DIY PROMDo It Yourself PROM chip burning help. No PROM begging. No PROMs for sale. No commercial exchange. Not a referral service.
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I was just scanning some of posts and see that there are several "newbies" coming in to the wonderful world of chip burning for their vehicles. Most of them seem to want to know what equipment to buy.
I thought maybe we could make a post that shows what all of the current "burners" are using for chip burning. A brief, but inclusive list of everything that you use to test, tune, and burn chips for your ride.
I will start by showing what I am using:
Chip Burner: Pocket Programmer
Chip Eraser: none; borrow one at work.
Device Used: 27C128
Memcal: ADS with ZIF socket soldered in.
Editor: Tunercat $6E
Base Bin: ARAP, modified of course
Scan Tool: Ease Diagnostics, Personal Plus version for GM OBD I
Hopefully this list will give new folks an idea of the more popular equipment PROM burners are using.
If this is a bad idea, moderators please lock it.
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Best ET 14.413 @95.57 without
pulling valve covers or manifolds.
Also with stock 2.77 rear end!!!
I've got a Compaq LTE 5400 - 150Mhz Pentium, 32mbs RAM. I've got the actual Compaq DC-cigarette lighter adapter for it (rather than a bumbling DC-AC adapter, then the accompanying AC-DC adapter, which I used to have on my old Dell setup.) I run WinALDL on it with the single transistor interface.
For a burner I've got a Needham's PB-10. It's the ISA card internal burner - unfortunately they don't make them anymore, but for just a few bucks more I believe you can get the Pocket Programmer, which I'd actually prefer nowadays.
Eraser is one I swiped from work from their days of making Novell boot PROM's. This thing erases probably 30 chips at once.
Chips are 2732A's, of assorted manufacture. Some are AMD's, which many people say to stay away from because they're too wide, but they're only too wide if you try to use the plastic carrier. I quit using mine and just slap the chip in directly, with the pins bent at a nice 90 degree angle. Press fits just fine every time. Bumps, wiggles.. nothing seems to dislodge them.
The base bin is one I got from a friend who had one "made" for our application, which is an '82-'84 Corvette with the CrossFire with the '7747 upgrade. It wasn't tuned worth a crap, but now I'm able to tweak and tune like crazy with the assistance of WinALDL and TunerCat. There's actually a file on DIY-EFI called "winaldlvefixer.xls" that does just what you think it does - plug the numbers from WinALDL into it, the numbers from TunerCat, and it gives you new numbers to put into TunerCat. It doesn't get it right the first time - not even the second. But it does get you closer and closer each time. In 10 chips I've managed to get my main fuel table so close to 128 across the board that I could spit on it. Most of my values are within the 126-130 range. I'm shooting for slightly higher numbers (128-130) in the lower KPa/load areas, and slightly lower numbers (126-128) in the higher KPa/load areas - a little lean on the cruise, and a little rich on the load/acceleration areas.
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by MikeT 88IROC350: I was just scanning some of posts and see that there are several "newbies" coming in to the wonderful world of chip burning for their vehicles. Most of them seem to want to know what equipment to buy.
I thought maybe we could make a post that shows what all of the current "burners" are using for chip burning. A brief, but inclusive list of everything that you use to test, tune, and burn chips for your ride.
I will start by showing what I am using:
Chip Burner: Pocket Programmer
Chip Eraser: none; borrow one at work.
Device Used: 27C128
Memcal: ADS with ZIF socket soldered in.
Editor: Tunercat $6E
Base Bin: ARAP, modified of course
Scan Tool: Ease Diagnostics, Personal Plus version for GM OBD I
Hopefully this list will give new folks an idea of the more popular equipment PROM burners are using.
If this is a bad idea, moderators please lock it.
</font>
For my car:
Chip burning: Pocket programmer
Editing: I have gone thru my code, and rewritten it so it's Source Code. So I use a hex editor to write in what I want where I want it.
Eproms: The ecm is modified so instead of a 2732, I now use a 27128, and have room to write stuff in it.
Going to be using Flash proms with it when I get done with the current vehicle changes.
