I had an Idea I don't if it would be pooiable. But I was wondering if you could replace the e-prom with a prom that could be flash from a laptop. Like when you flash your bios on your computer. because all you are doing is replacing the the old bin file with a new bin file. Just an Idea I had.

 

Yes and no.... You can replace it with a Flash chip yes, but you still have to remove the chip from the ECM and put it in your programmer to burn it.....


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ZaphodB a.k.a Carl Andersson - zaphodb@faxancruisers.org
'89 Camaro IROC-Z 5.7L TPI - Mods under construction :-)
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Would you? I mean couldn't you make an adapter? just leave a USB port or what ever you use in a good location? Would be pretty snazzy to have a USB plug in your dash for easy access.

 

You're talking about an emulator, I think.. I bought one made by Tech Tools (www.tech-tools.com) but haven't gotten around to using it yet. It looks pretty straightforward and seems like it should work, but one catch is you need to find the reset line for the microprocessor. The reason being, the emulator draws its power from the chip socket, hence the ECM must be turned on. But, when you're changing the memory contents, the uP would temporarily lose access to the EPROM.. Needless to say, that's a bad thing.

I know there's at least one or two other people here that have an emulator, but I don't know if anyone's been able to drive their car on one yet.

 

You really won't need emulator. What I was thinking of was being able to flash the prom form a laptop like you do when you flash the bios on your computer. so all you would really need is a flash program, flash type e-prom, and some way to connect the laptop to the cars computer. like through the diagnostic link.

[This message has been edited by Tad (edited August 13, 2001).]

 

I *think* the problem is that you physically have to take the prom out as the ECM circuitry is not up to the task of taking the voltage necessary to flash the prom without damage. The newer ecm's can but they are built different.

 

I would be a little uneasy intorducing the voltages to the flash while connected to the computer

remember the computer was not designed to have a flash chip

it is a good idea but not one that i would try

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If you do PLEASE let us know. Its a terrific idea!

 

Are you talking for real time changes?.
Then the answer is no. You have to keep things in synch with the program running. Or the ecm crashes.

To reflash one means divorcing all the pins from the ecm during the reflash, on the older ones, how they handle this on the new ones I don't know. But, even withthem you have to kill the engine.

The syty bullentin board had a bunch of posts about an emulator that they had working well with their 27128 chipped ecms.

Too often with easy reprogramming you can get caught in the moment and fly right by optimum best. Somestimes the old fashioned slow ways have their place, in that since you have to spend a moment to reprogram a chip, you just might make it a habit to take notes about what your doing.

 

here is an idea use the emulator ( which you can do real time changes)
rund a scanner software and use that information to write a program that does real time changes to the hex values in the emulator

all you would have to do is set up the specs you want and let the soft ware tune your car for you while you drive when you are done just burn the prom with the resuting bin

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4BBL to TPI in the works
86 350 5spd

E.E.T (Electronics Engineering Technologist)

 

No. Just so you don't have to remove the prom everytime you want to make a change.

 

I know what you are saying. I thought about that too. Just a way to flash the 29C256 EEprom without having to remove it from the memcal or in my case removing the entire memcal becasue I soldered my chip in. This way, we don't have to drive around with our ECM's laying on the floor with a bunch of wires. I'm not an electrical or computer engineer but if there was a way as Grumpy said to divorce the chip from the ECM through a socket that can be electronically shut on and off remotely (probably is not such a thing), then one could figure out how to flash the prom remotely. That's up to the computer Guru's out there. Then there are other people reading this post thinking..."Shut this guy up!"