Hi,

I am new to the Third Gen forum, but after a lot of searching, it is clear that you guys really know your stuff. The guys over at the Corvette Forum HIGHLY recommended talking to you about DIY scanning, datalogging, tuning, etc.

I have 1987 vette, 165 ECM, $32B Mask (hopefully I stated that correctly). Engine is a 383 mini ram, AFR 195 heads, 240/240 @ .050 (.580 lift) cam, and 30 lbs injectors.

I am trying to get (and then I'll need to read) the .bin file from my chip(s).

I actually have 3 chips from Formato - the original, and two others that they burned for me based on a few changes I requested (higher target idle, leaner at cold start open loop, etc). I'd like to compare the programming from each of the three. (Eventually, I'd like to learn how to program myself, but for now I just want to learn how to retrieve and view the files so I can start to understand them).

I have a laptop, serial cable, and the ECM851 software. I tried doing a "PROM dump" using the 851 software, but could not get it to work. I may not be following the correct procedure (if there is one). At one point, it looked like it was starting to dump some data, but then I got something like a "data timed out, no connection" message. It dumped about 1 KB of data into the file. I re-tried several times, but I kept getting that message.

I also downloaded the TunerPro software, but couldn't figure how to retrieve the bin file using it.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - I am very new at this!

Thanks,
Dan

 

I don't know of any ALDL interface software that can read a .bin file from a chip while in an ecm. That doesn't mean it isn't possible, I just don't know if it exists.

The way I read/program chips it with a chip reader/burner. I use one from XTRONICS, Craig Moates has some really great stuff to read/burn/emmulate etc. If you need to buy one tool to scan, burn, emmulate, check out Craigs products. www.moates.net

As you progress through chip programming, you will want a way to program "on the fly" while the engine is running and be able to record your runs. I have a programmer to run the bin file "on the fly" and I simultaneaously run a data record program all on my laptop, so I can edit with the engine running and see the changes by switching back and forth between programs.

Check the stickies at the top, all the hardware requirements are listed to burn chips.

 

ECM 851 will not read the 160 baud datastream (which yours is). It is intended for 8192 $6E ('89 F/Y body) and $8D (90-92 F/Y-body). It will indeed read the bin through the ALDL port for those.

Otherwise, yes, you'll need a chip burner/reader to get your bin data from the chip.

 

Thanks for the info!

I thought I read that 1986 - 1995 Corvettes were 8192 baud, but I could certainly be wrong.

At any rate, since the ECM851 software won't do it for me, it sounds like the reader/programmer is the way to go. Damn - I wasn't quite ready to go that far yet, but I guess it's now or never

Thanks for the help!! Time to check out the stickies again!