Almost 2 months of owning a tuner, never getting to use it...
06-26-2011, 12:07 PM
#11
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Utah
Posts: 730
Oh yeah, almost forgot. If you get a reflash, make sure you get the processor code off the white sticker on the side of the PCM. If it changes from what it was before then Bama will have to rewrite your tunes, which should be free.
But if you decide to not go to the dealership, then yeah you can just load the custom tunes you already have onto the tuner and then reprogram the PCM, it'll just use the tune already on the car as the "stock" tune. You shouldn't need factory tune as long as you never go back to stock airbox with it's smaller maf.
But if you decide to not go to the dealership, then yeah you can just load the custom tunes you already have onto the tuner and then reprogram the PCM, it'll just use the tune already on the car as the "stock" tune. You shouldn't need factory tune as long as you never go back to stock airbox with it's smaller maf.
06-27-2011, 01:45 PM
#14
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
Some of you may recall me posting about finally buying a CAI and tuner a while back. I received a faulty tuner but I managed to get it working just long enough to load one of my custom tunes. I called American Muscle and was told I would need to go through SCT. A couple weeks after purchasing my tuner I have to pay shipping to have it fixed? Oh well, it was only like $14. So i finally got the tuner back and plug it in and it powers right up unlike before. Theres one problem, im still custom tuned but the tuner is reset to stock with no tunes. I called SCT and they didnt have much of an answer for me other then to just try loading one of my custom tunes. After talking with them more we kinda decided I may be able to trick the tuner into thinking my current (custom) tune is actually the stock tune and still be able to use it but I have no idea how i can ever return to stock if i needed to. So i emailed the guy at AM that i originally talked to about the tuner requesting a copy of my tune files. A few days later I still dont have an answer so I emailed the support part of AM. Still new answer a few days later. So Im pretty much stuck here waiting on a problem to fix itself I suppose. If i get a chance in the next day or two I will actually call them, but seriously how hard is it to answer an email over the period of a week?
anyone had similar tuner problems and resolved it somehow? If tricking the tuner doesnt work the only other way i know of it to have the dealership reflash it to stock which is BS if i have to pay for that.
anyone had similar tuner problems and resolved it somehow? If tricking the tuner doesnt work the only other way i know of it to have the dealership reflash it to stock which is BS if i have to pay for that.
06-27-2011, 02:40 PM
#15
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Henry County, Georgia
Posts: 1,636
I called bama directly about an hour and a half ago and told them i needed a copy of my tunes emailed to me. They asked for my order number then told me they would send it right out. Am i just impatient or does emailing a few files take a few hours?
07-04-2011, 04:02 PM
#18
Bama will take the stock PCM code and create a file based on that PCM code, however we do not have a copy of your stock file. We have the stock binary, but that doesn't include the other stuff inside the tune, which is unique to your individual VIN number. This is true for any company that uses SCT software.
When you load your custom tunes, a copy of the stock binary is loaded onto the programmer and the custom tune is loaded into your PCM in-place. From there, when you want to go back to stock, they just swap out.
In the event that there's a problem with going back to stock, SCT should have the ability to recover your PCM code and fix your tuner remotely, assuming it's not a hardware problem that you have to send the physical tuner back to them to fix. While this rarely happens (even software problems with SCT aren't that common), it's still something we want people to be aware of.
You always have the option of going to the dealer and having them reflash the car back to stock, but make sure that you check with SCT that your device is unlocked.
I wish we could be of more help or speed this process up for you, but this needs to be done with SCT. We can load the files onto the device, help you update firmware, walk you through putting tunes on or returning to stock, but recovery of the PCM and/or device must be done by SCT.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have absolutely any more questions, whatsoever.
In the future, contact our Bama tuning specialists directly if you have any tuning-related or SCT-related issues. They're here in the building Monday-Friday from 9AM-5:30PM EST at 888.226.9764. If you email Bama, please allow 24-48 hours for a response. Calling is much quicker, and they can usually get it solved for you within 15 minutes, or maybe an hour or two during busy times.
When you load your custom tunes, a copy of the stock binary is loaded onto the programmer and the custom tune is loaded into your PCM in-place. From there, when you want to go back to stock, they just swap out.
In the event that there's a problem with going back to stock, SCT should have the ability to recover your PCM code and fix your tuner remotely, assuming it's not a hardware problem that you have to send the physical tuner back to them to fix. While this rarely happens (even software problems with SCT aren't that common), it's still something we want people to be aware of.
You always have the option of going to the dealer and having them reflash the car back to stock, but make sure that you check with SCT that your device is unlocked.
I wish we could be of more help or speed this process up for you, but this needs to be done with SCT. We can load the files onto the device, help you update firmware, walk you through putting tunes on or returning to stock, but recovery of the PCM and/or device must be done by SCT.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have absolutely any more questions, whatsoever.
In the future, contact our Bama tuning specialists directly if you have any tuning-related or SCT-related issues. They're here in the building Monday-Friday from 9AM-5:30PM EST at 888.226.9764. If you email Bama, please allow 24-48 hours for a response. Calling is much quicker, and they can usually get it solved for you within 15 minutes, or maybe an hour or two during busy times.
Last edited by AMChrisRose; 07-04-2011 at 04:06 PM.
07-04-2011, 04:05 PM
#19
Although AM is loved around here I also had tuning issues with them to be honest. For me the problem was that I ordered my tuner, and they billed me immediately which is fine because I assumed they'd ship it shortly. Ended up waiting over a month with no tuner since they were waiting to work out kinks in a tune for my PCM. Just ended up taking so long that I asked for my money back and to just cancel the order. I just don't like the idea of having my cash in someone elses pocket without any product lol
Ended up going with Brenspeed and I'm really happy, Doug worked with me through any hiccups and finally got me a set of great tunes.
Ended up going with Brenspeed and I'm really happy, Doug worked with me through any hiccups and finally got me a set of great tunes.
We were, in your situation, unfortunately at the mercy of SCT to get the PCM code added to the software. Our typical turnaround time is 1-3 business days before shipping, because we ship hundreds per week.
Hope this helps. Sorry about the inconvenience and hopefully we'll do business again in the future!
07-05-2011, 01:25 AM
#20
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Utah
Posts: 730
Oh, that makes complete sense and answers the stock tune question in case someone else asks and wants an answer from an actual shop.
I'm bookmarking this!
Hope Shadow got ahold of what he was looking for.
I'm bookmarking this!
Hope Shadow got ahold of what he was looking for.
Last edited by Ricardo; 07-05-2011 at 01:27 AM.