2013 ZL1 reduced power in 3rd gear

[Zeee]

I have a 2013 ZL1 A6. I live in Switzerland and the car was imported directly after it was built. Since I have it I noticed that there is the following behavior:
In 3rd gear and if below 50km/h there is no boost until around 2700rpm. Also with WOT "nothing" happens. If I do the same with 51km/h all is fine, boost is built. In 4th gear everything works normal, also below 50km/h. Basically acceleration from 49km/h in 4th is faster than in 3rd

In some Forums very few other guys reported the same behavior. One was from Dubai and another one from Germany.


I know that my software was reprogrammed to pass Swiss emissions and sound level requirements. So I used a stock file from the repository and reversed all settings to match that stock file. However, the problem in the third gear is still the same.

My assumption is that in 3rd gear and when accelerating below 50km/h, the SC bypass valve stays open until the around 2700rpm. What I don' understand: What does control the bypass valve if not the engine or transmission computer? Is there another system for the bypass valve, mabe the BCM?

Interesting what I noticed: In HP Tuners under calibration details my car is listed with this:

2013 Chevrolet Camaro Export - Non US, Non Canada, 6.2 L, 8 Cyl whereas all the ZL1 files from the repo have this description: 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, 6.2 L, 8 Cyl

Any ideas how to get rid of that?

[Zeee]

I could perform a log of the behavior. At least I know now where it technically limits the car. The throttle is reduced to 40.8%
Is there any way to remove that restriction with HPTuners?

issue_hptunerslog.jpg

Basically my 5th gen does the same like the Europe model of the 6th gen:
https://forum.hptuners.com/showthrea...e-in-3rd/page3

There was a solution but messing around in Tables which HPTuners does not support

[hjtrbo]

The other solution in that thread that had positive feedback was a write entire with a US calibration.

But just out of curiosity, are you logging all torque management channels. Any clues there?

[Zeee]

The other solution in that thread that had positive feedback was a write entire with a US calibration.

But just out of curiosity, are you logging all torque management channels. Any clues there?

I just used the default channels and added some for the pedal position. See attached. I could do another log but I guess since there is nothing in my file which differs to the stock file from the repository there is anyway nothing which could be modified with hptuners.


Write entire I also considered. The stock file I have matches my file in all the IDs for the "Controllers". The only difference is the description under calibration details > tune overview where my file says:
2013 Chevrolet Camaro Export - Non US, Non Canada, 6.2 L, 8 Cyl

How high is the risk to brick my ECU with write entire? Is there any experience how risky that is for the E67?
One of the major concerns I have: Chevrolet is not present in Switzerland anymore. So If I should really brick my ECU it would be quite challenging to get a new ECU (costs) and then to find somebody here who is able to "marry" it to my car.


What would be the correct way to do it? "segment swap" all parts for the E67 to my file or use the stock file and change the vin to my car?

[hjtrbo]

Pretty common to do write entire on E38 and E67 as lots of people go for the OS upgrade to get the 2 bar and Gen 3 VE table. Common sense applies, don't let the laptop go to sleep when writing and don't bump the cable, good battery etc etc.

Not sure on segment swap route, someone more knowledgeable than me will have to answer that. If it was me I'd just use the US file and write entire. Worst case you're down a $100 bucks and a bit of time to write the old file back. There is the odd story out there of a bricked ECU but it does seem to be very rare.

Is your file and the stock file the same OS by chance? If not, try and get one the same. If you can't get an exact OS match due to US vs Global, I would certainly make sure that the stock file you are using is from the same model year as your car with the same specification of engine and transmission.

Maybe just to ease your mind try and get in touch with the guys in that thread you linked to and see how they went.

[Zeee]

The stock file I have matches my file in all the IDs for OS and the "Controllers" under calibration details. The only difference is the description under calibration details > tune overview where my file says:
2013 Chevrolet Camaro Export - Non US, Non Canada, 6.2 L, 8 Cyl

So I guess I need to sleep over it if I am brave enough to do the write entire
Would be good if somebody has some more input whether to segment swap or just open the US file, do VIN change or not and write entire.

