Problems with SCT Tuner - Mustang GT
03-28-2013, 10:01 AM
#11
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CT
Posts: 10
I understand you just want to get the car back on the road and I don't blame you one bit!
However, we're in a very tricky situation here. It's impossible to update the Firmware on a SF3 tuner without whipping the custom tunes from the tuner. This makes me think the Firmware update was unsuccessful, if you still have Bama tunes on there.
Plus, after looking at the Bama Teams notes, I see you have a Manual transmission swap with the factory Auto PCM installed. This explains why you can't upload the stock tune and have everything run smoothly. You have to use an custom tune at this point to adjust the Auto PCM's parameters for a manual transmission.
Your best bet is to get some new custom tunes specifically for the Auto PCM and manual transmission. If there's still Bama tunes on your SF3 after updating the Firmware, they could very well be corrupted, since they should have been erased.
Otherwise there's no way to tell if you have an issue with the tuner or not. The only other option is to contact SCT directly @ 407-774-2447 and send the SF3 into them to inspect.
Shane
However, we're in a very tricky situation here. It's impossible to update the Firmware on a SF3 tuner without whipping the custom tunes from the tuner. This makes me think the Firmware update was unsuccessful, if you still have Bama tunes on there.
Plus, after looking at the Bama Teams notes, I see you have a Manual transmission swap with the factory Auto PCM installed. This explains why you can't upload the stock tune and have everything run smoothly. You have to use an custom tune at this point to adjust the Auto PCM's parameters for a manual transmission.
Your best bet is to get some new custom tunes specifically for the Auto PCM and manual transmission. If there's still Bama tunes on your SF3 after updating the Firmware, they could very well be corrupted, since they should have been erased.
Otherwise there's no way to tell if you have an issue with the tuner or not. The only other option is to contact SCT directly @ 407-774-2447 and send the SF3 into them to inspect.
Shane
So if it is impossible to update firmware without clearing the tunes, I will update it again tomorrow and see what happens. Thank you for that information.
*I must have made a mistake on the BAMA form because the the car originally had an auto, but was swapped to a 5spd from a 2001 GT including the ecu from the donor car. So the ecu and transmission are both from the manual car. But it's also weird that I was getting automatic transmission codes reading on the tuner when I returned it to stock if the ecu is from a manual. Also, I don't have the original automatic ecu that came stock in the car anymore*
I am still planning to contact SCT tomorrow morning, I will keep you updated all the way through this. Since the transmission and ecu are matching, what does that change in the information you just gave me?
Thank you for your patience and dedication to the issue.
03-28-2013, 02:53 PM
#12
Tricky situation, indeed!
So if it is impossible to update firmware without clearing the tunes, I will update it again tomorrow and see what happens. Thank you for that information.
*I must have made a mistake on the BAMA form because the the car originally had an auto, but was swapped to a 5spd from a 2001 GT including the ecu from the donor car. So the ecu and transmission are both from the manual car. But it's also weird that I was getting automatic transmission codes reading on the tuner when I returned it to stock if the ecu is from a manual. Also, I don't have the original automatic ecu that came stock in the car anymore*
I am still planning to contact SCT tomorrow morning, I will keep you updated all the way through this. Since the transmission and ecu are matching, what does that change in the information you just gave me?
Thank you for your patience and dedication to the issue.
So if it is impossible to update firmware without clearing the tunes, I will update it again tomorrow and see what happens. Thank you for that information.
*I must have made a mistake on the BAMA form because the the car originally had an auto, but was swapped to a 5spd from a 2001 GT including the ecu from the donor car. So the ecu and transmission are both from the manual car. But it's also weird that I was getting automatic transmission codes reading on the tuner when I returned it to stock if the ecu is from a manual. Also, I don't have the original automatic ecu that came stock in the car anymore*
I am still planning to contact SCT tomorrow morning, I will keep you updated all the way through this. Since the transmission and ecu are matching, what does that change in the information you just gave me?
