jmess

I have searched and read a lot of info about TPS. Can someone help me put it all together?

1. If you stick on wheels with new/different sensors you need to have the Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPM) systems relearn the sensor IDs. The GM TechLink shows two methods for doing this, one using a change in air pressure, the other using the TPM Diag tool. Can anyone confirm that the air pressure change method works?
So what is a good guess at the specified amount of pressure change required to excite a TPS?

2. If I install a set of wheels without TPS and want to track the car, I won't be able to use Competition mode and Trac but can turn them off before go out on the track?
3. In order to use Competition mode for my track wheels I would need to have TPS installed in the wheels and have the TPM learn the new/different sensors IDs?

4. Some people feel the problem with using TPS with track wheels & rubber is the diff in cold and warm tire pressures can trigger TPM warnings and disable competition mode? Has anyone experienced this feature??

After all this rambling, what I am really looking for is the C6 tech recipe for installing some track wheels then going back to my stock wheels & tires after the track day is over. I would like to be able to use Competition Mode on the track also.

jhbrennan

I am experienced on the TPM sensors since having just done this. Change in airpressure does not work on the C6 but it does work on my Tahoe - completely different systems. On the C6, even though there is a mentioned option of using a magentic tool, I could not get this to work with 4 new, never initiaized sensors - maybe the magnet will work with sensors previously initialized. Had to go to the dealer so they could use their special RF induction tool (looks like the handheld inventory devices used in supermarkets). Dealer (non-selling) did it for me in 5 minutes no charge. Sorry I'm not experieinced enought to answer your track questions but I'm sure someone will. Hope this helps.

MattW_VA

I believe it's going to depend on your build date. My car is a december build, and I am able to disable traction control and active handling. I don;t use competition mode, but I believe Rex said you can make that work too.

Rex has a newer C6 and was unable to disable TC/AH and was also unable to access competition mode. This in direct contrast to his "older" C6. His dealer worked with him and they came away thinking that February was the month that this functionality changed.

jmess

I just picked up a set of polished wheels. The plan is to move the run flats and TPS to the polished wheels then get some trackable tires for the painted wheels I have now. Since I have a March build date car I have the later TPM which, if I understand this correctly, you can't disable TC/AH if you don't have 4 TPS that are registered with the TPM.

So I have some more questions.

1. I assume that once the TPM reports I have no sensors the engine control and TC/AH limits the cars performance? By not being able to turn this off I can't track the car.

2. So I was wondering if I could then remove the fuses for the TPM and/or TC/AH and be able to still get full power and have ABS? I don't know what the fuse numbers are at this point so that would be another question.

Another option would be to get 4 TPS for the new tires and see if I can find a local dealer that will register them for me every time I change wheels. This makes me wonder how much the hand held tool costs that the dealer uses to register the TPS with the TPM?

Why does this have to be so dam complicated??

MattW_VA

I have a little more experience with this now, but my car is a December build so who knows if this applies to you. I had it at the track a couple of weekends ago with track wheels/rubber mounted-no sensors. I did bring along my stock setup in case it rained.

My car was definitely reading the sensors while in the pits parked next to the stock wheels/tires, as I observed the pressure creeping up while the tires sat in the sun.

Z11409

2. If I install a set of wheels without TPS and want to track the car, I won't be able to use Competition mode and Trac but can turn them off before go out on the track?
You can take your street wheels to track so car will read the street sensors.With no senasors at all--your car will read sensors of any other C6 in the area.Or just place sensors(new set) on track wheels.

AU N EGL

As Matt mentioned it depends on the build date of the car.

the new cars if you put differnt wheels on or wheels without TPS you will be to "Reduced Speed" mode and limited to 55 MPH.

So switching wheels may not be an option yet. Running with AH/TC off will not change the situation. Purcashing new TPS for each set of wheels AND programing them is going to be a PIA too.

Come on LS2 Edit programers, an other thing to work on.

jmess

It appears the performance limiting logic is programmed into the engine ECU. So pulling fuses for the TPM and TC/AH won't solve my problem.

This really sucks. I didn't think I needed LS2 Edit but when faced with crap like this sign me up if it will fix my car so I can use it. They should change the name to "LS2 Fix".

jmess

BTW, it is my understanding that the sensors have unique IDs that have to be register with the TPM (Tire Pressure Monitor). So any time you change sensors you have to get the TPS to register their frequency ID with the TPM. The only way to do this is with a special TPM diag tool that the dealer has that will trigger the registartion process; which has to be done for each sensor. It is my understanding that the TPM won't read the TPS from another C6 since the TPS freq IDs don't match the registered ones.

So each time you replace a wheel with a different sensor you have to register the freq ID for the new sensor. Switching between your street and track wheels would require registering the TPS IDs each time you change wheels.

It is also unclear to me how long or far you can drive the car without the original TPS installed before you hit the reduced power mode. The last thing you want to happen on the track is to suddenly lose a lot of power with somebody behind you. So keeping the current TPSs next to the car in the pits probably works but the question is how long it lasts once you start turning laps.

RedHotBolt

This F'ing sucks!
I got rid of a 2003 Lightning that was faster on the track than most of you here would believe. I got rid of it because I got bit by the road course bug....I got it bad. I spent a fortune making a 5000 lb. truck a track vehicle. Now I buy the car of my dreams (built in April) and I can't run race rubber? I can't afford to go through $2000.00 worth of tires at every track event! At my first event my son and I both drove my Lightning in two different run groups. At the end of the second day with 16 twenty minute sessions and 4000 highway miles on the tires they were gone. $1000.00 down the drain. Why the Hell did GM change the system from the first of the year to the last? All I want to be able to do is turn off all the T/C and A/H. I hate it anyway. This really makes me sick! Is there any hope?


Jerry

MattW_VA

Dude it's not that bad-You can get 4 TPMs for 200 and change from Fred Beans. I'd be willing to bet that if you pulled up to the back of the service dept, grabbed a tech and waved a tenner in his face he'd train the sensors for you in about 3 minutes.

I'm sure there will be a more elegant solution soon-either a tool you can train with at home or perhaps LS2 edit can help.

RedHotBolt

That sound much better than the $500.00 I was told. Going to the dealer on the way to the track and back will be a PITA but if it's only going to cost $200.00 for the TPM's then I was upset for nothing!

Thanks for the info.

Jerry

Z11409

Delphi Corp.is the designer of the TPS system--it was changed due to New FEDERAL REGS concerning tire safety.