This is intended to provide a brief overview of the steps required to get up and running tuning an OBD1 GM vehicle.  It is deliberately vague.  Instead of providing an exhaustive guide here, there are a series of links to smaller tasks and explanations.  94-95 LT1 vehicles are going to be an exception not covered by this guide as they are tuned via reflash only.  See the 94-95 LT1 getting started page for more.  The “What do I need GM” section is going to have basic hardware and software suggestions for groups of vehicles.

Steps

1. Install chip adapter.  The particulars of this will depend on which chip adapter you have exactly
   • Install G1 adapter: G1 Product page (with install)
   • Install G2 adapter: G2 Install
2. Plug in Moates devices to your PC.  With most modern operating systems, FTDI USB drivers should install automatically via Windows Update.  In the event things don’t go smoothly, look at the USB troubleshooting guide.
3. Download and install tuning software.  TunerCat OBD1 Tuner And TunerPro RT are the usual candidates.  This guide will cover TunerPro RT
   • Install TunerPro RT: http://www.tunerpro.net
4. Download XDF, ADX as appropriate for the vehicle you are working on.
   • TunerPro.net: Definitions download
   • GearHead-efi.com: Ask google gearhead-efi and your mask ID: i.e. for 90-92 F/Y body 1227730, “gearhead-efi $8D“
   • You may need to Convert an ADS to ADX if you can only find an ADS
5. Read your stock chip using a BURN2 or APU1 to get your stock bin OR download one online that should work
   • Gearhead-efi has an extensive archive of many bins: Gearhead Files
6. Load appropriate files in TunerPro:
   • XDF first: Select XDF (this is a map of the tables and parameters to edit in a bin)
   • ADX second: Acquisition… Load Definition (this is a guide of how to communicate with the vehicle and retrieve data)
   • BIN third: File… Open (this is the actual file that goes on the chip, in the ECM, running the vehicle)
7. Configure TunerPro to log:
   • Configure for logging with ALDU1 logging guide
   • Configure for logging with an APU1 also APU1 YouTube Getting Started
8. Get the program you want in the ECM
   • Option A: Burn a chip with the BURN2 / APU1
   • Option B: Realtime tuning
     • With Ostrich2 you will need a SocketBooster for 24 pin applications!
     • 32 pin applications work best with Ostrich2
     • APU1 works for 24 and 28 pin applications with no additional adapters
     • After you have loaded a valid BIN file, disable checksum.  To do this, change the Mask ID from it’s “normal” value (i.e. $8D hex or $6E hex or $0D hex or $42 hex) to $AA (that is “AA” in hexadecimal).  This will allow you to make changes live without angering the computer.  CRITICAL.
     • After you have a checksum-disabled bin, press the blue “up arrow” to load your bin form TunerPro to hardware
     • If you want changes to happen as you make them in TunerPro, click the blue “chip” icon near the arrows to enable or disable emulation.  You should see the status in the lower left change to indicate emulation is active
9. Start logging.  Click the two arrows pointing away from each other.  If TunerPro can connect, you should see the lower status bar change to say “DA: Connected” along with how fast it is receiving data packets in Hertz.
10. Tune the vehicle.

Final Words

If you have prior tuning experience with other products, you may want to look at this article which discusses the differences between more modern tuning systems and TunerPro RT on OBD1 GM.

If you don’t have prior tuning experience, you are highly advised to do some serious reading on thirdgen.org’s DIY PROM board and gearhead-efi.com to get up to speed a bit.

The check sum routine is a piece of the ECU code that checks to make sure the program is valid.  When you use the “Save” or “Save As…” commands in TunerPro, TunerPro updates the checksum automatically.  This is why this is not a concern when burning chips – the checksum is updated when you save the bin.   When you are doing real time tuning with the Ostrich or APU1 Autoprom, it is possible to put the ECM in a “fault mode” by making changes with the vehicle running because the checksum routine interprets the changes you have made as a corrupt chip.  In order to avoid this, you have two choices:

1. Use “Save” or “Save As…” in TunerPro before pressing the “Upload” button so that the checksum gets updated along with any changes
2. Disable the checksum routine prior to uploading.  Doing so will allow you to use realtime chip emulation and make changes incrementally.

Checksum Disable Procedure, In General

The general procedure for disabling the checksum is the same for all OBD1 GM computers:

1. Locate the chip code mask byte. (This byte will be the same as the mask definition you are using in hexadecimal, i.e. $42 for a 1227747, $8D for a 1227730, $0D or $0E for a 16197427, etc.)  This can be called “Code mask” or “Chip code mask” or any number of things in the XDF – there is no standard.  Some XDFs do not even define this byte at all.  It is generally the 9th byte of the ROM for most 28 pin chip ROMs ( address 0x0008h, 04008h ) or the 5th for most 24 pin applications ( 0x0004h )
2. Change the code mask from its default value to $AA in hex ( 170 in decimal)

Specific Example: TunerPro and $0D

1. Locate the chip code mask byte, verify that it is $0D in stock form:
   
2. Change the value from “$0D” (hex) to “$AA” (hex) :
   
   

Basic Connectivity

The ALDU1 uses a USB connection to talk to your PC.  It uses the same FTDI drivers that all of our other products use.  The first step in getting the AutoPROM working is to get your PC to recognize it.

1. Turn on the computer you want to use with the APU1 and plug the APU1 in to a free USB port.
2. Follow the instructions in the USB troubleshooting guide to ensure the device is recognized by Windows.
3. Although it is mentioned in the guide above, make sure the ALDU1 is using a COM port between 1 and 8!  This is CRITICAL for some older software.
4. The rest of the troubleshooting guides in this guide will assume that you have basic USB connectivity.

Using the ALDU for Logging with TunerPro

Before you will be able to log any data, you need to have the correct ADX definition file downloaded for your vehicle.  The best place to find these is the Definitions section of TunerPro’s website.

With that said, follow these instructions to get everything set up:

1. Make sure the ALDU1 is connected to your PC and has a COM port between 1 and 8.  It will be necessary for you to know which COM port the ALDU1 is using to configure it properly.  Consult the instructions above for ‘Basic Connectivity’ for more detailed instructions.
2. We’re going to walk through the TunerPro RT configuration steps to use this mode.  Your ALDU1 will NOT be recognized by TunerPro RT software like an Ostrich or APU1.  If you’re not using TunerPro, skip to step 8 below.
3. Next, make double check TunerPro’s configuration for logging.  Start by going to Tools…Preferences
   
4. Next, Tab over to the Data Acq. /Emulation tab. (red arrow)  Make sure that “Use Plug-in” is selected for Interface Type.  Make sure “TunerPro Data Acquisition I/O Interface” is selected under the component drop down box.
5. Then click the “Configure Plug-in Component” box (green arrow).
6. Make sure that “Standard Serial” is selected (green arrow) and the COM port of your APU1 is selected (blue arrow)
   
7. IF THE ALDU1 IS UNPLUGGED FROM THE VEHICLE, you should be able to click the “Test For Valid Interface Using Settings” button and get a successful result.  You will NOT get a positive test if the cable is plugged in to the vehicle.
8. If you are NOT using TunerPro RT, you should be able to start your software of choice and configure it to use the COM port of your ALDU1 (COM2 in this example)
9. If you have trouble connecting, check the switch on the ALDU1.  Older applications that use 160baud require the ”10k across A-B” setting.  Later TBI, LT1 and TPI applications use 8192 baud which requires the switch to be in the ”open between A-B” position.

EFI Live Commercial Scan and Tune comes with two VIN licenses. To tune more vehicles, you must provide us some information when you purchase VIN or stream licenses.

Requesting a New License

1. Plug in your EFI Live FlashScan handheld to your laptop.  Its display should be lit up.
2. Double click on the “EFILive V7.5 Tune Tool” icon to start the software.  If you do not have this on your desktop, go to the “Start” menu and find it under the EFI Live program group.
   
3. Go to the “Help” menu and select “FlashScan V2 / AutoCal V2 VIN Licensing…”  
4. We need two pieces of information from here.  #1 – WE NEED YOUR SERIAL NUMBER.  You can click the “Copy” button to copy it to the clipboard.
   
5. Once it has been copied, open up an email to us (or the Comments section of your order) and press Control-V (or right click + select paste).  Doing things this way ensure you don’t make a typo.
   
6. Next, click the “Authenticate” table towards the bottom of this window.
   
7. On the “Authenticate” tab is another important piece of information we need, the Auth Code.  Click “Copy” to copy the Auth Code to the clipboard.
   
8. Go back to your email to us / comments for your order.  Hit Control-V again to paste your Auth Code
   
9. That’s it!  Go ahead and submit your Serial + Auth with your order.  If you forget to do so, you can email it to [email protected]

Installing a License Key

After you’ve paid for your licenses, you need to use the information we give you to add them to your EFI Live handheld.

1. Plug in your EFI Live FlashScan handheld to your laptop.  Its display should be lit up.
2. Double click on the “EFILive V7.5 Tune Tool” icon to start the software.  If you do not have this on your desktop, go to the “Start” menu and find it under the EFI Live program group.
   