Thank you for your patience and dedication to the issue.
TheBigFreeze,
According to the previous owner the car still has the factory Auto PCM. The original Bama tunes the Mustang was running on WITH the manual swap (before you purchased the car), was for the Auto PCM, too. That is why you're getting automatic transmission codes when you returned the stock tune. So, unless you personally swapped a manual PCM in the Mustang, it's still using the Auto PCM.
Let me know how things go with SCT and then we can get you some new custom tunes!
Shane
03-29-2013, 07:48 AM
#13
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CT
Posts: 10
TheBigFreeze,
According to the previous owner the car still has the factory Auto PCM. The original Bama tunes the Mustang was running on WITH the manual swap (before you purchased the car), was for the Auto PCM, too. That is why you're getting automatic transmission codes when you returned the stock tune. So, unless you personally swapped a manual PCM in the Mustang, it's still using the Auto PCM.
Let me know how things go with SCT and then we can get you some new custom tunes!
Shane
According to the previous owner the car still has the factory Auto PCM. The original Bama tunes the Mustang was running on WITH the manual swap (before you purchased the car), was for the Auto PCM, too. That is why you're getting automatic transmission codes when you returned the stock tune. So, unless you personally swapped a manual PCM in the Mustang, it's still using the Auto PCM.
Let me know how things go with SCT and then we can get you some new custom tunes!
Shane
So I guess we have our answer. Thank you for providing that crucial piece of information. So I called SCT this morning (before 9am) and they said they are closed for Easter weekend and they re-open Monday. I head back up to UConn on Sunday night and I don't have access to my car or tuner. Hopefully they have at least a couple tech representatives working today!
Just to clarify; SCT can send me a new stock file specifically for my car? I just plugged my tuner in and it said I had the most recent/updated firmware (1.2.149) which is confusing because before I updated it last weekend, it hadn't been done in a year (Roughly). So maybe no update was released in that year... or I really did update it last weekend.
At least we are making progress here- this is good!
03-29-2013, 09:34 AM
#14
SCT will be able to program a stock file onto your SF3 for the Auto PCM. So, you will still have the same problem of having an Auto stock file, with a manual transmission. Earlier it seemed like you were having troubles with updating your SCT tuner, which is why I suggested contacting SCT.
If everything is okay with the tuner, than you need some custom tunes written for the Auto PCM with a manual transmission!
Shane
If everything is okay with the tuner, than you need some custom tunes written for the Auto PCM with a manual transmission!
Shane
03-29-2013, 10:08 AM
#15
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CT
Posts: 10
SCT will be able to program a stock file onto your SF3 for the Auto PCM. So, you will still have the same problem of having an Auto stock file, with a manual transmission. Earlier it seemed like you were having troubles with updating your SCT tuner, which is why I suggested contacting SCT.
If everything is okay with the tuner, than you need some custom tunes written for the Auto PCM with a manual transmission!
Shane
If everything is okay with the tuner, than you need some custom tunes written for the Auto PCM with a manual transmission!
Shane
When I receive a stock file I will let you know!
03-30-2013, 04:53 PM
#17
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CT
Posts: 10
Instead of dealing with SCT directly- Alberto from American Motorsport has fixed the problem and has been absolutely awesome!
I appreciate the much needed assistance and information from Shane, of American Muscle, and Mustang Phil as well for pointing me in the right direction and providing me with important information!
I ended up updating the firmware like I thought, but the newest update didn't erase my custom tunes from BAMA. Instead it corrupted them, and in order to work properly, I needed to reload the BAMA tunes; however, I don't have them since they came with the car when I bought it.
