Notices
4.6L V8 Technical Discussions Any questions about engine, transmission, or gearing can be asked here!

Need Some Help

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-28-2012, 12:32 PM
  #1  
CaliStang66
Thread Starter
 
CaliStang66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: California
Posts: 13
Default Need Some Help

buddy has a 2006 mustang gt and just got a SCT Tuner well hes having a few problems..
problem one alternators keeps going out on him hes on his fifth one..
problem two he cant get the tuner to load and tune his gt any suggestions on what can cause all these problems
CaliStang66 is offline  
Old 07-28-2012, 01:12 PM
  #2  
mdg
4th Gear Member
 
mdg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 1,968
Default

where did he purchase the tuner and tune from?
mdg is offline  
Old 07-28-2012, 01:15 PM
  #3  
Nuke
6th Gear Member
 
Nuke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PA to KY ('07) to IL ('09) to MS ('10) to FL ('11)
Posts: 16,182
Default

First, he needs to have his battery and alternator tested. The charging system in these S197's are marginal and if one component starts to go, it often takes out another.

Second, where did he buy the tuner? Was it 2nd hand? A 2nd hand tuner needs to be unlocked for starters. The previous owner must reload his car to stock. Assuming the previous owner unlocked it, THEN it depends on whether the handheld is loaded with the garbage canned tunes from the manufacturer (in which case they SHOULD work on most any S197 GT) or custom tunes from a quality tuner (in which case those tunes most likely won't work on your buds car).

What message(s) is he getting on the handheld?
Nuke is offline  
Old 07-28-2012, 01:18 PM
  #4  
Nuke
6th Gear Member
 
Nuke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PA to KY ('07) to IL ('09) to MS ('10) to FL ('11)
Posts: 16,182
Default

Also, understand that the tuner only STORES pre-written tunes. There are very few parameters that you can adjust yourself and if you don't know what you're doing you can really destroy an engine or brick the PCM. Places like Brenspeed and American Muscle, to name 2 of the better places, write quality tunes that can be e-mailed and downloaded to the handheld. When you load a custom tune, the handheld stores your stock tune.
Nuke is offline  
Old 07-28-2012, 02:11 PM
  #5  
siggyfreud
5th Gear Member
 
siggyfreud's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 2,645
Default

I doubt he's had 5 bad alternators. Chances are, there is a different component bad and the problem is masking itself as a bad alternator.
siggyfreud is offline  
Old 07-28-2012, 04:21 PM
  #6  
CaliStang66
Thread Starter
 
CaliStang66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: California
Posts: 13
Default

he bought the tuner from a guy thats in his car club
CaliStang66 is offline  
Old 07-28-2012, 04:23 PM
  #7  
CaliStang66
Thread Starter
 
CaliStang66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: California
Posts: 13
Default

Originally Posted by Nuke
First, he needs to have his battery and alternator tested. The charging system in these S197's are marginal and if one component starts to go, it often takes out another.

Second, where did he buy the tuner? Was it 2nd hand? A 2nd hand tuner needs to be unlocked for starters. The previous owner must reload his car to stock. Assuming the previous owner unlocked it, THEN it depends on whether the handheld is loaded with the garbage canned tunes from the manufacturer (in which case they SHOULD work on most any S197 GT) or custom tunes from a quality tuner (in which case those tunes most likely won't work on your buds car).

What message(s) is he getting on the handheld?
the handheld says upload failed
CaliStang66 is offline  
Old 07-28-2012, 07:45 PM
  #8  
siggyfreud
5th Gear Member
 
siggyfreud's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 2,645
Default

He needs to get it unlocked and assigned to his car. Handheld tuners get locked to the car's ECM number, so it won't work until he pays the company to free it up. And unless his mods are exactly the same, he'll want to get a tune for HIS car, not his buddies.
siggyfreud is offline  
Old 07-28-2012, 08:34 PM
  #9  
wayne613
4th Gear Member
 
wayne613's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gallifrey
Posts: 1,596
Default

Originally Posted by CaliStang66
problem one alternators keeps going out on him hes on his fifth one..
Grounds, clean all the main ones. PCM's 2 near radiator cover, battery to frame, and the main one from the engine to the battery.

After you clean them up, and their contact points, check them with a multimeter for resistance, the corrosion may make it into the wiring.

The other biggie to check is the PCM connector on the back of the alternator.

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=361&viewfil...g%20System.pdf

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=366&viewfile=Battery%20Cables%20-%204.6L%20(3V).pdf

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=358 (appropriate section)

Last edited by wayne613; 07-28-2012 at 08:47 PM.
wayne613 is offline  




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:36 PM.