3. Go to the “Help” menu and select “FlashScan V2 / AutoCal V2 VIN Licensing…”
   
4. Decision time: What did you purchase?
   • If you purchased an Upgrade to Dodge (from Chevy only) select “Upgrade” (blue)
   • If you purchased a Stream license for unlimited VINs of a certain type of vehicle, select “Add Stream” (yellow)
   • If you purchased a VIN License(s) select “Add VIN” (green)
     
5. Look at the email you will have received from us and find the important information.  Activation Code (Red) Number of licenses purchased (yellow)  Total license ount (green)

   

6. Enter the Activation code you should have received in the box and click “Add”.   If you’re entering VIN Licenses, you need to adjust the license number before clicking “Add”.  To do this:
   • Look at the license screen to the right and count the number of licenses in use currently. (4 in the pictured example)
   • Add the number of licenses purchased to the number of licenses in use
   • Set the ‘License number’ to this value.

     

7. You should see a message informing you that the change was successful.
   
8. You should see the new licenses available for use.
   

The SocketBooster 1.0 exists to provide active conditioning for signals from our Ostrich2.0 and ChipExtender products.  In some circumstances, the logic levels generated by these devices do not meet the specifications of the target device you are trying to use them in.  The SocketBooster remedies this issue by essentially amplifying and conditioning the signal.  In many cases, the same effect can be achieved by using a short emulation cable, such as the 6″ EMUC2806 we sell.

Ostrich 2.0 Trace Feature with SocketBooster 1.0

The SocketBooster 1.0 interferes with the data trace feature on the Ostrich 2.0 on an electrical level.   However, one of our users reports that there is a fairly simple modification to get everything working again.  We have not verified this ourselves, but several users have reported success with tracing on a 27C32 application and a SocketBooster.

"The mod to get it going is to cut the CS & OE ribbon cable wires from the
O2, and solder them to the 2732A header on the socket booster via a 330R
resistor."

SocketBooster 1.1 revision

We revised the SocketBooster around November 2013 so it could be compatible with the trace feature of the Ostrich 2.0.  All units sold after this time should work without modification.  If you would like to upgrade your unit, please contact us.

Applications

The socket booster is REQUIRED for successful use of the Ostrich 2.0 or Chip Extender with 24-pin applications such as the GM TBI OBD1 C3 1227747 ECUs.

The SocketBooster also seems to help out with a lot of applications that use older Hitachi/Mitsubishi processors such as DSM, 8 bit Nissan Z31/Z32/R32, etc.  ECUs of this range are typically in the 84-91 year range.

Signs of Issues

The typical signs that your application may require a SocketBooster are intermittent ECM shutdowns, odd behavior, odd datalogging results, etc. Intermittent (or consistent) flaky behavior.

Installation and Use

The Socket Booster has a single switch on it which controls how the device operates.  The SocketBooster can either boost signals passing straight through it (28 pin setting) or act as a 24->28 pin converter (like the G2 we also sell) with the switch in the 24 pin position.  Although we do NOT recommend this, you can solder a SocketBooster directly into a 24 pin ECM by trimming the two pins closest to the switch and setting the switch to the 24 pin setting.

TunerCat OBD2 Tuner is a software package that allows tuning of 96-current GM vehicles.  For some early 96-97 vehicles, it is often the only solution. TunerCat OBD2 Tuner must be purchased with our RoadRunner hardware (either with a complete RoadRunner ECM or just a RoadRunner Guts kit)  due to licensing restrictions.  TunerCat OBD2 Tuner also has an optional reflash cable accessory and software (“WinFLASH”) that allows vehicles to be flash programmed over the OBD2 port.  Existing users of TunerCat OBD2 software can use a RoadRunner ECM with the RTOBD2 upgrade.  This upgrade is only available to existing users of the TunerCat software.

The software supports real time tuning with the RoadRunner on supported vehicles, reading and flashing over the OBD2 port. THERE IS NO BUILT-IN DATALOGGING APPLICATION. You must have a third party logger or scan-tool in order to have an effective tuning combination.  MX Scan used to work with older versions of the TunerCat reflash cable but it is NOT reported to work with current cables.

TunerCat OBD2 Tuner is licensed on a per-VDF (Vehicle Definition File) basis.  You can purchase each VDF individually or as a package including a group (LS1, All) of definitions and hardware together at a discount.  Each VDF generally covers multiple vehicles that use similar engine controllers.  Once you have purchased a VDF, you may tune as many vehicles of that type as you like – there is no per-VIN licensing.

Installation Tips and Troubleshooting

TunerCat OBD2 tuner relies on the same FTDI drivers that we use for the rest of our products.  If you suspect you have driver issues, please consult the USB Driver Troubleshooting Guide.

TunerCat OBD2 Tuner is not the most modern piece of software.  In fact, if you want the software to run properly we highly recommend that you use Windows XP as this is the only operating system that has consistent behavior without a fuss.  TunerCat OBD2 Tuner has been tested to run successfully inside a VMWare Virtual Machine running XP and can be made to run stable in this configuration.

If you cannot figure out a way to use Windows XP and are going to try to use TunerCat OBD2 tuner under Windows Vista, Win7 and Win8/8.1, follow these steps:

1. If you’ve already run the installers, first uninstall the program.
2. In order for the programs to install correctly the installation program must be run in Compatibility mode. Before running the setup program right click on it. Select Properties from the list and then click the Compatibility tab. From there, pick the default (Windows XP SP2), click on the ‘Apply’ button and then click on the ‘OK’ button.
3. Now double click on the setup program to install the program and follow the on-screen instruction to complete the installation.
4. After completing the installation you’ll also need to set the OBDII RT Tuner program itself to run in compatibility mode. To do so, right click on the OBDII RT Tuner icon on the Desktop, Select ‘Properties’ from the pop-up menu and then click the ‘Compatibility’ tab. On the Compatibility screen click on the ‘Run the program in compatibility mode, select the default Windows XP SP2, check the ‘Run as administrator’ box, click on the ‘Apply’ button and then click on the ‘OK’ button. Then repeat this process for the WinFlash OBDII program.

Vehicle Support

The latest list of supported vehicles can always be found here: TunerCat ODB2 VDF files

As of the time of writing (3-26-2012), the following vehicles are supported:

The AutoPROM is a complex device and it can be confusing to get up and running.  This guide is intended to get you to the point where you are connecting to a vehicle and able to use its functions.  Before continuing with this guide, make sure you have the computer that you wish to use with the AutoPROM and the AutoPROM itself handy.  For the remainder of this guide, we will use the terms “APU1” and ‘AutoPROM’ interchangeably.

Video Walkthrough

There is a series of videos on our YouTube channel that explain some of the basics. This guide covers a little more material but feel free to look at the videos before continuing.

Basic Connectivity

The AutoPROM uses a USB connection to talk to your PC.  It uses the same FTDI drivers that all of our other products use.  The first step in getting the AutoPROM working is to get your PC to recognize it.

1. Turn on the computer you want to use with the APU1 and plug the APU1 in to a free USB port.
2. Follow the instructions in the USB troubleshooting guide to ensure the device is recognized by Windows.
3. Although it is mentioned in the guide above, make sure the APU1 is using a COM port between 1 and 8!  This is CRITICAL for some older software.
4. The rest of the troubleshooting guides in this guide will assume that you have basic USB connectivity.

A Visual Guide

The APU1 has a lot of switches that controls how it behaves and it is critical to get the switches in the correct position for the device to work.  The following picture gives an overview of the switches and what they do.  (Click to enlarge)

Each way you can use the APU1 will now be discussed.  Refer back to the picture above if you are unclear from the description in each section.

Using the APU1 as a Chip Programmer

The APU1 can be used to program chips.  It functions almost identically to the BURN1/BURN2 products that we sell, using the same software and procedures.

1. Make sure the APU1 is connected to your PC and has a COM port between 1 and 8
2. Make sure the 28 pin ribbon cable used for emulation is UNPLUGGED from the unit. Unpredictable behavior can result from the APU1 being directly connected to a ECM using the emulation cable while burning chips.
3. Make sure the outer horizontal switch is ‘towards the USB port’ position. (APU1 mode. Other position is passthrough mode, identical to ALDU1).  Chip programming software will NOT be able to connect to the AutoPROM unless this switch is set correctly!!!
4. Fire up TunerPro RT or Flash n Burn software.  Your APU1 should be recognized and you should be able to program chips.
5. If the APU1 is not recognized by software, try moving the mode selection switch again.  Verify the the USB is being recognized correctly.

Using the APU1 as an Emulator (realtime changes)

The APU1 can be used as a real time chip emulator.  It functions almost identically to the Ostrich/Ostrich2 products that we sell, using the same software and procedures.

1. Make sure the APU1 is connected to your PC and has a COM port between 1 and 8
2. Make sure there is nothing in the ZIF socket.  Emulation will NOT work reliably unless the ZIF socket is empty!!!
3. Make sure the outer horizontal switch is ‘towards the USB port’ position. (APU1 mode. Other position is passthrough mode, identical to ALDU1).  Emulation software will NOT be able to connect to the AutoPROM unless this switch is set correctly!!!
4. Fire up TunerPro RT or EmUtility software.  Your APU1 should be recognized and you should be able to upload a tune to it.
5. If the APU1 is not recognized by software, try moving the mode selection switch again.  Verify the the USB is being recognized correctly.

Datalogging while using Emulation at the Same Time (logging and realtime changes)

The APU1 can be used for datalogging while simultaneously performing chip emulation.  When used in this manner it is the most capable tools that we sell for tuning OBD1 GM Vehicles.

