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Thread: 1998 Corvette bricked PCM (16238212) swap to a 12200411 PCM

  1. #1
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    Post 1998 Corvette bricked PCM (16238212) swap to a 12200411 PCM

    Hello Everyone!
    My 1998 Corvette (4L60E) PCM got bricked after trying to flash it with HP-Tuners. Re-flashing on a bench harness and even soldering out the chip and writing a 98 Corvette .bin file to it directly with a programmer, did not help to get the PCM responding, so i had to look for a replacement PCM.
    97-98 PCM's cost 700-800 $ online and are infamous for bricking, so i decided to go for "0411 swap" - a newer generation of PCM, installed on many GM 99-2002 vehicles.

    I got a junkjard PCM for 150$ from a 2002 Chevrolet S10 4.3 pickup:
    * Hardware type: P01, ECM, GM Gen3 V8, 4.3L V6 (P01 is an important code here since it means the hardware type)
    * Operating system: 12212156
    * VIN 1GCDT19WX28216643

    Since the S10 pickup has different number of cylinders, has physical throttle cable (corvette has DBW) i have to change the Operating system completely.
    I went to TUNE REPOSITORY and chose a Standard Tune file from a Corvette 2002 4L60E:
    * Hardware type: P01, ECM, GM Gen3 V8, 4.3L V6
    * Operating system: 12221588
    * VIN 1G1YY22G325131942

    I have purchased 4 credits - 2credits to license the new PCM + 2credits to license the stock file from tune repository.

    So the next steps seems to be: hooking the PCM up on a bench harness, making sure i have stable power supplies to the PCM and laptop, opening the CORVETTE hpt file from the repository and choosing WRITE ENTIRE to write the file into the PCM. That will change the PCM's operating system to an 8-cylinder operating system and all the sensors (different crank sensor indexing between V6 and V8 cars), DBW etc should work (of course after re-pinning the PCM connectors from 8212 to 0411 diagram)

    Currently i have several questions:
    1. Am i doing everything right?
    2. Should i choose high speed or low speed option in the write dialogue?
    3. Any other precautions i have missed?
    4. Can i leave the repository corvette VIN as it is? I dont see a reason to change it.

    If everything will be successful with the flash, i will later post here wiring diagrams, notes for repinning the PCMs and also other information about this swap. There are multiple topics all around regarding this type of swap, but none of the topics are complete A-Z instruction so i thought that could be useful for other guys with this problem.
    Thanks in advance for any input here!
    Last edited by Ingmar; 07-27-2021 at 12:26 AM.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ingmar View Post
    Hello Everyone!
    My 1998 Corvette (4L60E) PCM got bricked after trying to flash it with HP-Tuners. Re-flashing on a bench harness and even soldering out the chip and writing a 98 Corvette .bin file to it directly with a programmer, did not help to get the PCM responding, so i had to look for a replacement PCM.
    97-98 PCM's cost 700-800 $ online and are infamous for bricking, so i decided to go for "0411 swap" - a newer generation of PCM, installed on many GM 99-2002 vehicles.

    I got a junkjard PCM for 150$ from a 2002 Chevrolet S10 4.3 pickup:
    * Hardware type: P01, ECM, GM Gen3 V8, 4.3L V6 (P01 is an important code here since it means the hardware type)
    * Operating system: 12212156
    * VIN 1GCDT19WX28216643

    Since the S10 pickup has different number of cylinders, has physical throttle cable (corvette has DBW) i have to change the Operating system completely.
    I went to TUNE REPOSITORY and chose a Standard Tune file from a Corvette 2002 4L60E:
    * Hardware type: P01, ECM, GM Gen3 V8, 4.3L V6
    * Operating system: 12221588
    * VIN 1G1YY22G325131942

    I have purchased 4 credits - 2credits to license the new PCM + 2credits to license the stock file from tune repository.

