99 L29 454 build

[BeXtreme]

Bextreme, I was on the OBDx site last night, but I don't get it. Can't tunerpro read and write to the ecm already? What does the Obdx thing do?

You were asking about a cable... that's what the OBDx is. You need a tool to talk to the PCM. The OBDX is the tool. It plugs into the OBDII port and does the translating to the PCM. It can be either bluetooth(like to a phone or tablet to use LSdroid, Dash command, torquepro, etc...) or plug a cable into it the back of the tool (just standard USB) to connect it to your computer to use LSdroid for windows or PCM Hammer to read/write the OS and calibrations.

TunerproRT has more features than regular Tunerpro. That's what you want to use. You will need a .bin file and an xdf file for the OS you want to use. Most people use a 2002 year model 12212156 OS .bin file from an L31 equipped express van for the swap. You need to start with that OS file so that the engine segment has the right stuff to work with the L29 crank/cam/distributor setup. You can then swap the trans segment from any other '2156 OS file(they used that OS in silverado trucks and camaro's as well) to match what is actually installed in your truck(2wd, 4wd, 4L60, 4L80, manual, etc...).

If you are doing something with an OS that doesn't have an XDF or you just want to do some quick changes, then universal patcher will do that without needing any translation files. It is a bit less user friendly and the UI is bare bones... but it will work with any OS.

 

[BeXtreme]

Also, the CMP retard is just a PID you need to look at to adjust the distributor to be in the correct alignment with the crank trigger signal.

The CASE learn is done to allow the PCM to fine tune the crank position so that it is precise enough to detect individual cylinder knock values. If it is even a few degrees off it will not be able to accurately determine which cylinder is actually misfiring and you will get a bunch of failures and SES light with codes thrown. I think the CMP needs to be within +- 6 degrees to be able to successfully do a CASE, but +- 2 degrees or less is preferred.

 

[Scottm]

Great thanks, that is the best info I have gotten yet. I'm going to assume Black Bear did a good job on the tune, so the first thing I want to do is turn egr off. The Obdx pro VX is the one I want, but they are out of stock. I will start with tunerpro rt and see how far I can get.

 

[BeXtreme]

Great thanks, that is the best info I have gotten yet. I'm going to assume Black Bear did a good job on the tune, so the first thing I want to do is turn egr off. The Obdx pro VX is the one I want, but they are out of stock. I will start with tunerpro rt and see how far I can get.

You can at least download a bin file and start messing with it to learn the basics. There are other options besides the OBDx, but they get sketchy pretty quick. Any ELM 327 cable SHOULD work, but a lot of the available ones are china made and may or may not be what they actually say they are. They hand make the OBDx units, so they come up pretty regularly in batches. I believe they have a "notify me when back in stock" option, so I would make sure I have my name in that list so you can just buy one when it comes back up for purchase.

 

[Scottm]

Awesome, so this for example, should let me hook up the laptop with tunerpro?

ELM327 USB Interface OBD2 Car Diagnostic Scanner Cable For Windows PC Computer X | eBay

KOLSOL ELM327USB OBD2 Scanner V1.5 ELM327 Diagnostic Tool with Switch. The modified version of the ELM327 converts the HS-CAN and the MS-CAN. In addition to adding functionality to Ford, the device can also be used as a regular OBD2 / EOBD diagnostic on a vehicle.

www.ebay.com

 

[BeXtreme]

Awesome, so this for example, should let me hook up the laptop with tunerpro?

ELM327 USB Interface OBD2 Car Diagnostic Scanner Cable For Windows PC Computer X | eBay

KOLSOL ELM327USB OBD2 Scanner V1.5 ELM327 Diagnostic Tool with Switch. The modified version of the ELM327 converts the HS-CAN and the MS-CAN. In addition to adding functionality to Ford, the device can also be used as a regular OBD2 / EOBD diagnostic on a vehicle.

www.ebay.com

Yes, with the great big caveat that it is made in China and may or may not actually have the capability it says it does. The people who developed LS droid and are involved in making the OBDx tool only really did it because the quality and actual hardware being included in those tools was horribly inconsistent.

 

[Scottm]

I have been emailing back and forth with the Obdx guy today. The VX model is not for sale yet, but should be just the ticket. So their scanner, plus Pcmhammer, plus tunerpro will do everything HP tuners will do? Is there anything HP does or doesn't do better? At this point I have spent so much money, I wonder if the HP would be worth it compared to figuring out all the hacky piecemeal stuff the hard way.

 

[Supercharged111]

I have been emailing back and forth with the Obdx guy today. The VX model is not for sale yet, but should be just the ticket. So their scanner, plus Pcmhammer, plus tunerpro will do everything HP tuners will do? Is there anything HP does or doesn't do better? At this point I have spent so much money, I wonder if the HP would be worth it compared to figuring out all the hacky piecemeal stuff the hard way.

HPT and EFILive support more PCMs and, for the 411, also support boost. I still want to get my hands on the PCM Hammer setup to be able to tune stuff without paying for a license every time.

 

[Spareparts]

I have looked at all the freeware for tuning and for a new person it has a steep learning curve but it is free and does work. If your VCR clock is flashing 12:00 since you bought it the freeware is not for you.
HPTuners has a more user friendly interface and will more or less tell you what the setting does but you need to understand what to set it to. It would be like using windows all your life then one day switching to a iMac. You will figure it out but keep a OS backup.
I bought HPTuners as im not tech challenged but getting older it is taking me longer to understand it so all the help i can get will be a +
Lots of people here use one or the other and will offer help freely if asked.
+ i'll be tuning a black box ecu and none of the freeware will do that, that i know of.

 

[Scottm]

Thanks, spare. I'm pretty good with electronics. I used to have tunerpro with the Moates cables and stuff for tuning my 91 s-10. What's the out the door cost on hp? How many credits will it take to do the egr and O2's, play with idle speed, shift points, etc? And might they get you busted for disabling certain things?