1. Make sure the APU1 is connected to your PC and has a COM port between 1 and 8
2. Make sure there is nothing in the ZIF socket.  Emulation will NOT work reliably unless the ZIF socket is empty!!!
3. Make sure the outer horizontal switch is ‘towards the USB port’ position. (APU1 mode. Other position is passthrough mode, identical to ALDU1).  Chip programming software will NOT be able to connect to the AutoPROM unless this switch is set correctly!!!
4. Fire up TunerPro RT or Flash n Burn software.  Your APU1 should be recognized and you should be able to upload tunes.
5. If the APU1 is not recognized by software, try moving the mode selection switch again.  Verify the the USB is being recognized correctly.
6. Next, make double check TunerPro’s configuration for logging.  Start by going to Tools…Preferences
7. Next, Tab over to the Data Acq. /Emulation tab. (red arrow)  Make sure that “AutoProm/MAFTPro” is selected for Interface Type.
   

   APU1 tunerpro settings

8. Make sure you have the correct XDF and ADX file loaded for your vehicle, plug everything in and give it a go!
9. If you have trouble connecting, check the other switch on the APU1.  Older applications that use 160baud require the in/up ”10k across A-B” setting.  Later TPI, LTI and TBI applications use 8192 baud which requires the switch to be in the out/center =”open between A-B” position.  If you just want to check codes, the down position will cause codes to flash.

Using the APU1 for Logging Only

As you have seen above, the APU1 is a versatile device that can be used for many purposes.  However TunerPro is the only software that knows how to use any of the advanced features of the APU1, so it is necessary to put the APU1 into a “pass through” mode when using other software.  In these cases, the APU1 functions solely as an ALDL logging interface.

1. Make sure the APU1 is connected to your PC and has a COM port between 1 and 8.  It will be necessary for you to know which COM port the APU1 is using to configure it properly.
2. Make sure the outer horizontal switch is ‘away from the USB port’ position. (Passthrough mode, identical to ALDU1. Other position is APU1 mode for TunerPro.)  Legacy software will NOT be able to connect to the vehicle unless this switch is set correctly!!!
3. We’re going to walk through the TunerPro RT configuration steps to use this mode.  Your APU1 will NOT be recognized by TunerPro RT software in this mode.  If you’re not using TunerPro, skip to step 9.
4. If the APU1 is recognized by software at startup, try moving the mode selection switch again.  Verify the the USB is being recognized correctly.
5. Next, make double check TunerPro’s configuration for logging.  Start by going to Tools…Preferences
6. Next, Tab over to the Data Acq. /Emulation tab. (red arrow)  Make sure that “Use Plug-in” is selected for Interface Type.  Make sure “TunerPro Data Acquisition I/O Interface” is selected under the component drop down box.
7. Then click the “Configure Plug-in Component” box (green arrow).
8. Make sure that “Standard Serial” is selected (green arrow) and the COM port of your APU1 is selected (blue arrow)
9. If you are NOT using TunerPro RT, you should be able to start your software of choice and configure it to use the COM port of your APU1 (COM2 in this example)
10. If you have trouble connecting, check the other switch on the APU1.  Older applications that use 160baud require the in/up ”10k across A-B” setting.  Later TPI, LTI and TBI applications use 8192 baud which requires the switch to be in the out/center =”open between A-B” position.  If you just want to check codes, the down position will cause codes to flash.

“First Edition” AutoPROMs

Very early editions of this unit feature a different switch configuration.

These units have a horizontal switch and a vertical switch.

For the horizontal switch, outbound is passthrough mode and inbound is APU1 mode.

The vertical switch has three positions.  It controls the behavior of the datalogging interface, much like the inner switch on newer models. 10k is the up position, open is the middle position, and short (check codes) is the down position.

These units also use a different style cable to connect the APU1 to the vehicle.  We no longer sell this style of cable.

Among other things, TunerPro RT brings a new definition format, the ADX.  This is an extended version of the previous file format, ADS.  The file formats are NOT compatible, but you can convert between them fairly simply.  Unfortunately, the automatic conversion utility in TunerPro isn’t perfect so this guide exists to help you achieve success.

Failure to set the body length correctly (which this guide will explain) can result in periodic timeouts or errors while logging.  Generally, you will be able to initially connect but there will be seemingly random errors in the data captured.  This seems to be much worse on faster PCs.

Procedure

1. Open TunerPro v5.x
2. Go to Acquisition … Import Definition … From ADS
3. Point TunerPro at the ADS file you wish to convert.
4. When prompted, choose a filename for the new ADX definition (this filename doesn’t really matter, just remember it)
5. Go to Acquisition … Load Definition and point it at the file you just saved.
6. Go to Acquisition … Edit Definition
7. In the editor window, click on the plus next to Commands and then click on Transmit Data Reply
8. Make sure the “Body Size (Dec)” item is 67.  In many cases, it will incorrectly get set to 66 by the automatic conversion tool.
9. Click ‘Save’ and you’re done!  If you ever load this definition in the future, it will be ready to go.

(also: Using the ‘EX’ with the G3)

Note: This product was updated in 2015.  The original documentation (which still applies) follows with a discussion of differences between the original and current hardware.

For placing several different binaries on a single chip for GM applications, the G3 adapter is the hot ticket. By ‘stacking’ the binaries on a large-sized memory, and using the included switching ability, you can swap between different programs on-the-fly while the car is running. You could have ‘Valet’, ‘Economy’, ‘Nitrous’, or whatever else you want to put together.

First a little background. A memory chip is accessed by changing the state of various connections or pins. Some of the pins are called address lines. They tell the chip which data to present. There are low address lines (A0 through A14) and high address lines (A15 through A18). The larger chips like the AM29F040 have A0-A18, or 19 address lines. What the G3 adapter does is take ‘manual’ control of the address lines A15-A18. If you study binary stuff, you’ll know that this will give you 16 different memory ‘banks’ which can be selected.

On the G3 are several components, including one thermofuse (looks like a capacitor) to protect against shorts when using the ‘EX’ module, four capacitors which help dampen RFI pickup from the EX cable, two jumpers to set the operating modes (see below), and a rotary DIP switch to select which bank of memory is to be accessed.

Installation instructions for the G3 adapter are very similar to those for the ‘G1’ adapter, so see the section under ‘G1’ instructions for guidance in this regard.

Think of the G3 as an old-style channel selector on a TV. You just turn the knob, and the car’s ECM will see a different channel or ‘bank’ of memory. Put the switch to position zero, and all the ‘high’ address lines will be set to 5v. Thus, the actual memory location that will be accessed on a 29F040 will be 78000-7FFFF. If the switch is set to position ‘F’, then all the high address lines will be set to GND, or ‘low’. In this case, the reference memory will be 00000-07FFF. You can see how this lets you put up to 16 programs on a single chip and select between them. The switch positions are numbered 0-F, which is just hexadecimal for zero through 16.

There are several different hardware configurations which are possible with the G3. This increases flexibility along with the confusion factor. Let’s look at these combinations individually:

1) Putting a 29F040 chip in the G3, and operating with an ECM that originally takes a 27C128 (16k bin) or 27C256 (32k bin). This gives you 16 bins.
2) Putting a single 29C256 or 27SF512 chip in the G3, operating in ‘passthrough’ mode with no switching.
3) Putting a 29F040 chip in the G3, and operating with an ECM that originally takes a 27C512 (64k bin). This gives you 8 bins.
4) Putting a 27SF512 chip in the G3, and operating with an ECM that originally takes a 27C256 or 27C128. This gives you 2 bins.

The most typical cases are (1) and (2), so we’ll talk about them first.

For operating instructions on the ‘EX’ module, see the bottom of this page.

Case 1: Originally a 27C128 or 27C256, use a 29F040 chip to switch between 16 programs.

First thing you will want to do is ‘assemble’ your big 512k binary from a group of smaller ‘stock-size’ binaries that you create or collect. The screenshot shows the configuration screen in ‘TunerPro’ under the BIN stacker function whereby the proper settings have been selected.

Notice how the bin size here is 16k (originay a 27C128) and the chip size is 512k (for a 29F040). The switch size for the Case-1 hardware configuration is 32k. This is going to create a 512k fie that you can then burn directly to a 29F040 chip without any offsets. Also note that TunerPro does the BIN order reversing for you, so all you need to worry about is which switch position is associated with which BIN.

The jumper positions for this Case-1 are such that both jumpers should be placed in the ‘down’ position as shown in the picture. This will allow full access to a 29F040 chip’s memory banks via the switching with bank sizes up to 32k. Make sure the notch on the chip is facing to the left as shown.

Case 2: Originally a 27C128, 27C256, or 27C512 chip, use a 29C256 or 27SF512 chip as a single-program pass-through application.

If you want to use the G3 as just a straight adapter and not a switcher, this can be done very easily. Just program the chip as you normally would for a single-program application and put it in the adapter.

Only trick is to make sure that you set the jumpers to the ‘up’ or 29C256 position. This will allow the G3 to act just like a ‘G1’ adapter, passing the signal directly through and bypassing the switching functionality. Make sure the chip is moved over to the right, with the notch facing left.

Case 3: Originally a 27C512 chip, use a 29F040 chip to switch between 8 programs.

Now we’re getting to some more ‘flexible’ appication of the G3. For this case, the jumpers should be set as shown, with J1 in the ‘down’ or 29F040 position and J2 (right) in the ‘up’ position. You still stack your BINs using the TunerPro Bin Stacker, but the settings should be such that your Bin Size=64k, Chip Size=512k, and Switch Size=64k.