For the study of ecms:
Tunercat, GMEPro, and some of my own software. Hex editor.
Eproms: 2732, 27128, 27256, 27512, and OBDII reflashing.
Depending on ecm, it's not in a car, but rather on my ecm bench, and run various scanners and scope on it.
All it means, is that once you get hooked don't be surprised. There is a really neat world of stuff in the ecms.
I use Diacom Plus, (used to use OTC 2000s), Direct scan. I have deal pending on a CAMS machine (obsolete dealer shop tool). New it cost $18K, looks like I'll get it for $100.
For a guy just starting out, a pocket programmer, Dataraser II, a few proms (holders if needed), a Digitial Volt Meter, and a stop watch are all you really need.
Developing the techniques using the basics are invaluable. Once you get clear on them things get much simplier,
Old P1, 133
DataMaster for 8D
GME Pro (think I am going to try TunerCat next)
TechTools Emulator
Needhams Prom burner @ work for EEPROMS, no more UV proms.
Pocket programmer, IBM 755cx thinkpad, scanning software, UV eprom dataeraser II, about 20 2732a eproms (the a doesn't mean anything except programming voltage), a bunch of friends that let you play with their cars!
Ooo, the first "poll" on the DIY Prom Board. Well, since it IS related to prom burning, I will play along too.
Burner: Pocket Programmer with Windows software.
Eraser: Datarase II (collecting dust)
Proms: AT29C256
Bin Editor: Tunercat and TDF Editor to add new constants and tables.
Scan Tool: Diacom + (looking at developing own for SD cars)
Computers: 2 Notebooks and 1 Desktop.
ECM: 1227747
Chip Burner: Pocket Programmer
Chip Eraser: Datarase II
Device Used: 2732a
Editor: Tunercat
Scan Tool: Ease Diagnostics, Personal Plus version for GM OBD I and Winaldl
Chip Burner: Just ordered the SPEP2 (parallel port, EPROM burner - not EEPROMs)
Chip Eraser: Datarase2 (I think ... the little one that can hold 4)
Device Used: 27C128
Memcal: Working on getting a few spares to work with
Editor: Still deciding. WinBin is neat. Looked at GMEPro (doesn't run right on XP). TunerCat looks pretty sweat, but I'm on a budget (who's not!)
Base Bin: ARAP (as suggested)
Scan Tool: none (yet) That's probably the next step.
Compaq Armada M700 PIII 500 laptop will be used for scanning once everything is set up.
hey this thread is great for us beginners interested in prom burning, one question though, where can i buy most of this stuff, and does anyone make a "package deal" with everything i need? also aprox costs would be cool too. thanks
Compaq 5380 laptop with 32m, networked to a dual Pentium 90 server.
Burner : Pocket Programmer. with ver 1.13 windows software (works perfectly). I also have the newer software version but it has a few too many bugs for my taste.
Originally posted by GRENDLE hey this thread is great for us beginners interested in prom burning, one question though, where can i buy most of this stuff, and does anyone make a "package deal" with everything i need? also aprox costs would be cool too. thanks
I also appreciate this info being a newby,an ignorant one at that. Like GRENDLE stated where would one go about getting the equipment(burners?,programmers?,etc.) I understand that the actual programming is something that you must learn thru trail and error and a alot of self education.
Originally posted by GRENDLE hey this thread is great for us beginners interested in prom burning, one question though, where can i buy most of this stuff, and does anyone make a "package deal" with everything i need? also aprox costs would be cool too. thanks
On the old board, there was a link at the top to TRAXION's prom intro. Dunno what happened to it but here's a link. It is a good read, and it has prices and suppliers for the equipment. http://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/tech/promintro.shtml
Tunercat
Dell Inspiron 3000 Laptop
EASE OBD I Plus
Datateraser
Needham's EMP-10 Burner
Microsoft Excel
TI 2732A EPROM from Jameco
Started with TB CITY cal for 7747
Lots of help from Bruce, Carl Summers, and Ken Kelly
Performance Tech Center Dynojet Dyno
Last edited by Dominic Sorresso; 12-22-2001 at 10:48 PM.
