to HPT that is not likely to happen.

[55Belair]

Thanks for the input. You have me rethinking my plan now. The original PCM was programmed for the swap by someone else. I have since purchased my own HP Tuners software and was thinking I would keep the original PCM as a spare as I plan to drive this car far and wide since it is so much more driveable now that it has a modern engine and transmission.

I had originally thought that the 0411 PCM was superior to the 4896 but after much research, I'm finding out that the difference between the two is negligible - especially on a cruiser. Now I'm thinking I will do as you suggest and just flash it back to original if I get in trouble. It will be easier on the credits this way as well.

[2xLS1]

Just read the original PCM and store that calibration file away. Keep a couple of backups of it. Then you can always restore the original PCM with that file. 4896 and 0411 pcms will function the same.