When switching in this mode, there will be a little difference. In this mode, position 0-1 are the same and 2-3 are the same and so on. So, in terms of which BIN you will be accessing, you’ll be seeing BIN0 in positions 0-1, BIN1=2-3, etc through BIN7=E-F. This gives you 8 binaries you can put on the chip and select from, with a switch occurring every ‘other’ switch position.

Case 4: Originally a 27C128 or 27C256 chip, use a 27SF512 chip to switch between 2 programs.

OK, so you don’t want to run 16 different binaries? Just two? Here’s an option for you. Set up your BIN in TunerPro again, with the Bin Size=16 or 32k, chip size=64k, and switch size=32k. Set the jumpers with J1 in the ‘up’ position and the J2 in the ‘down’ position. This will allow the A15 line to get switched every other switch position.

When operating in this mode, the first bin will be accessed at switch positions 0,2,4,6,8,A,C,E and the second BIN will be accessed in the other positions. This gives some switching flexibility without the confusion of millions of binary files.

That’s about it in terms of G3 operation. Again, the installation is pretty much the same as for the G1 so see that section for instructions in that regard.

Using the ‘EX’ module:
The function of the ‘EX’ module is that of a remote BIN switching device and display indicator. When used with the G3, the ‘local’ G3 rotary switch should be placed in the ‘0’ zero position!

If you want to have a ‘AntiTheft’ or ‘Valet’ mode, you should put that binary in position zero, so you can disconnect the EX and carry it with you. It can be unplugged from the ribbon cable at any time. Don’t worry about plugging it in backwards. It won’t short out, it just won’t work right and won’t light up. If it lights up with the car on, you’ve got it right.

Revisions of the ‘G3’ Switching Adapter

As of 2015, there are two different versions of the G3 Adapter.

The first version has a rotary switch on board and a single 10 pin connector.  This is the version that this article has discussed so far.  It was manufactured up to 2015:

The second version does NOT have a rotary switch.  Instead, it has two connectors – one 10 pin (like before) and a provisoin for a 4 pin (new, open not installed in this picture).  It was manufactured starting in 2015:

Fortunately, they function nearly identically.  The new version is simplified with fewer configuration steps required due to having fewer jumpers.  Both versions can be used on the same platforms for the same thing – allowing multiple programs to be used on OBD1 GM vehicles.

• The early version can be used for switching without any external hardware via the knob.  The current version requires either the EX remote (which connects to the 10 pin connector) or a rotary switch with 4 pin cable.
• The current model only switches three address lines allowing a maximum of 8 programs, regardless of the program size.  Earlier models supported switching more address lines in some configurations
• The current model will only function in pass-through mode for a single program when using a 28 pin chip.  The previous model could support switching between two 32k or 16k programs with a 28 pin 512k chip.
• The current model has only one jumper which selects whether a 28 pin 27SF512 chip or 32 pin 29F040 chip is installed.  The earlier model had a second jumper which selected the program size.  The only jumper that needs to be adjusted on the new model is to select which chip (27SF512 vs 29F040) is installed – the current version will always function as if J1 was set for 64k operation.
• The current model always presents 64k chunks of memory, i.e. if J1 on the earlier model was set for a 64k block size.  The earlier model could present smaller chunks, the current model only presents 64k chunks.  When using 16k or 32k bins with the current G3, ensure they are arranged in the top section of a 64k block.

The HDR1 memory adapter is primarily designed to download the existing code from a stock Memcal.
It can be used for other things as well. For instance, if you want to use a UV eraser on your stock Memcal and then reprogram it without tearing stuff up, the HDR1 allows this to be done very easily.

Step 1: Take the stock Memcal (or whatever) and identify where the pins come out for the existing EPROM.

Step 2: Insert the HDR1 into the Memcal and note the orientation of the existing chip.

Step 3: Place the assembly into your favorite chip reader / programmer (AutoProm shown, chip notch facing ZIF handle, empty spaces nearest to handle).

Step 4: Go ahead and read or re-program the chip.

That’s it! No mess, no fuss. Pretty straightforward. ]]> https://support.moates.net/hdr1/feed/ 0 https://support.moates.net/g2-adapter-installation/ https://support.moates.net/g2-adapter-installation/#respond Mon, 10 May 2010 05:27:16 +0000 http://support.moates.net/?p=841

G2

G2 TBI-Style 2732-to-29C256 Adapter Installation Instructions:Here is a pictorial depiction of a G2 installation in a TBI-style ECM.
It shows the following:

1) Disassembly and removal of stock socket body.
– Take note of the ‘stock’ 2732A chip orientation. Your 2732A chip will probably be in a little plastic holder.
– Try and overcome the challenge presented by the disparity between that fact and this pictorial guide.
– Take apart the ECM case, loosen screws that hold ‘daughterboard’, and get everything free so you can get to the underside.
– Be careful with ribbon cables which are often glued to the ECM housing areas.
– Measure spacing between row of chip socket pins, and make sure you order the correct adapter part (0.6 or 0.45″).
– Using small screwdriver, gently pry plastic off of pins. It should come free, leaving pins to be desoldered individually pretty easily. This may not work as well with 0.45″ spacing sockets, and you might have to desolder the whole socket at the same time or mutilate it a little bit to get it out.

2) Desoldering of stock socket pins, removal of solder from holes using solder sucker.
– Apply heat and remove each individual pin (assuming you were successful with step (1).
– Use solder sucker to open up each hole for acceptance of the ‘new’ socket.

3) Soldering in place of a 24-pin collet-pin DIP socket. (For 0.45″ spacing, 12-pin SIPs are used instead).
– Just like it says. If you want a very low profile install, skip this step and go to step (4), except solder it in place instead of pressing it in.

4) Placement of G2 adapter along with optional ZIF and associated chip.
– Just like it says.

5) View of relative clearance and reassembly.
– Check and make sure it’s not going to hit anything when installed back in the car. If you have clearance issues, you might want to consider the solder-in option mentioned in (3-4).

Note that the height can be reduced by not using the ZIF socket, and can be further reduced by soldering the adapter directly in as mentioned (bypassing the DIP or SIP socket install).

These pictures should give you the information you need with respect to procedures, relative socket / adapter / chip orientation, etc.
However, if after viewing this you still have questions, just let me know at my email address on the main page and I’ll do my best to field them.

Have fun!

]]> https://support.moates.net/g2-adapter-installation/feed/ 0 https://support.moates.net/roadrunner-efi-live-with-rtacs/ https://support.moates.net/roadrunner-efi-live-with-rtacs/#respond Sat, 10 Apr 2010 04:15:40 +0000 http://support.moates.net/?p=812 Notes from EFI Live’s Paul Blackmore regarding using the auto-tuning feature of EFI Live with Moates hardware:

1. Check both axis of the VE table in the tuning tool to make sure the MAP and RPM headings (the ones colored sky-blue) have link PIDs associated with them. The link PIDs are usually displayed as {Link: SAE.MAP} and {Link: SAE.RPM}.
   
   
2. Check that the units displayed for the MAP link pid are exactly the same as the units specified in the Scan Tool for that PID.
   

   You can change the units of the VE table’s MAP axis using the menu option: Edit->Configure display units…
   
   You can change the units of the MAP PID in the Scan Tool by displaying the [PIDS F8] tab page, right clicking on the SAE.MAP PID and selecting Imperial or Metric so that it matches the units in the VE table.
   
   

3. Make sure you start logging (red button) or monitoring (yellow button) in the Scan Tool. Otherwise real-time data will not be sent to the tuning tool’s VE table and RTACS will not work.
   
   
4. Make sure the cells you want RTACS to update are not “protected”. Protected cells are displayed with a white background.
   
   
5. Set the accuracy in the [RTACS] tab page of the VE table to 0. That will turn off EFILive’s auto protect feature when EFILive “thinks” the cells are accurate enough.
   
   
6. Make sure the Col, Row and BEN factor PID values are displayed and updating with the expected values in the [RTACS] tab page of the VE table.
   
   
7. Make sure the min and max RTACS limits in the [RTACS] tab page of the VE table are set far enough apart so that values can be modified.
   
   
8. Make sure the “RTACS is NOT active” changes to “RTACS is active” when you expect RTACS to be working.
   
   

Here’s more text from a recent email:

The most important part of the RR auto tune is to make sure the calculated BEN factor PID you are using is correctly calculating the error between the commanded v’s actual (i.e. wideband measured) AFR. The error is displayed as a numerical value that represents the percentage error between the two values.

———————————————————————————–

The BEN factor is calculated as (actual AFR) divided by (commanded AFR).

A value of 1.00 indicates that the commanded AFR matches the actual AFR

A value less than 1 indicates that the actual AFR is less than the commanded AFR by the fractional part of the value. i.e. if the value was 0.95, then the difference is 5%, if the value was 0.90 then the difference is 10%, if the value was 0.87 then the difference is 13% etc.

A value greater than 1 indicates that the actual AFR is greater than the commanded AFR by the fractional part of the value. i.e. if the value was 1.05, then the difference is 5%, if the value was 1.10 then the difference is 10%, if the value was 1.13 then the difference is 13% etc.

The RTACS software multiplies the existing VE value by a percentage of the BEN factor, the percentage is based on coarse/fine settings.

———————————————————————————–

When the border turns red that indicates that the logged data is currently being discarded because it did not pass the filter(s) that you have in place.

———————————————————————————–
You should also make sure the PCM is operating is open loop to prevent the PCM from fighting against you and adjusting the long/short term fuel trims while you are trying to tune. You can force open loop by increasing all values in B4205 (Closed Loop Temp Enable) to greater than the coolant temp will ever get. That will prevent the PCM from entering closed loop.

