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1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:01 pm
by geep6
I have a 1999 Grand Prix and i was wondering what tools i would need to read and tune the ecu on this car or if it's even possible. I have read a little bit about it and it seems like it's one of the harder one's to read and program vx vy flash based. I do have a older laptop that has a serial and parallel ports also has usb. I have programed game consoles over jtag and usb spi and i have a rs232 chip that i use to read dvd keys from 360 dvd drives.any help i would appreciate
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:14 pm
by VL400
Do you know what PCM part number it uses?
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 3:27 pm
by geep6
HDW NO. is 09357440 I think that is what you are talking about
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 10:32 am
by VL400
It looks similar to an LS1 PCM case - it might share the same internal hardware too? If it is the same then there is, AFAIK, no free tool for reprogramming them.
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:04 am
by geep6
Here are a few more pics of the internals files were to big to attach so upped them to photo bucket
- guts1.jpg (185.72 KiB) Viewed 7124 times
- guts2.jpg (155.83 KiB) Viewed 7124 times
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:30 am
by VL400
Looks like a cut down version of an LS1 PCM, I dont know of any free tools to read or write the bin on these
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:42 am
by geep6
So my next question. Is the bin stored in the Intel flash chip and if i were to pull it and put it in a programmer would it be read out properly
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:47 am
by VL400
If its anything like the LS1 pcm, yes it is stored in the flash chip and can be read out in a programmer. You can also get ZIF sockets for the flash chip so you dont need to keep desoldering it for re-programming.
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 12:34 pm
by geep6
Just out of curiosity if you had this pcm how would you try and go about reading it looks like the sockets are fairly high to buy the ones that i have found are in the 200.00 to 450.00 dollar range
Re: 1999 Grand Prix GT 3.8 need help reading programming
Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 12:44 pm
by VL400
Would likley socket it as a first step, so can then read the bin and start playing. Get yourself some chipquik (
http://www.chipquikinc.com/) too, makes it a breeze to remove SMD parts.
There are cheaper sockets around, but yes you can also pay a fortune for them! The cheaper ones can sometimes have pin contact issues.
http://www.chip-service.de/product_info ... aichi.html
http://www.chip-service.de/product_info ... ritec.html
NOTE: I have never bought from this company, am just using them as an example of an affordable socket.