I can try to reach out to them. What is interesting, there are only a handful of people with similar issues for the 5th gen ZL1. Seems to be a very exotic issue.

[blindsquirrel]

There are two segments in the Gen4 ECM calibrations that HPT doesn't/can't access, and at least one of those segments is where the ETC controls live. If the cause of your issue is in those inaccessible segments it can't be fixed with HPT no matter if you do it by segment swapping or by a write-entire.

[Zeee]

There are two segments in the Gen4 ECM calibrations that HPT doesn't/can't access, and at least one of those segments is where the ETC controls live. If the cause of your issue is in those inaccessible segments it can't be fixed with HPT no matter if you do it by segment swapping or by a write-entire.

Oh ok.. then that's not an option. I thought with "write entire" 100% of the software is written down to the computer, incl. all data from areas not visible in HPTuners.

[blindsquirrel]

screenshot.06-02-2019 19.53.32 numbered.png

Go to https://tis2web.service.gm.com/tis2web/, compare the IDs for Slave Operating System and Engine between your current VIN and the VIN from the U.S.-version HPT file you have.

[Zeee]

They match:

Engine: 12654024 (CVN: 000081CC)
Slave OS: 12625997 (CVN: 00001F46)

[blindsquirrel]

Well that's weird. What about the TCM IDs?

[Zeee]

Checked TCM and BCM. They all completely match and are the following for both VINs:

BCM
Part Number CVN Description
22858749 00002A82 Update calset to S/W 4.4.6
22833364 00008387 Chassis Control

Part Number CVN Description
13586584 000068A6 Operating system

Part Number CVN Description
22927270 00005CF0 Powertrain Control

TCM
Part Number CVN Description
24264923 0000B4BB Operating system

Part Number CVN Description
24265266 0000E0E7 New calibration for improved operation.
24257258 0000D615 Transmission

Part Number CVN Description
24265267 00001655 New calibration for improved operation.
24257259 00009845 Transmission Diagnostic

Part Number CVN Description
24265268 00003E52 New calibration for improved operation.
24257260 0000C140 System


Am I right with my assumption that this means that that throttle reduction is not coming from Chevrolet? This proofs my suspicion that this was programmed by the company which does the homologation/approval for Switzerland, since the ZL1 was never officially available from Chevrolet in Switzerland.

[hjtrbo]

Aka dieselgate 😁

[Zeee]

yes and I think this is why that company does not answer my requests about that problem
Here are the two files if anybody is willing to take a look. The "..HPTuners" file is from the repo and the other one is currently on my car after I changed all settings to match the repo file.

[blindsquirrel]

Your Engine Operation calID is different from the US version. 12655032 vs 12656555.

[Zeee]

Oh ok. So then there could be the chance that this is indeed stock behavior?
If yes then i am just thinking if it was ok to match all the settings available in hptuners with that US file.

[blindsquirrel]

Sure, could be, I mean there's huge mountains of code in there we don't see. The bits you see in the tables and drop-down boxes in the editor's GUI are just a tiny portion of what's going on inside.

Comparison log between your export file and the non-export show zero differences already despite that one different segment. I would segment-swap it and write-entire (it will successfully take the swap, I tried it). Without the ability to read the raw hex of the two files (and the ability to make sense of which differences matter) I don't know of any other way to find out.

[Zeee]

As far as i understood in the 6th gen thread, one reported success by writing entire. So chances are there that it will work in my case. I guess I just need to decide to take the risk and try a write entire or to live with it.
Thank you very much for your help.

[blindsquirrel]

Segment swap will keep your existing license and VIN. Write-entire with a whole different file with a different VIN is not needed and will create a whole mess of issues.

[Zeee]

yes this I understood. What I am not sure for the segment swap: What is it actually doing?

1. All content from the source file is copied to the destination file. Including all stuff which is not visible in the UI
2. Just the parameters which are visible in the UI. So basically just a quicker way to make all parameters equal so one does not need to do everything manually (like I did).

If 1 then my problem might be solved as long as this modification was done in the part which I segment swap. If 2 then it will not change anything since my file already matches the stock file for all the parameters available in the UI.