Hope this helps!

For using EFI Live, perform the following:

1. Open up the software, and get the EFI Live Roadrunner Control Panel. Make sure the Roadrunner serial number is being displayed.
2. Upload the whole new Operating System and Calibration from the PC *.tun file to the Roadrunner device.
3. Select the “Execute from PCM Flash Memory (if equipped)” option (two chips with arrows in between). This will turn the Roadrunner emulation ‘off’ in order to blank out the PCM RAM when the memory read faults. The software should display ‘Flash’ as the mode of operation.
4. Re-select the button, this time selecting the ‘Emulation’ mode of operation.
5. Turn the key or power to the PCM off, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on.
6. If you like, at this point you can open the EFI Live ScanTool software (make sure cable is connected and vehicle is on). You will probably want to scan for codes and DTCs, and clear them all as appropriate.
7. Start the vehicle briefly (1-2 seconds) and then shut power back off. This is primarily to reset the idle relearn, so it typically not an issue with the drive-by-wire configurations.
8. You should now be able to restart the PCM and vehicle, and things should work as expected if you are using a valid *.tun file.

This procedure will also help if you have suffered tune corruption.

If you have any questions, contact EFI Live or Moates technical support and they’ll be glad to help further.

You have three choices for tuning forced induction on a TPI ECM (i.e. 7730).

1. Not REALLY a good option, but a simple one: use stock code, hack it around to be ok at WOT by power enrichment tables.  This is ugly and only has a possibility of working for low boost setups.   Do not do this unless you really don’t care how the car runs except at WOT and you are too lazy to choose another option.
2. Use Code59 on your ‘7730  (see www.code59.org – a modified version of the $58 code that came in the Syclone/Typhoon turbocharged trucks) For this to work, some wiring mods are needed.  (See here for more wiring info, here for more general info) This is not for the faint of heart, but represents a much better solution overall because you are using code that understands what forced induction is.  Code59 isn’t perfect, but it’s arguably the best option readily available that works with OEM hardware.
3. Code59 on a ‘749 ECM.  This is pretty similar to #2 above, except you get some additional stuff in the ‘749 that will make it easier to say run P+H injectors.  Rewiring will be needed.  The ‘749 is also setup to control boost via PWM and an external solenoid which can be handy for turbocharged applications.

You should plan on buying a Wideband O2 (such as the Innovate LC1), something to datalog with (APU1, ALDU1) and something for realtime emulation (APU1, Ostrich2) along with a G1 chip adapter in order to tackle a project like this and have any degree of success.  You could do it without some of these tools, but you probably wouldn’t be reading this webpage for advice if you didn’t need them.

You will genererally need to install colder spark plugs, (maybe) a spark box, larger injectors (32, 36 or 42lbs would probably be good place to start.  Use an injector calculator to figure out how big you should go based on power goals), a 2bar or 3bar MAP sensor to replace your 1bar factory sensor, sometimes an upgraded fuel pump(s).

Good Choices (Complicated)

The other worthwhile option to mention is using a LS1/LS2 ECM with EFI live.  This requires extensive hardware and wiring changes but has great rewards in terms of an upgraded ignition system, more reliable triggering (i.e. no Optispark) and much more powerful and capable ECMs with advanced features.  See EFI Connection 24x / 58x pages for more information on this upgrade.  You can get EFI Live from us after you’re done.

Bad Choices

While I’m at it, a lot of people ask about FMUs.  This is a quick explanation of how they work and why they’re a band-aid (at best) not an effective tuning solution:

• FMU is a rising rate regulator
• It causes fuel pressure to increase at a fixed ratio with boost pressure (usually 8:1 to 12:1)
• Fuel delivery (approximately) increases by the difference in sqrt of fuel pressure.  I.e. 40 -> 60 psi = sqrt(60) / sqrt(40)
• An FMU can generally get fueling approximately ok SOMETIMES but more often than not it results in an overly rich mixture and inconsistent fueling across different RPMs.
• With 35 psi base pressure and 8psi of boost, a 8:1FMU will be delivering close to 100psi of fuel pressure!  Because it raises fuel pressure so much, there is a significant strain placed on the fuel pump and injectors.  Fuel atomization (and therefore power) suffers a lot at extreme pressures with most injectors.
• Most importantly, FMUs do nothing to adjust spark to compensate for boost.
• Bottom line: FMUs are a cheap, hackish bandaid supplied to minimally make things work by running the car artificially rich instead of properly adjusting the mixture and timing for boost.

The “Good Choices” above are ways of doing things the “right” way.  It’s a lot more work, but you can get the car to run a *lot* better than with an FMU.  Making appropriate adjustments for ignition timing will also let you run a LOT higher boost than with just a FMU.

There are several groups of ECMs.

94-95 LT1,LT4,LTx: These can be tuned via TunerCATS ( link ) with the $EE definition and an ALDU1+CABL1 (94 – square ALDL style connector) or ALDU1+CABL2 (95 “D” shape OBD2 connector).  These are typically the 16188051 ECM.  APU1 also works for reflash on these vehicles.  No chip adapter needed.

94-95 TBI: Unlike all other TBI ECMs (which use a G2 chip adapter) these ECMs are memcal like their TPI cousins and work with the G1 memcal adapter.  Take the cover off the ECM and if you see a memcal, you probably have one of these.  The 16168625 is an example.

94-95 W-body LQ1: uses the regular MEMCAL found in 1227165/7727/7730 ECMs, you can use the G1 adapter in these units also.

94-95 3800: Primarily use the 16183247 and subsequently a different style memcal is used than earlier ECMs.   The 94-95 3800 powered regals use a similar ECM that is weatherproofed, the 16183428, but that ECM is specific to the 94-95 3800 Regals only. This family of PCMs have the little blue ‘box’ memcal that has the integrated knock sensing board.   A G4 chip adapter is required for these, it’s shorter than the G1.

93-95 3100 vehicles (except for the A-bodies, which use a non-weatherproof version of the 94-95 LQ1 PCM) are all flash units. Unfortunately we don’t currently have a solution for these.

(Thanks to Robert Saar for his help!)

There are a few solutions for people with 96-97 computers:

-Convert to a 94-95 ECM that is well-supported by TunerCATS OBD1.  This will require an ALDU1+CABL2 combo, TunerCATS OBD1 tuner ($69.95) with a single definition file ($EE – $19.95) OR TunerCats WinFLash and TunerPro RT with the $EE definition, along with a new 94-95 ECM.  This may involve minor wiring changes.  Arguably the most simple and straightforward option.  Preserves all engine sensors, distributor, etc.  This option will work for LTx engines ONLY.  96-97 Vortecs must use another option.

-Convert to a 98+ ECM that is well-supported by EFI Live.  This will involve more substantial wiring changes and a supported 98+ ECM.  This will involve a 24x reluctor conversion kit. (See here for more information.)  This is *NOT EASY OR SIMPLE* but arguably provides the best solution because quality, trusted LSx electronics replace many problematic parts on the earlier engines such as replacing  the Optispark system with coil-near-plug as found on the LSx.

-Use TunerCATS OBD2 Tuner.  Even though there are no hardware changes needed for this, I put it towards the bottom of the list.  TunerCATS OBD2 Tuner is only available with Roadrunner ECM hardware because of licensing restrictions BUT Roadrunner hardware isn’t compatible with 96-97 ECMs.  You will end up having to spend $489 on a RoadRunner guts kit (that you can’t use on a 96-97 ECM!), $280 on the  TunerCat RTOBD2 package, and $80 on a definition for your ECM.  Grand total: $850.  Now go back and compare costs to the two conversion options above if you wonder why I didn’t list this option first…

Basics

When we talk about “OBD1” GM vehicles, we mean vehicles made from (approximately) 1986 to 1995.  These cars used several different types of engine controller – some have one injector for each cylinder (Tuned Port Injection, or TPI along with the LTx motors) while some have fewer injectors that are placed near the throttle body (Throttle Body Injection, or TBI) instead.  All the vehicles of this generation speak the ALDL protocol for logging/vehicle communication.

For purposes of this guide, “ECM” means Engine Control Module, Powertrain Control Module (PCM), Engine Computer Module (ECM) – terms will be used interchangeably to mean the same thing.

Hardware for OBD1 GM

Overview

94-95 model years are oddballs.  Many of these ECMs support being reflashed over the ALDL interface (e.g. LT1) using TunerCATS.  Some (like the 94-95 TBIs) use a G1 adapter.  Many Grand Prix from these years use the G4 adapter.  Diesels generally use the G5 adapter.

The process for tuning OBD1 GM products is pretty much the same for all 86-93 model years.  First, a “chip adapter” is used to convert whatever the ECM in question needs into a form that accepts a 28 pin EPROM.  Some chip adapters require soldering for installation (G2, G2X) but most do not (G1, G3, G4, G5).  The same EPROMs can be used for all of our OBD1 GM products (except the switching adapters…) which is usually the 27SF512 – C2.

After a chip adapter has been installed in an ECM, tuning can begin.  You can burn chips using a ROM burner such as the BURN1/2.  Alternatively, you can either use the Ostrich 2.0 emulator or the emulation facilities of the APU1 to make changes while the vehicle is running.

Logging from the computer is accomplished using either an ALDU1 or the logging facilities of an APU1.  For 86-94 vehicles, CABL1 is required to connect the logger and the vehicle.  For the 1995 model year, CABL2 is required due to the physically different connector.

