JasperGT

Okay. Here is the story. I ordered a SCT X-cal 3 from American Muscle a long time ago (Summer of 2008) when I put 4.10 gears in my car. The device has since become a SF3 device (firmware-wise) since it was sold prior to July 25th, 2008. It came with some AM/SCT tunes that didn't work all that well, so I got a couple tunes from Bamachips. After I tried those, I got a Brenspeed tune that I am currently running. Sometime from the point that I purchased to now, the device is in the 'locked' status.

Now for the problem. I will be getting some cams, underdrive pulleys, and CMCV delete plates installed on my car, and I am have the shop do a dyno tune. Both shops that I talked to say that I have to send in my tuner to SCT to get it unlocked for $150. While it is in the locked status, the tuners say they cannot tune with the device. On the SCT website, SCT states that you can return the car to stock, and the device will be unlocked. Once it is unlocked, it should be good for tuning.

Has anyone had this happen to you before? Are there any issues with returning it to stock once I bring it to the shop to get the install/tune done? I'd really not like to have to pay $150 for a device that I already own.

MADSCOTSMAN

I read your post through several times and am not really sure I understand what you ar asking. With a tuner, before you install a tune (file) on your car, your factory tune (file) is written/saved/backed up to the device, putting it in a "locked" status (nobody else can use it). This stores your factory settings and also prevents someone else from using the device. The only way to "unlock" a tuner is to either 1. restore your car to the factory tune with the device, hence removing your factory tune (file) from the device and placing it back onto the car, or 2. sending it back to the manufacturer to resset the device at a cost (this will also cause you to lose your factory tune). Hopefully this answers you rquestion(s)?!?!???

hammeron

i'd say if you can't unlock it using the liveload
sct software, then returning it to stock at the
dyno shop is fine.

usually the dyno man will be loading a base tune right off
the bat anyhow and will start modifying it from there. if
by chance he wanted to run one of your existing tunes
to read MAF counts, rpm, etc. he could just load it up
himself.

AmericanSpeed

Punch your x-cal 3 in the face, that usually works.

Can't you only put your car back to stock 3 times or something and then it locks up the tuner? Putting it back to the stock tune should allow you to tune with it?

Where are you getting your car tuned at?

dmhines

Select the option to return car to stock (factory tune) .. that will unlock it.

Have them write out a base tune and load to the X3 then load into the Mustang.

Now they can dyno-tune .... I would think any tuning company would know this ... strange ...

Prior to any of the firmware updates the software should have warned you to return to stock before doing the update so you don't lose you stock tune ....

JasperGT

Okay. I think I understand what's going on. Just to be safe, I already have all of my tunes backed up on my home computer and in email, so I won't lose them.

I'm getting my car tuned by Real Street Performance, but the guys at Horsepower Sales said the same thing about sending it back to SCT. Maybe they haven't heard of this, or they think that I have a used (and locked) tuner, or maybe, just maybe, Jay is in cahoots with SCT since they are just down the road... I'm going to call RSP, and ask them about all this.

Ozzy (from HP Sales) was saying that some tuners lock the tuner on purpose so that other tuners can't access the custom files. I imagine this is to maintain their competitive edge in the industry.

Anyways, from what I've read, returning back to the stock tune should unlock the tuner, and the dyno man (lol ) should be able to tune no problem.

Thanks for all the help guys! You saved me $150!

tx_zstang

The only time a xcal3 needs to be sent in to be unlocked is if locked to a different car (like one I'm selling).

hammeron

or maybe you'll get lucky and it will be a dyno lady
with a short skirt. either way i think it will work out fine.

AmericanSpeed

Jay at Real Street has been known to wear a miniskirt every now and then, LOL

darkhorse46

So that's what happened to my stock tune. SCT reconstructed it remotely for me (supposedly), but neither SCT or the software ever indicated that the stock tune would be lost if the firmware is updated.