    So the next steps seems to be: hooking the PCM up on a bench harness, making sure i have stable power supplies to the PCM and laptop, opening the CORVETTE hpt file from the repository and choosing WRITE ENTIRE to write the file into the PCM. That will change the PCM's operating system to an 8-cylinder operating system and all the sensors (different crank sensor indexing between V6 and V8 cars), DBW etc should work (of course after re-pinning the PCM connectors from 8212 to 0411 diagram)

    Currently i have several questions:
    1. Am i doing everything right? Yes you are.
    2. Should i choose high speed or low speed option in the write dialogue?Either is fine.
    3. Any other precautions i have missed?Make sure you have proper voltage to the PCM. The Write Entire process will take a few minutes.
    4. Can i leave the repository corvette VIN as it is? I dont see a reason to change it. No need to change the VIN. Just disable VATS and you'll be fine.

    If everything will be successful with the flash, i will later post here wiring diagrams, notes for repinning the PCMs and also other information about this swap. There are multiple topics all around regarding this type of swap, but none of the topics are complete A-Z instruction so i thought that could be useful for other guys with this problem.
    Thanks in advance for any input here!

  3. #3
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    Many thanks!! Will proceed then..

  4. #4
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    Interested in what you do for 'fuel gauge wiring/programming'.

  5. #5
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    Update: Writing Entire - Succesful!!

    Wrote Corvette OS to the S10 pickup PCM.
    Wrote "High speed" un-checked. It took 10 minutes to complete.
    Now the PCM identifies himself as Vette

  6. #6
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    The pin outs for the bench harness of the 0411 PCM i used:


    (Blue Connector)
    19 - IGN
    20 - Battery
    58 - Data
    60 - Ground

    OBD-II Port
    2 - Data
    4 - Ground
    5 - Signal Ground (connected together with pin 4)
    16 - Power



    Next update - when re-pinning of connectors will be done. It will take some time. All 160 pins need to be re-pinned.
    Last edited by Ingmar; 07-31-2021 at 06:49 AM.

  7. #7
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    The Car runs and drives fine!

    Camshaft sensor does not work - cirquit A error. Need to solve.

    Fuel gauge worked ok for a week, showed near empty when tank was near empty, and showed half tank when i poured 30 liters into tank. But then suddenly stopped working - suddenly dropped to empty. Not solved yet.

    Excel sheet with 1998 to 2002 PCM pin conversion list available on request.

  8. #8
    Change fuel to pwm I think. Whatever the other option is. Also some remove a wire to PCM from sender if I remember correctly. I did this several years ago to my 97 and I have no problems. Injectors are different too iirc. I changed maf to newer style as data is different for the original too
    Last edited by Shnraines; 10-16-2021 at 05:22 PM.

  9. #9
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    Either the injectors are different or MAF calibration is different 97 vs 02. Fuel trims were far off +25% LTFT and +10% STFT when i first ran the car after PCM swap. So I had to multiply MAF table by at least 1.3 to get the fuel trims in order.
    Next thing is to install Wideband and get the VE table sorted out as well.


    Will. Investigate the fuel sender problem.

  10. #10
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    Cam sensor problem solved - Blue 73 was put in the wrong hole.

    Fuel sensor problem solved - cut BLUE 46 (gray) and now it works fine.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ingmar View Post
    The Car runs and drives fine!

    Camshaft sensor does not work - cirquit A error. Need to solve.

    Fuel gauge worked ok for a week, showed near empty when tank was near empty, and showed half tank when i poured 30 liters into tank. But then suddenly stopped working - suddenly dropped to empty. Not solved yet.

    Excel sheet with 1998 to 2002 PCM pin conversion list available on request.
    Hey man I really need that pin conversion sheet text me at 620 215 6400

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by onejustcoonin View Post
    Hey man I really need that pin conversion sheet text me at 620 215 6400
    may i ask for a person that does dynotuning for a living how much do they pay for the credits to tune or adjust the one vehicles pcm tune? You have the 98 pcm and it is easy to freeze up or brick as you say. The 99 pcm c5 corvette wont brick or freeze up when adjusting tune to it correct?

  13. #13
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    I have a 98 corvette that I would like to adjust some minor parameters on. I came across this thread and am now very concerned, how common is it for a pcm to be bricked in these vehicles and what can/should i do to avoid it from happening?