Instead of buying the BURN2, Ostrich2 and ALDU1 separately, you can buy the APU1 unit that does the functions of all three pieces in one unit.

Hardware

G1 – “Memcal” style chip adapter (TPI, Syclone/Typhoon, 94-95 TBI, 92-93 LT1, etc.)

G2 – “TBI” 24 pin style chip adapter

G2 GN Style – Grand National Only.

G2X – Multiple program switching version of G2

G3 – Multiple program switching version of G1

G4 – Blue Memcal style chip adapter for some 94-95 vehicles

G5 – Diesel memcal style chip adapter

HDR1 – Header that allows reading memcals in a BURN1/2.  Used to read stock program on memcal ECMs.

BURN2 – Programs chips

Ostrich – USB Chip emulator, allows realtime changes while engine running

Socket Booster – required for use of Ostrich 2.0 in TBI applications.  Can be used instead of G2 adapter.

ALDU1– USB ALDL interface

CABL1– Used to connect an ALDU1 or APU1 and a pre-1995

CABL2 – Used to connect an ALDU1 or APU1 and a 1995 car

APU1 – Combines the functions of the BURN2 (programming chips), Ostrich 2.0 (real time chip emulation) and the ALDU1 in one unit

Applications

This table is abbreviated. If you don’t see your application here, please email us.

* Socket Booster (S_BOOSTER) required for Ostrich 2 emulation and TBI ECMs

If you have excel, you can also take a look at this spreadsheet for a list of what hardware you’ll need with various combinations.

Software

TunerPro RT ( link ) and TunerCATS ( link ) are the two most commonly used software packages for OBD1 GM.

FreeScan is a free datalogger that works with some GM vehicles. ( link )

There is an excellent cross-reference I found with google that lists common ECMs, which mask (software revision) they use and various other useful information.  ( link )

Holden Vehicles

TunerCat OBD1 tuner seems to have the best support for Holden vehicles at this time ( link ) although TunerPro has support for some ( link )

Hardware-wise, the majority of these vehicles use the G1 chip adapter.  Some of the newer vehicles use our newest G6 chip adapter.  We don’t know the Australian vehicles as well as those stateside so we recommend you check out http://www.delcohacking.net for more info on these vehicles.

The main product that we make for 98+ GM vehicles is the RoadRunner emulator that allows realtime changes to be made to a LS1 ECM.

The RoadRunner is designed to be used with either EFI Live or TunerCATS software.

EFI Live is a comprehensive tuning software package that includes both an editor and logging application.  The software has the most comprehensive vehicle support out of any package we sell for OBD2 GM, working with both Gen3 and Gen4 ECMs and TCMs.  It is licensed on a per-vehicle or per ECM type basis.

Tuner CATS OBD2 tuner is used primarily with the RoadRunner hardware.  It only supports Gen3 LS1 ECMs/TCMs.  Tuner CATS OBD2 tuner can ONLY BE SOLD WITH ROADRUNNER HARDWARE.  WE CANNOT SELL IT TO YOU UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES UNLESS YOU BUY ROADRUNNER HARDWARE.  It is licensed on a per ECM type basis.

G1 Chip adapter picture

Overview

The G1 is an adapter that allows a chip or emulator to be plugged into OBD1 memcal based GM PCMs.

The GP1 kit is a G1 chip adapter and two 27SF512 flash chips packaged together at a lower price.

Compatibility

The G1 is compatible with the following vehicles:

• 1986-1993 TPI & LT1
• 94-95 TBI trucks

The G1 is compatible with the following chips:

• SST 27SF512
• 27C128/256/512 based eeproms

Details

Our revolutionary G1 adapter allows you to customize your ecu or pcm by bypassing your factory tuning, allowing you to insert your own custom programmed chip without the hassle of tearing apart your stock memcal. This can be useful if you plan on returning your car back to stock, or need to use your stock memcal as a template for a newly modified ecu.

(much of the content on the rest of this page is edited from Allan Reinke’s review on www.iroczone.com – thankyou very much)

So what exactly does this adapter do?  In case you don’t know, GM ECMs (1986 to 1993 TPI and some 94-95 TBI stuff) utilize a memory calibration “memcal” unit. This unit consists of the PROM (calibration code) and resistor packs (for limp mode, cold starts, etc.). The resistor packs consist of two chips. One a 16-pin and the other a 14-pin. These are custom laser etched type resistor packs making them extremely difficult to duplicate. In other words, you need these resistor packs, you cannot copy them (as of right now anyway) and your car will have a hard time starting without them. Some Memcals have a more compex ‘non-EPROM’ half which contains knock circuitry, and the original (or one very similar) Memcal needs to be used in conjunction with the adapter.

What the adapter does is allow you to plug in your resistor packs so your ECM will still use them, and at the same time, “bypass” your existing PROM chip so you can install your own.  By doing so, you can reprogram your ECM with no modifications to your factory memcal AND no soldering is required! The process of reprogramming your ECM is greatly simplified.  You no longer need to worry about destroying increasingly hard to find memcals with a bad soldering job when you use a G1 adapter!

Install Instructions

First things first. You need to access your ECM. This is easily done as it is located behind the dashboard, on the passenger’s side of the car. (In some other applications, it is located under the passenger’s seat area, in behind the dash, by the kickpanel, or under the hood usually up by the firewall.) If you look underneath the dash on the passenger’s side, you will see a wiring harness plugged into a silver box. This box is held in by two hex screws. First, carefully unplug the two connectors to the ECM (otherwise, you won’t be able to gain full access to the ECM as the wires will keep you from pulling the ECM all of the way out.) Each connector has a “latch” where you just push in the latch and wiggle out each connector. Take your time, they don’t just fall out.

Next, get a hex screwdriver or other means of removing the two screws holding the ECM in place. Once these are removed, the ECM falls right out (be certain to catch it!).

GM TPI ECM

Now, with the ECM removed, you will need to use the screwdriver to remove the two screws holding the access plate on. Most of the time, the access plate will be stuck on the ECM. Use a small screwdriver and carefully pry around the access panel until it pops off.

TPI ECM – Cover removed

Once the access panel is off, there sits your memcal. If your Memcal looks like this, then the G1 adapter should work for you. If not, then look at some of the other adapters such as the G2 and see if that matches up. Using your fingers, press the latches on both sides, away from the memcal. Doing this will “pop” the memcal up.

TPI ECM – latches on memcal

Once the latches are fully out, the memcal should come right out.

TPI memcal – removed

The memcal will not usualy fit in the ECM (with the adapter) with it’s cover on. On some applications it will, such as some of the 1227730 and 1227749 units. So we will most likely need to remove the blue cover on the memcal so that it will fit back in there. Very CAREFULLY, remove the cover with a small screwdriver, prying the clips. Again, be careful, clips will break off.

pry GENTLY to remove memcal cover

You only need to do the one side just enough to pop the side up and the other side will come right off.

naked memcal :)

In this example, we are using a EPROM chip installed directly into the G1 chip adapter. This is a good “final” install after you have a program that you know works the way you want but it is not very easy to change the program in the chip. The advantage of this is that you are much more likely to be able to put the cover back on the ECM with just a chip installed. (i.e. no ZIF socket or emulator cable)  Install the chip with the U indention out. (Pin 1 faces left as in the picture) . If you are using a Flash chip such as the 29C256, then the chip will also have an arrow by Pin-1. This should also go out toward the edge of the adapter. Be sure to line up all of the pins on the chip and gently press it into the socket. Once you are comfortable with the feel, you will need to exert a little force to fully insert the chip. This can be tricky. Bent and broken pins can result if you are not 100% certain that all of the pins of the chip are lined up correctly.

However if you are just getting started tuning your car, you may want to use a ZIF socket (available from Moates.net for a small fee) or install the emulation cable from an Ostrich 2.0 or APU1 instead. You probably won’t be able to close the lid on your ECM, but it will be a lot easier for you to make changes to the program in the ECM.

After you have either a chip or emulation cable insterted in the G1 adapter, install your memcal onto the adapter. Simply line up the right side of the memcal to the right side of the pins on the adapter.

G1 adapter meets memcal

Press firmly and it should easily slide into place! In terms of original Memcal orientation on the adapter, make sure that the original ‘EPROM’ half is hanging off and that the ‘limp-home’ half is in contact with the angle header on the edge of the adapter.  It should look something like this:

G1 adapter with chip and memcal attached

Next, the G1 and memcal combination needs to be re-inserted into the ECM.  Place the adapter, memcal first, face down in the access panel. Then curve the adapter, memcal first toward the empty space in the ECM (bottom, but in the picture it’s up as the ECM is facing upside-down).


Once the adapter is in place, line up each side to each latch. See the pictures. Make sure it’s lined up before pushing down! You don’t want any bent pins in your ECM!

check one side

check other side

You have to ensure that the adapter is placed correctly in the ECM socket so that when you unlatch it, it’ll pop right up. It needs to be perfectly centered or you can bend pins in the ECM – not good. Once you are comfortable with the placement, press down on the adapter in the center of the two latches until the outer latches “click” and are in the “installed” position (up.)  Give yourself a pat on the back – you’ve completed the physical installation of the G1 chip adapter!

Reinstall the access panel (only if you are NOT installing the ZIF socket or if you are using a low-profile ZIF like the S4!!!) and reinstall the ECM in the car by following the steps you took to remove it in reverse. If you are using the ZIF socket for testing purposes, you’ll be happy to know that the access panel faces towards the front of the car, away from the dashboard. It may be a little neck tiring, but you will be able to replace chips while the ECM is installed.

