Christos

I have a bone stock 305, with only a pair of K&N's.

I was thinking about picking up the prom burning goodies, along with a freeware program (if i can find one) and giving it a shot.

Now, the prom isn't that removable chip correct? I swapped mine out with the GM recall replacement for my 86 IROC already. Will i have to do desaudering or anything on the ECU itself somewhere to get the prom i would be replacing with the burns?

Also, when you load the .bin into a program, is it legible? Or will i be looking at a bunch of odd decimal values in hex addresses or something?

I figure if i was starting with a bone stock engine, it would be a good way to start, versus programming after say an engine swap. Is there much i could do by programming proms for my 305?

Hell, i even have problems with some electrical stuff, the fan always being on for one. would it even be benificial to just burn a prom to make my ECU tuen the fan on on at -20C or something just so the ECU would know its always on?

One more thing, if i did get into prom burning for my 305, if i replace my engine later on with a 350, could i just continue to use the same ECU and just burn chips for the 350? Or would i need a 350 ECU?

Also, should i just get a auto Xray, or build a cable to interface with my ALDL and laptop, to read my engine stats? Is this the best way to check your stock chip, and how your programmed proms are working?

Whee! thats alot of fun questions, if someone has time, please respond!



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1986 IROC Camaro
305 TPI "LB9"
3.23 gears
Doesn't know enough about cars.
AIM: jesusathome

ZaphodB

The memcal module is removable, thats the light blue thing that hold the prom that you replaced once. But if you want to be able to replace the eprom inside the memcal you'd have to desolder the eprom and solder a socket in it's place....

You could actually build an adapter and erase/re-program the chip that is already in the memcal, but it that should fail you will be unable to drive your car, that why I like the socket option better.

As for scanner software, I'd recommend Craig Moates program and a laptop with the ALDL interface cable. Works great and is free...

Start with building or ordering the ALDL interface and learn how to use the scanner software, read out your original prom with it before you go loose with the soldering iron on the memcal.

The scanner software can be found here:

http://members.tripod.com/moatesenheimer/gmecm

Then for a bin editor you can either go with Tunercat, this isthe easiest one to use, but it will cost you a bit, but not much.

http://www.tundercat.com

Or Winbin, which is freeware, and quite useful....

http://www.area51.org.il/~zaphodb/gmecm/WinBin14.zip
http://www.area51.org.il/~zaphodb/gmecm/6Ev007.zip
http://www.area51.org.il/~zaphodb/gmecm/32Bv001.zip

Since you write you have an '86 you most likely have a 32B bin in your stock GM chip, so you will need a 32B ecu file for Winbin or a 32B TDF file for Tunercat.

Start by modifying your stock bin and then when you get the hang of things you can try swapping in a modified ARAP 6E file, which has a better potential for making your own performance chip...

Having the fan on all the time is not a great idea, it was not designed to run always-on, but lowering the turn on temperature is, however a good idea....

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ZaphodB a.k.a Carl Andersson - zaphodb@faxancruisers.org
'89 Camaro IROC-Z 5.7L TPI - Mods under construction :-)
Custom ARAP Chip Under Development/180 t-stat, Edelbrock TES Headers,
SLP Airfoil, K&N Filters, Accel 8mm wires, Relocated MAT, AFPR @ 45 PSI

Christos

Thanks for the good reply! I was able to find that very page for the ALDL diagnostic software earlier that same day. I am going to make a feeble attempy to make that cable.


I wish my fan problem was so simply solved! It looks like the wires on my car were so screwed up by the previous owner, nobody can do much about it, including mechanics. I just need to drop the 300 bucks on a new wire harness, then see if stuff gets back up to snuff. On the other hand, i figured telling my ECU to turn the fan on at a really low temperature would hopefully set the ECU in the correct mode for the fan being on.

Kind of sounds like something fun, burning PROMs i mean. Even running this diagnostic software. Hopefully it will easily be setup and working right!

Thanks for the URL's and suggestions!

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1986 IROC Camaro
305 TPI "LB9"
3.23 gears
Doesn't know enough about cars.
AIM: jesusathome

chooch-88formula

AS you can tell from my description, I have not been here for very long. But the knowledge I have gain from these PPL is outstanding. I have learned more in the last few months about EFI than I have in the last 30 years. It is great to see than some of these PPL are still answering the same questions over and over again. Like me this is the first Message board that I have ever belonged to (they have just never conserned me, and I didn't know how to browes them to the extent that they were built to handle).
Basically what I am saying is thanks to all the PPL that reply to all the questions like these (and mine). You really make a difference to the ones that are starting out.

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88 Formula WS6 TBI 350
The other hobby
http://home.rochester.rr.com/hoscar/indexn.html

chiefz28

I 2nd what he said.

ZaphodB

I'll see if I can find some schematics for how the fans should be wired originally, I'll email it to you if you have an email registered with your account, otherwise you send me an email....

Just telling the ECU to turn on the fan doesn't affect the rest of the programming, those values do just nothing more than enable and disbale the fans at the selected temperatures.

You have to sort out your fan wiring prolem first...

Guest

Its pretty easy to burn your own chip, if you run into any problems I'm sure we could hook up somewhere and iron it out, I'm not far from you.

I'd say it would be best to use a laptop, that way you can save the data and look at it later rather than trying to read it or more preferably have someone else read it while driving.

You cant get a replacement harness from GM anymore for your car, been there tried that, it would have to be from one of the aftermarket suppliers. I have an 86 too, the wiring isnt hacked, so I could help you out on the wiring.

Christos

Wow! thanks for all the help! This fan problem has been driving me nuts! I had a mechanic install a new temperature sensor, but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Couldn't find a MAX 233 chip anywhere, so im going to have to find a place online which sells an ALDL-serial interfacing cable, and then see what the ECU says to me.

Madmax, if you have the time, I would love the help fixing this fan problem! A friend of mine with the digital meter was helping me before, (the same person who was going to help me make the aldl interfacing cable over the weekend, if we could have found the parts). im not exactily the electrical genius myself.... You live near aliso viejo/lake forest?

Thanks for all the help everyone!!!

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1986 IROC Camaro
305 TPI "LB9"
3.23 gears
Doesn't know enough about cars.
AIM: jesusathome

Guest

I live in Tustin, work in Irvine, so yea its not far.

Did you try Frys to get the max233?

Christos

Irvine? Yeah, you aren't very far at all.

Yeah! I did head to frys actually. First time I have ever been there. I saw a few serial interfacing chips next to some proms they had, but they didn't have a MAX anywhere that I could find.

I could drive out sometime to meet you somewhere if you would like. right now, my car is out of comission because of the bent frame, the front tire is almost worn down on the outer edge, and is showing bands so i don't really want to risk driving anywhere right now.

I am going to take it to a mechanic (3rd one now) and have them check it out. and see if i can get it fixed finally. After that, and a new tire, hopefully i will be able to get it up and running right, then i would love some help on this fan problem!

Thanks!



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1986 IROC Camaro
305 TPI "LB9"
3.23 gears
Doesn't know enough about cars.
AIM: jesusathome