PCM Q's...

[RASelkirk]

Hi All,

About to take possession of my new '18 Ram Sport. I understand the new(er) Dodge PCM's are 'locked" to prevent access to tuning and it looks to be around $250 to have them unlocked.

Does this unlock show up on a dealer scanner?

What if I were to buy a second PCM new from RockAuto that states to be unprogrammed, upload my factory PCM programming to a programmer like SCT, then DL it to the new one, is the new one still gonna be locked?

Could those two PCM's be swapped back and forth at will?

Is there a website that explains the ins and outs of these new Dodge PCMs?

Thanks!

Russ

 

[DVC]

Subscribed, as I have an '18 as well.

Where do you get a PCM unlocked?

 

[yillbs]

Ideally go with something like the diablo PCM. They will send you a second one. that will be keyed to your truck. you can swap them out, as you should. If they see you have an unlocked PCM, it will void your warranty. Swapping them out is rather simple. Apparently the mileage is stored in the EVIC, so you don't really have to worry about that. I could be wrong, maybe someone else that does it more frequently would know.

 

[charonblk07]

It would still be locked, there is a physical change that needs to be made to the PCM to allow it to be overwritten. The cheapest route for an unlocked PCM is to buy it through places like diablo or any of their resellers like Moes.

 

[Jimmy07]

First off, swapping pcm’s will be a dead giveaway because they CAN pull your mileage from the PCM. They won’t even have to prove any tuning to void your ENTIRE warranty because they got you for tampering with the odometer.

Second, there is no such thing as an untraceable tuner. If the powertrain warranty work is expensive enough, FCA will pull all data from the PCM, and they will be able to tell. It doesn’t matter how “mod friendly” your dealer is, because FCA is the one that’s paying for the warranty work. Sure, if it’s little things like ball joints, or U joints, or your power windows quit working, they’re not gonna dig, but big ticket items with the powertrain, they’ll find out.

 

[Derek Powers]

Check out the Edge Pulsar

 

[Tach_tech]

First off, swapping pcm’s will be a dead giveaway because they CAN pull your mileage from the PCM. They won’t even have to prove any tuning to void your ENTIRE warranty because they got you for tampering with the odometer.

Second, there is no such thing as an untraceable tuner. If the powertrain warranty work is expensive enough, FCA will pull all data from the PCM, and they will be able to tell. It doesn’t matter how “mod friendly” your dealer is, because FCA is the one that’s paying for the warranty work. Sure, if it’s little things like ball joints, or U joints, or your power windows quit working, they’re not gonna dig, but big ticket items with the powertrain, they’ll find out.

Pretty much this. Some of the newer vehicles will also set a permanent fault code for tampering. Last time I checked that only happened on Grand Cherokee and charger/challenger.

 

[Wild one]

Pretty much this. Some of the newer vehicles will also set a permanent fault code for tampering. Last time I checked that only happened on Grand Cherokee and charger/challenger.

What year of Challengers does that fault code apply to Tach Tech,kinda curious as I was thinking of doing the Diablo PCM swap on the wifes 2016 R/T Challenger.

 

[joshuaeb09]

What year of Challengers does that fault code apply to Tach Tech,kinda curious as I was thinking of doing the Diablo PCM swap on the wifes 2016 R/T Challenger.

That year will almost certainly trip a P1400 on a PCM swap, even if the code is disabled in the tune the dealer can still pull the PCM part number and it will likely show up if the factory PCM is re-installed. This is based on a few discussions I've had with people in the Challenger community as well as dealer contacts I know through friends/family. Apparently it even happens on the Demon if the Demon Crate FCA race PCM is installed. I'm going to PCM swap my '17 Scat anyways, but that car is not a daily driver and powertrain failure is just an excuse for engine work or a paramount tranny. Not to mention a dealer would take one look under the car and likely not be too pleased with the fact most of the original suspension has been replaced and the cradle is on solid mounts.

 

[Tach_tech]

What year of Challengers does that fault code apply to Tach Tech,kinda curious as I was thinking of doing the Diablo PCM swap on the wifes 2016 R/T Challenger.

2016 will set that code. 2015 is when that dtc started.

 

[Wild one]

2016 will set that code. 2015 is when that dtc started.

Figures,lol.Thanks TT