OVERVIEW

The ALDU1 is a datalogger designed to work with OBD I GM vehicles.

The ALDU1 is compatible with the CABL1 and the CABL2, which are interface cables that connect to GM OBD I and OBD II vehicle respectively.

The ALDU1 can be purchased by itself, or as a combo with either the CABL1 or CABL2.

CABL1 is used for ~88-94 GM OBD1 vehicles with a rectangular ALDL connector like this:

CABL2 is used only on 95 (and some late-year 94) vehicles that still speak ALDL but have the D shaped “OBD2-style” connector like this:

It can be interfaced with many pieces of software, including TunerPro.

Pinouts and Wiring

In the event you need to build a custom cable, use the following pin outs for the RJ45 connector:

1=A(gnd)

2=B(diag)

3=E/M(data)

This is the 86-94 original ALDL connector:

On CABL1:

• pin A is connected to RJ45 pin 1
• pin B is connected to RJ45 pin 2
• pin E and pin M are connected to RJ45 pin 3
• pin G is connected to RJ45 pin 4
• other pins are not connected

This is the late model ALDL connector used in 1995:

On CABL2:

• Pins 4 and 5 are connected to RJ45 pin 1
• Pin 13 is connected to RJ45 pin 2
• Pin 9 is connected to RJ45 pin 3
• Pin 16 is connected to RJ45 pin 4
• Pin 2 is connected to RJ45 pin 5
• Pin 10 is connected to RJ45 pin 6
• Pin 14 is connected to RJ45 pin 7
• Pin 6 is connected to RJ45 pin 8

How to Buy

Take a look at the OBD1 GM section of our online store here

Test Procedure

The first step towards determining if your ALDU1 is working correctly is to look at the USB side.  Before you continue, you should have verified USB connectivity and you will need to know which COM port your cable is using.  Take a look at the USB troubleshooting guide if you have any questions or concerns here.

You will need to have TunerPro RT version 5.0 or later installed.

Test procedure:

1. Start TunerPro RT with your cable plugged into your computer but unplugged from the vehicle.
2. Load a valid XDF / ADS-ADX combination for your vehicle
3. Go to Tools … Preferences and select “Use Plug-in” for Interface type.  Then make sure “TunerPro Data Acquisition I/O Interface” is selected.  Next, select “Configure Plug-in Component”  Then make sure “Standard Serial” is selected and the COM port shown matches the COM port of your cable. 
4. Finally, click the “Test For Valid Interface Using Settings” to perform a test on the cable.

If your cable fails the above test, it will almost certainly need to come back to us for repair.  If it passes the above test, the hardware has passed a basic minimal test.

The RoadRunner is the only available full blown emulator for LS1 PCMs – unlike other “emulation” software, the entire contents of the flash is emulated Real-Time, not just certain maps.  It can also be used as a general purpose emulator in custom applications (Bosch Motronic, BMW, Miata, Nissan, …)  It is designed for PSOP44 chips like 28F200 28F400 28F800 29F400 29F800

Hardware Available

At this point, there are two (and a half) versions of RoadRunner you can buy:

1. A RoadRunner pre-installed in a rebuilt 12200411 GM LS1 ECM.  This is intended for all supported GM applications.

2. A RoadRunner “guts kit” containing just the raw circuit board, cables and hardware to mount the device in place of a 28Fx00 EPROM.  This is intended for all custom applications.  If you purchase the guts kit, you should specify whether you want a 512k (28F400) or 1024k (28F800) version. (we’re counting these two variants of the guts kit to get two and a half)

GM Compatibility

At this point (August 2009), there is only ONE officially supported target for the Roadrunner: the 12200411 (or just “411”) ECM.  The 12200411 is plug-and-play with ’99 and up Corvette LS-1’s (throttle-by-wire), ’99 and up Camaro/Firebird LS-1’s (cable-throttle), ’99-02ish Gen III Vortec trucks (cable throttle), ’00-02ish Gen III Vortec trucks (throttle-by-wire).  The 12200411 can also control 4L60E and 4L80E transmissions.   In case it wasn’t clear from the application list, the ‘0411 can control both drive-by-wire and drive by cable engines – pretty much any GM vehicle with a 24 tooth reluctor wheel(“24x”) is fair game for full sequential fuel and spark operation.  The ‘0411 can also be used to run 97-98 LS1s with minor rewiring or “green plug” 1024k PCM vehicles with slightly more extensive wiring changes.  It can also be used with a Van OS to run distributor applications with only a 4X reluctor.  The ‘0411 can also be used to run LTx/Gen2 retrofits with a custom conversion kit from EFI Connection.

Please note that the RR does *not* function identically to a “normal” PCM in terms of long term keep-alive memory.  When you turn the key off with a RR PCM, the PCM will reset every time.  If you need to pass emissions or do other functions that depend on this memory, you may have to use a normal PCM.

Later (LS2/LS3+) engines switched to a different style ECM (E40, E38, E67, E37, etc.) that is electrically incompatible with Roadrunner.  There will never be a RoadRunner for any late-model ECM.  Period.

Late model engines also switched to a different style crank trigger setup (58X / 60-2) that makes it impossible to use a LS1 ECM to run the engine.  People have succeeded in using a RoadRunner in a 411 ECM to run a late model engine by a combination of creative wiring changes and swapping the crankshaft reluctor to a 24 tooth unit.  This is not for the faint of heart.  We do not officially support this application so we can’t really assist you with this conversion, but again we’d recommend Mike at EFI Connection as a capable source for wiring and conversion needs.

Unsupported GM Applications

Previously, a Bluetooth option for Roadrunner was available.  This has been discontinued – it is no longer available.  There are no plans to offer this in the future.

Previously, there were Roadrunner versions available for LB7, 1024k PCMs and 98 PCMs.  All of these applications had issues which is why we no longer offer “ready to run” Roadrunner PCMs from these families.  These have been discontinued – we cannot guarantee that these applications will work fully.

Why did this happen?

• 97-98 LS1 Core PCMs are hard to find.  The 99-02 PCMs are superior and can be made to work in 98 applications with little effort.  If you’re bound and determined to use a RR in a 97-98 PCM, you could try this at your own risk but we strongly recommend conversion to an ‘0411 PCM.
• LB7 PCMs come in several flavors.  Early PCMs lacked a driver that later PCMs had, making them incompatible.  Also, RR equipped PCMs had a tendency to present an invalid VIN.  This did not appear to affect operation, but…  VATS was also sometimes a concern and may need to be disabled.  Combine these issues with the extremely limited supply of Core PCMs and we decided to no longer offer a “ready to go” LB7 Roadrunner.  For a TUNER, none of the issues on this platform should be a show stopper but we would recommend caution in a daily driver application.
• 03-08 1024K LS1 PCMs may all have 1024k of memory but they do NOT appear to be universally compatible.  During testing on an 05 Avalanche, there was a significant number of no-start conditions while using a stack of “random” 1024k PCMs fitted with a RoadRunner.  It was not determined whether this was due to differences in PCM hardware, The RoadRunner or another factor.  The decision was made not to offer a ready-to-go RoadRunner for vehicles requiring a 1024k PCM.

Getting an Unsupported RoadRunner

If after reading why we no longer offer a RoadRunner for a PCM you have and you still want to try it, there are options.  If you want to try one of these applications, you will need to either:

• Send us a Core ECM.  Order a RR Guts kit.  Order the RR Install service.  Receive the PCM you sent us back with a RoadRunner installed
• Order a RoadRunner Guts kit.  Install it yourself.

Please note that these applications are UNSUPPORTED meaning that if you have strange problems, we aren’t going to be rushing to revise the product in order to solve your issues.  These are intended for advanced users capable of troubleshooting and working independently.  Use at your own risk!

GM Software Compatibility

EFILive natively supports the RoadRunner.  In order to use it with EFI Live, you must purchase the Roadrunner license.  After purchasing the license, you can use the Roadrunner in any vehicle supported by the ECM.  You can tune as many RoadRunner equipped ECMs as you like – you do not need to buy additional licenses for additional RoadRunners.  If you want to flash a copy of the program in the Roadrunner into the vehicle’s original ECM, you can do this but standard EFI VIN or Stream licensing fees will apply.

TunerCAT OBD2 Tuner natively supports the RoadRunner.  Existing OBD2 Tuner customers can simply buy the RoadRunner upgrade.  There is a package that includes one definition file which is intended for people who want to use RoadRunner and TunerCAT to tune only one vehicle.  There is an add-on ***ONLY AVAILABLE FOR ROADRUNNER USERS*** that includes the WinFlash cable allowing you to reflash vehicles with TunerCAT.  There are also all-LS1 and all-supported-vehicles packages.  ***AGAIN, YOU MUST BUY ROADRUNNER HARDWARE TO BE ABLE TO BUY TUNERCAT OBD2 TUNER.  NO EXCEPTIONS.*** Updates for TunerCat Roadrunner users are available on the “Additional Links” section of the product page for RRTuner and WinFlash on our web store.  These links are updated to always point to the most recent version available.

