xtremerevolution Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 PCM's, ECM's, whatever the correct term is, apparently people can modify these. How I'm not entirely sure how, but apparently its being done. I'd like to know if anyone else knows how. I'm an IT Technician and have been messing with computers since I was 12 years old. The computer part of it is nothing new to me, but actually modifying my ECM is a completely different story. I would know where to start, what to plug into what, and what software I would need. Things like shift points, redlines, and throttle body MAF sensor tables are what I'm looking to modify on my 95 Regal, and while I completely understand that there are people out there who will do it cheap ($75 for a reprogrammed 95 ECM), I'd like to know how to do it myself. Would anyone here have any idea where I could start, or how much it would cost me in equipment? I know you can't really "tune" an OBD1 ECM the way you can an OBD2 ECM, but I'm still interested in learning how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 ECM = Engine Control Module PCM = powertrain Control Module (controls the tranmission too!) I don;t know the answer, but I shall ask... is the 95 3800 PCM have a removeable PROM chip, the same as 94-95 LQ1 cars have, or does it have the undoable one like 94-95 3100 cars have. Your mostly likley recourse is to convert your car to OBDII you would need a 96 engine wiring harness... and a PCM from a car with a 3800 and a 4t60e with the same FDR ratio (which I don't know if it exists) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted April 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 I could convert to OBD2. Would that require much more than a downstream 02 sensor? Past that, how difficult is it for someone to tune an OBD2 car? I've never done that either. For the record, my 95 does have a removable PROM chip. My FDR was 2.93 last time I checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonpro03 Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 This is right up your alley. http://www.bgsoflex.com/megasquirt.html If you get a megasquirt2 daughterboard then you can control ignition timing as well. If your good with computers then this should be cake for you. Assembly of the board took me and a friend 11 hours. Wiring in the car took about 8 hours and tuning has taken about a week and a half. Your on your own for a transmission though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 I could convert to OBD2. Would that require much more than a downstream 02 sensor? Past that, how difficult is it for someone to tune an OBD2 car? I've never done that either. For the record, my 95 does have a removable PROM chip. My FDR was 2.93 last time I checked. if you have a removeable prom chip... you can alter the programing line by line (there are no "decoders" for the obd 1.5 cars) to change it. you would need a prom reader and burner... best thing to do: open the computer. Look at your chip. find the codes on the chip. whenever you are at a junkyard look for 95 buicks with the same chip numbers and grab them. this way you can have extra chips to play with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtremerevolution Posted April 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 This is right up your alley. http://www.bgsoflex.com/megasquirt.html If you get a megasquirt2 daughterboard then you can control ignition timing as well. If your good with computers then this should be cake for you. Assembly of the board took me and a friend 11 hours. Wiring in the car took about 8 hours and tuning has taken about a week and a half. Your on your own for a transmission though. My transmission (and engine) have 197k miles on them now. The transmission was rebuilt at 144k and shifts perfectly fine. I changed my gaskets down to the LIM gaskets when I ported the intake manifold at 192k. New injectors and fuel rails, new EGR valve, and a bunch of other things. By the end of today I'll have a newly polished throttle body and sensors. I make sure to keep my cars running like new no matter how old they are. Megasquirt looks great, but it also looks a bit expensive. I could convert to OBD2. Would that require much more than a downstream 02 sensor? Past that, how difficult is it for someone to tune an OBD2 car? I've never done that either. For the record, my 95 does have a removable PROM chip. My FDR was 2.93 last time I checked. if you have a removeable prom chip... you can alter the programing line by line (there are no "decoders" for the obd 1.5 cars) to change it. you would need a prom reader and burner... best thing to do: open the computer. Look at your chip. find the codes on the chip. whenever you are at a junkyard look for 95 buicks with the same chip numbers and grab them. this way you can have extra chips to play with. Once I do pull the chip, all I need to do is find a prom reader and burner? Any specific kind from a specific place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 MOATES...... moates.net will have what you need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 I got one off E-bay.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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