Is There A Software Upgrade For Your GM Car Or Truck? Posted by nik on October 31, 2018 Everyone with a smartphone or a computer knows all about the update process. There are updates for Windows, updates for OS X, updates for your applications, uploads for the games and apps on your phonethe list goes on. The PCM is a programmable module. Wester's Garage GMT Tuner. Recover dead computers previously 'fried' by GM TIS software or other reprogramming software packages. VIN check and software calibration level check. Over-writing your proven tune. (Locking prevents everyone, even YOU from re-accessing the ECM). We prefer you tune with a chassis dyno and proper test equipment.

If you’ve been around the GM EFI scene, whether it is perusing the messageboards, races, car shows, etc. Then perhaps you have heard of the dreaded torque management. This is one of many safeguards that General Motors engineers have put in place to protect your Gen III or IV engine and its drivetrain from your heavy right foot. In some cases, these safeguards protect overzealous drivers from themselves. However, if you are reading Street Tech, the chances are these limits shouldn’t apply to you. We stopped by The Tuning School in Odessa, Florida to take an inside look at how to remove these electronic handicaps from a stock LSx vehicle – my 2008 Chevy Trailblazer SS – using HP Tuners software. While there are some slight differences between the E38 computer and earlier designs, most of these tables and general concepts are applicable to all Gen III/IV engines.

Before we begin, let’s talk about some basic background on GM EFI. The 1985 Corvette and the 1986 Turbo Buicks began the modern age of port fuel injection. The precision and control of port injection literally dropped a full second off the Corvette’s quarter-mile time, and almost two seconds on the Grand National (an intercooler didn’t hurt either). However, these early PROM-based computers weren’t nearly as aftermarket-friendly as the later Flash-based (OBD I & II) computers we have now become accustomed.

In the modern world of EFI tuning, it is all about precision. We have injector flow data, wideband O2 sensors, full data logging, easy-to-use software, and all sorts of resources at our fingertips that have taken tuning from some sort of black art to science. If you are new to tuning, then you may be wondering: what is a “flash-based computer?” The term “flash” refers to how the computer’s calibration is modified. With a PROM-based computer, a “chip” would physically be installed on the circuit board to modify the hard-wired calibration. Snarky puppy ground up rar. However, the modern Powertrain Control Module (PCM) or Engine Control Module (ECM) operates more like a regular computer.

By plugging into the OBD I/II port, hardware and software such as HP Tuners can scan, download, and upload. Using the scan feature, the software monitors all of the sensor inputs going into the ECM, records it, and can play it back to review.

This is extremely valuable in tuning, allowing a calibrator to see exactly what needs to be changed and under what conditions (RPM, temperature, etc). To make changes, a tuner will download the current calibration and start making changes. Once completed, the modified tune file is saved and uploaded to the ECM, rewriting the calibration.

As wonderful as that sounds, once you open up the software it is immediately apparent that it isn’t as simple as adding or subtracting a little timing and a few percent of fuel. HP Tuners software is incredibly user friendly, however, there are simply too many tables to jump right in without knowing what you are doing. This is exactly why we’d recommend getting some EFI background; CarTech Books has a number of great resources. However, once you are ready to start playing around, The Tuning School is the best way to get your hands dirty under supervision. The Odessa, Florida-based school has both live seminars and at-home learning to walk you through HP Tuners software and the process of tuning a vehicle.

Certificates are available for various levels of training, and excellent customer support. Bob Morreale gave us a taste of the school’s Level 1 GM Tuning course by introducing the method and demonstrating on the painfully stock Trailblazer SS. Note: the following is not meant to be a step-by-step tuning guide. It is only meant to introduce basic GM EFI tuning and what is capable on even a stock vehicle. We’d recommend training before attempting EFI tuning. Once Bob Morreale of The Tuning School downloaded the 2008 Trailblazer SS’s stock tune to his laptop via the HP Tuners interface (hardware) and VCM Suite (software), we took a look at the Torque Management tab under the navigation for Engine. The OEM calibration wants to limit engine output (via spark advance) to protect the transmission and other components.