Jfryjfry

I didn’t see a thread in this section but my question isn’t getting any answers elsewhere, so hoping someone here can help….

in ca they are now checking the tune and any non-approved tunes (read: 99% of them) will cause a fail.

I have found that I can order a new ecu with the factory program on it, I just send them my vin and they send me a new ecu that is plug and play.

I have very little done to my car (still have stock intake and exhaust and air filter) and it ran fine after I did the work before it was tuned. so, assuming no codes are set, would that new ecu potentially do the trick to pass smog?

Is there any place besides the ecu that hptuners plays with?

thanks!

Orion2011

The problem guys with highly modified cars will have is the stock tune probably won't run or even be dangerous to their engine. So swapping back to stock would be problematic.

You car is lightly modded. You shouldn't have a problem. I would just get HP Tunes and flash the stock tune for testing then flash back when I got home.

Jfryjfry

Forgive my ignorance, but I’d need Hp tuners and 2 credits, correct?
(and a laptop….)

can I save the tune I currently have before reloading the factory tune? Is the factory tune easy to get?

Orion2011

Unless HP Tuners had changed, it will come with some credits. But yes your car will take two GM credits.

rockymountain1999

I just had this done on my 2009 ZO6 about 3 hours ago. $350.00 to reflash back to stock tune. They saved my custom tune. I may go back to that after I get past the Emission ***** here in Colorado.

My car is all stock except for the WCCH Stage 2 cylinder heads.

I’m going to drive it a while to get the monitors “ready”.

AQWIKZ

I am in the same boat. but I don't mind buying HP Tuners, but where do I get the stock file and which version of HP tuners? my Z has a MSD intake manifold(carb approved) but I run and tuned with a Halltech MF103. I swap that out when its smog time. just got smogged in May so no worries for 2 years. just need to know what version of HP Tuners is recommended and where to get the stock tune?

thanks everyone

Jfryjfry

But that every 2 years vs buying a $150 ecu that you swap out? I’d imagine the time to make the appt would be comparable to the the time to swap.

I’m trying hard to see if anyone can confirm the idea of buying a vin-assigned ecu and swapping.

rockymountain1999

I was thinking about doing the “swap” myself. In fact, I spoke with Ares Technologies in California. They are able to ship out a PCM programmed with a stock GM tune with my VIN for about $150.00. They were really helpful.

I just didn’t want to tear into my car to do the swap and deal with all the “relearns” (security, key FOBs, crank, TPMS, ect)

I may have the shop reload the other tune after I get it through emissions.

madmatt9471

Yes - this feasibly could work and it also was something that I had thought about doing, however, with a mild cam, a 3200 stall, and 3.42 rear (stock 2.56) running a stock tune won't cut it for me -

I might of been able to make it with the cam but not the 3.42 and 3200 stall on the stock tune

Thanks,Matt

madmatt9471

Yes 2 credits for GM, however, you will not be able to load the stock tune yourself - either with HP Tuners or any other device unless you have access to the GM equipment that can download the GM CALID into the ECU

I am in the same boat as you and you will have to have your dealership flash the stock tune per your VIN into the Vette, and if you download it later with HP Tuners and try to save it and upload it later it will the have the ID of HP Tuners on it and fail

I have my "BONE STOCK 2009 C6 LS3 A6 2.56 Rear Tune" in HP Tuners and even should I download it into the ECU it will have the HP Tuner signature and fail, it will have lost the GM CALID (GM Calibration ID)

It's a bunch of crap but it is what it is and right now I got it smogged before and am good for two years, however, I have to take it back to STOCK, Cam, Torque converter, stock rear etc. - check out what we have going on in the SoCal section:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...th-2021-a.html

Thanks,Matt

Jfryjfry

Let me know what you find out about getting another ecu properly programmed and swapping it out.

madmatt9471

Quote:
Originally Posted by madmatt9471 View Post
Here is some good information regarding CVN Checksum(s) that I found that really helped to clear things up - So I might just be able to drop my "Stock Tune" saved on my HP Tuners and download it since all the values will be there - The last link speaks about the C6 Corvette E38 PCM (ECU) - very interesting

https://tis2web.service.gm.com/tis2web you can see your operating system here and checksums (CVN)

https://forum.hptuners.com/showthrea...ng-Smog-Checks

https://forum.efilive.com/showthread...e-tuning-world

https://forum.hptuners.com/showthrea...anty-Reflashes

https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/...ber-cvn-unique

https://forum.efilive.com/showthread...VN-s-Explained

https://forum.efilive.com/showthread...VN-s-Explained

https://forum.efilive.com/showthread...-Flash-Counter

Thanks,Matt
Quote:
Originally Posted by madmatt9471 View Post
Okay fella's here is an update -

Everything is back to stock - I had a busy week and I am still going to try and get the Vette over to the SMOG shop to check the CVN Checksum(s) - from HP Tuners that I dropped in the Vette, my "Stock Tune", saved on my laptop with HP Tuners, it is download and it has all the values in there - but for all of our sakes let's hope that it is good to go and this will be an answer to part of the Puzzle

Will we be able to use our Stock saved tunes saved on HP Tuners or not? - Y/N

Thanks,Matt
Okay - so I just finished at the SMOG shop to see if my "Stock Saved Tune in HP Tuners" would pass SMOG - I had the full check done with it just short of it being sent to Sacramento annnnnnnnd.............

All is good, it passes with NO ISSUES, no CVN Checksum numbers missing or HP Tuner thumbprint - I will not have to go to the GM Dealership and have them re-flash the ECU (PCM) with the stock tune. Of course this is "My" stock tune that I saved on HP Tuners in a file and named and even the name file did not affect the results

To understand the CVN Checksum(s) I ran my VIN here: https://tis2web.service.gm.com/tis2webyou can see your operating system here and checksums (CVN) - it's really interesting and starts to make sense of what they are looking for. Once you see it and then understand that as soon as you make a change it changes the CVN number in the said system. (Timing, airmass, transmission, rear gear, etc.)

This is good news for those of us who have our "Stock" file tunes saved, knowing that we can re-download them from HP Tuners or EFI Live or another programmer that might hold your stock tune -

It's also to note that from some of the research that I did I found reference to our E38 ECM's and they do not have "Bit Counters" in them, meaning that some vehicles have counters in them that count every time you access and rewrite the ECU (PCM) - counting, if you will, till you reach the maximum allowed times and then either having to have it rewritten by the dealer or getting a whole new ECU (PCM) - please don't hold me to this as I do not have conclusive evidence about our E38 ECU's, however, it's a bright side again in this saga!

I hope this helps! I know that it helped me, it helped save me an additional $425.00 to have GM re-flash my ECU

Thanks,Matt