Also, since my car has a manual transmission but an auto pcm, some issues were arising:
American Motorsport wrote me a new stock tune for my auto pcm to emulate that of a manual pcm, then provided me with awesome custom tunes! It corrected all of my problems, and now the car runs awesome. I only mentioned one minor detail to Alberto that I wasn't 100% happy about: 20 minutes later I had two new tunes with corrections made. Mind you, all of this happened on EASTER WEEKEND when most companies are closed. Best part is, if I find it's not exactly what I want as I drive it more, he will continue to make adjustments until it's perfect (which it already seems to be!)
If you aren't sure about American Motorsport, don't give it a second thought. I'm going to my buddies and telling them all about it. I am still learning about a lot of the computer stuff (pcm/ecu), and Alberto called me and walked me through each and every step and provided me with awesome information.
Absolutely no disrespect to other performance companies, but the flexibility and length of time it took him to make the tunes perfect can't be beat. Nothing bad to say about any other places, but Alberto took care of me immediately, and worked with me until I felt it was perfect.
THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE, MY CAR IS GREAT AGAIN!
I appreciate the much needed assistance and information from Shane, of American Muscle, and Mustang Phil as well for pointing me in the right direction and providing me with important information!
I ended up updating the firmware like I thought, but the newest update didn't erase my custom tunes from BAMA. Instead it corrupted them, and in order to work properly, I needed to reload the BAMA tunes; however, I don't have them since they came with the car when I bought it.
Also, since my car has a manual transmission but an auto pcm, some issues were arising:
American Motorsport wrote me a new stock tune for my auto pcm to emulate that of a manual pcm, then provided me with awesome custom tunes! It corrected all of my problems, and now the car runs awesome. I only mentioned one minor detail to Alberto that I wasn't 100% happy about: 20 minutes later I had two new tunes with corrections made. Mind you, all of this happened on EASTER WEEKEND when most companies are closed. Best part is, if I find it's not exactly what I want as I drive it more, he will continue to make adjustments until it's perfect (which it already seems to be!)
If you aren't sure about American Motorsport, don't give it a second thought. I'm going to my buddies and telling them all about it. I am still learning about a lot of the computer stuff (pcm/ecu), and Alberto called me and walked me through each and every step and provided me with awesome information.
Absolutely no disrespect to other performance companies, but the flexibility and length of time it took him to make the tunes perfect can't be beat. Nothing bad to say about any other places, but Alberto took care of me immediately, and worked with me until I felt it was perfect.
THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE, MY CAR IS GREAT AGAIN!
03-02-2014, 05:57 PM
#18
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: TN
Posts: 1
Hate to bring this thread back from the dead. I did an auto to manual swap on my car as well. MY speedo/odometer read double so yea 5 miles equals 10 miles on my odometer. 50mph equals 100mph on my speedo. Also my idle is hanging when I come to a stop or when I rev it up. Sits around 1500 then drops to 1000rpms after a few seconds. Did your car have all the same probs. And, the tune you got from American Motorsports fixed this all? Tired of my car not running correctly anymore. I wanted to just get my auto ecu flashed at the Ford dealer to get the parameters made to read as a manual ecu. I have my check engine light on constantly due to my ecu looking for auto sensors and solenoids and my overdrive light constantly flashes.
03-03-2014, 08:33 AM
#20
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CT
Posts: 10
Hate to bring this thread back from the dead. I did an auto to manual swap on my car as well. MY speedo/odometer read double so yea 5 miles equals 10 miles on my odometer. 50mph equals 100mph on my speedo. Also my idle is hanging when I come to a stop or when I rev it up. Sits around 1500 then drops to 1000rpms after a few seconds. Did your car have all the same probs. And, the tune you got from American Motorsports fixed this all? Tired of my car not running correctly anymore. I wanted to just get my auto ecu flashed at the Ford dealer to get the parameters made to read as a manual ecu. I have my check engine light on constantly due to my ecu looking for auto sensors and solenoids and my overdrive light constantly flashes.
Yes, I had the same issues- that's an easy fix for American MotorSport .. he'll have you hooked up so fast.. he's the best, quickest, and most affordable fix out there!
Good luck!