Other Applications / Technical Specifications

The RoadRunner has been used successfully as a general purpose 16 bit data bus emulator for applications other than GM LS1.  (Bosch Motronic ME7.1 comes to mind.)   The RoadRunner uses the same FTDI USB-serial bridge as our other products, appearing as a COM port to the operating system.  It is designed to emulate a 28F800 (0r 28F400, 28F200, even 28F100) chip operating in 16 bit data bus mode.  The 28F800 is capable of presenting data in both 8 and 16 bit selectable modes, but the RoadRunner does not support this – 16 bit mode only.  The pinout of the RoadRunner is designed to match the pinout of these ICs – other 16 bit data bus chips could theoretically be emulated with creative cabling.  We have NOT performed extensive testing to determine the fastest access time for the Roadrunner, but we estimate that it is in the 65-80ns range.  90s is 100% safe.

The above picture illustrates the locations of pins 1 and 44 relative to the USB connector on the RoadRunner.

Full documentation for the protocols for talking to a Roadrunner for emulation and limited data trace are available on request. (They are very similar to the protocols used with the Ostrich 2.0 and our other devices but some minor differences exist.)  If you are interested in using the RoadRunner in a custom application, please contact us.  The hardware platform is a tried-and-tested 16 bit wide data bus EPROM emulation system available at a competitive price.

Specific Non-GM Application Usage Notes

The RR_on_BP5R write-up details fitting the RoadRunner emulator to the Miata BP5R (2000 1.8) ECU (Thanks James Holland!)  This ECU uses a 29F200 instead of the 28F400/800 the RR was designed for.

We have a byteswap board that allows the RR to fit inside the case of a ME7 Audi 2.7t ECM and performs an endian-swap for use with TunerPro RT on this platform.

The Autoprom

The Autoprom was the first Moates device. It is a combination Emulator, Chip Burner and Datalogger.

Today you can buy these devices separately, however this package eliminates the need for 3 separate units.

Compatibility

As of writing this article, the only software known to be fully compatible with the Autoprom is TunerPro RT.  TunerCat OBD1 Tuner and TTS Datamaster support almost all of the AutoProm’s features.

If you plan on tuning Honda vehicles, purchase the Ostrich, Burn1, and HuLog separately or a Demon as there is no software for Hondas that supports the Autoprom and all of its features.

The Autoprom CANNOT be used to program F3 Ford chips using the FA nor can it be used to read Ford ECMs using the FE.  You will need to look at the Jaybird or BURN2/FA/FE combo for Ford vehicles.

The Autoprom does not work smoothly with 29F040 chips.  If you need to work with these chips, it is recommended that you purchase a BURN2.

The Autoprom should be compatible with almost all USB ports.  Its power consumption should be in the 100-150mA range.

Environmental Compatibility

The APU1 is NOT designed to be left in an engine bay!!!  It will fail prematurely if exposed to the heat of a bay.   It is designed for a maximum operating temperature of about 80C (175F).

The APU1 is NOT designed to be exposed to moisture!!!  It will fail prematurely if exposed to liquids.  It will fail prematurely from condensation inside its case.

If you are going to use the device in harsh environments, try to do so for short periods of time and then program a chip for long term use.  We recommend this in general but it is especially important in harsh environments.

Due to its internal battery constantly powering portions of the device, the APU1 can easily be ruined by condensation caused by sudden drops of temperature in humid environments.  Returning the device to a cool (~50-77F / 10-25C) , dry environment after exposure to high humidity before attempting to use again  is a very good idea.  Placing it in a sealed bag with dry rice or another desiccant can help if condensation is suspected.

Switch Positions

Real-Time Tuning / Emulation

1. Make sure car is in key-off position with no power to the ECM. Remove the ‘stock’ chip and install socket adapter (G1 or G2) if not already present. Remove any chip from the AutoProm ZIF socket!
2. Hook the 28-pin ribbon cable header to the ECM chip adapter socket. Make sure the ‘red’ wire points toward where the notch, or Pin1, would be on a chip normally going in the socket. The AutoProm will auto-select its power source from either the USB port or the ECM header.
3. Get your PC powered on with TunerPro or TunerCat loaded up. Hook USB cable up to the AutoProm and PC. Check the AutoProm switch positions along the backpanel. The innermost horizontal switch can be positioned either inboard (10k – used to select data initiation on older-model vehicles.  Try the other ‘open’ setting first!) or outboard (open A-B – almost everything else) depending on ECM requirements. The outer horizontal switch should be in the ‘towards the USB port’ position. (APU1 mode. Other position is passthrough mode, identical to ALDU1).
4. If you haven’t already loaded a file onto the AutoProm, you will get an SES light condition indicating bad PROM content. Now is the time to go ahead and initialize the AutoProm from the PC software (should be under ‘Emulation, Initialize’ option). Once initialized, load the desired binary file into the PC software and upload it to the AutoProm (option should be right next to the ‘Initialize’ button). You may want to select the ‘Verify’ option (in TunerPro) to ensure that the binary upload was successful. If you keyed the vehicle on without a valid binary loaded, you may need to cycle the key off for about 20 seconds to let the ECM reset.
5. At this point, you should have the AutoProm loaded with the desired binary file. The car should now respond as though a chip with the uploaded binary content is installed. If not, then there is an issue. Either the binary is corrupt or some other condition exists.
6. From the PC software, you can make on-the-fly changes in the BIN content and have those changes immediately transferred to the AutoProm and the car should respond accordingly. There are several options within the supporting PC software, such as ‘Checksum Disable’, ‘Upload Entire Tables’, ‘Update Checksum’, and ‘Keep Item Open’, etc., so read through the documentation and practice a little bit so you understand what is going on and what to select. Typically, checksum disable or update checksum should be selected. Use a setting of “AA at 08” for 28 pin applications, and “AA at 04” for 24 pin ECMs.
7. Have fun, and try not to burn anything up other than rubber and fuel!

Stand-Alone Datalogging

1. Hook the APU1 up to the PC USB port and place the outer horizontal switch in the standalone, ‘away from USB port’ position (toward outside). It doesn’t matter whether the AutoProm is connected to the ECM chip socket because it gets power for standalone data logging from the USB port.
2. Connect the ALDL cable to the car’s ALDL connection. Place the inner horizontal switch on the AutoProm backpanel in the proper position for your vehicle and mode desired: inboard=”10k across A-B”, outboard=”open between A-B”.
3. Load up your favorite datalogging program on the PC, such as “TunerPro”, “WinALDL”, or “TTS DataMaster”. You may need to select an ADS file to define your datastream if using TunerPro. Turn on the key and start logging data! To stop, just turn car off and disconnect hardware. Keep in mind that in this mode, the hardware will not be ‘detected’ like the AutoProm mode, and that you’ll need to specify which USB Serial Port number (hopefully COM3 or COM4) has been allocated to the port in the datalogging software preferences.

Simultaneous Emulation and Datalogging

1. Carry out the same steps described above in the sections on Emulation and Datalogging, except keep the outer horizontal switch in the ‘inboard / toward USB port’ position.
2. Use a simultaneous-supporting program such as TunerPro RT to perform simultaneous datalogging and real-time emulation/tuning. You should see results from changes to the binary on-the-fly right when you make them.

Chip Reading and Programming

1. Connect the AutoProm to the USB cable. The USB will supply the power.
2. Make sure the 28 pin ribbon cable used for emulation is UNPLUGGED from the unit. Unpredictable behavior can result from the APU1 being directly connected to a ECM using the emulation cable while burning chips.
3. Make sure that the switches on the AutoProm are set for AUTOPROM MODE (outer switch inwards, see above picture)
4. Place the target or source chip in the ZIF socket. Orientation is critical, and the chip should be placed with its notch or arrow facing toward the ZIF handle and toward the back panel of the AutoProm. The chip should be at the ‘bottom’ of the socket, such that any unused socket pin slots are closest to the handle or backplane.
5. Use a supporting software program, such as TunerPro or FlashBurn to pick read/write operation, file location and name, starting and ending addresses, any hex offsets, bank selection, or other characteristic of the read/write operation. Carry out desired program/read/verify steps as desired, and remove chip from socket.

APU1 Video introduction

There is a series of videos on our YouTube channel that also explain some of the basics. You can also consult the APU1 Troubleshooting guide if you’re having trouble.

APU1+Wideband+Datalog

On the back of the APU1 you will find a terminal block with 4x screw terminals. The one closest to the USB port is GND/Common, and the other 3 are for channels 1,2,3 respectively. If you have a wideband O2 with 0-5v outputs, it can be wired up to GND/CH1 and TunerPro can then present the ADC data along with the rest of the datastream when operating in AutoProm mode (this feature unavailable in pass-through mode). Configuring this is a little bit complicated and requires comfort with TunerPro RT, basic algebra and some patience.

This is a nice article written by Charles Woock on how to configure TunerPro RT to digest 0-5v inputs such as the LM1 and LC1. The values can be brought in through the APU1 via the APADC interface.  (Note: newer APU1s have the APADC interface built in as standard equipment) The tutorial explains how to set up the ADS file and render values such as AFR Air Fuel Ratio as part of your GM ALDL data stream.

Here’s the PDF file:

http://static.moates.net/zips/wideband_datalog_tunerpro_lm1.pdf

“First Edition” AutoPROMs

Very early editions of this unit feature a different switch configuration.

These units have a horizontal switch and a vertical switch.

For the horizontal switch, outbound is passthrough mode and inbound is APU1 mode.

The vertical switch has three positions.  It controls the behavior of the datalogging interface, much like the inner switch on newer models. 10k is the up position, open is the middle position, and short (check codes) is the down position.

These units also use a different style cable to connect the APU1 to the vehicle.  We no longer sell this style of cable.