reflash ECU to stock by dealer when hand held tuner is lost.

[michael kellam]

hello everyone. yesterday i purchased an 08 GT500 and after all of the excitement i really started looking into the vehicle and researching on this forum. i came up a bit short on the answer i need so here goes:

i noticed the car has a metco pulley along with frpp cold air and borla exhaust. that is all i can really "see". the boost gauge in the car travels up to and a bit past 15 psi. i understand from research it is electronic and can be off for many reasons. i dont know if the car has a tune on it but in any case i want to redo it for piece of mind. after contacting Evolution Performance i need to go to the dealer and have the ECU re programmed to the factory settings.

when i called the first dealer they quickly noted it would "FRY" the ECU. i called a second dealer and the service tech was clearly not informed and said he could do it but needed to research. What is the right move here?

thanks for the responses and apologies if i have asked a previously answered question

Mike

 

[Hendo741]

I dont think you would want to get a factory tune. If your car is modded, it should be tuned for those mods. Resetting to factory (no mods) could be bad for the car. From your brief description I would assume the boost gauge is reading higher due to increased boost from the smaller pulley, not an electrical issue. If your car runs good, i wouldnt mess with it. Did you buy it from a dealer or thrid party?

 

[stkjock]

why did Evo tell you to have it flashed?

as stated above - if it's flashed to "stock" and the car is modded, it may not run right, or worst cast cause a engine failure.


only reason I could see to flash to stock is if you are planning to return the car to stock

 

[michael kellam]

thank you for the response.

i dont want the factory tune. i want the ECU not to be LOCKED so i can have EVO tune my car. because there is a tune on it and i dont have the tuner device i need to have it unlocked. how i understand it is the dealer is the only one who can perform this task.

 

[SVTORANGE]

You can also order another hand held with Jon Lunds tunes on them for your car as well.

No need to go back to a stock tune.

 

[Catmonkey]

You obviously don't have the tuner that's married to the car. Flashing it back to stock, so you can store the stock tune is something some tuners and/or SCT may be able to help you accomplish. However, you are going to need a new tune for those mods. It could be a can of worms too if you don't have stock injectors.

 

[stkjock]

thank you for the response.

i dont want the factory tune. i want the ECU not to be LOCKED so i can have EVO tune my car. because there is a tune on it and i dont have the tuner device i need to have it unlocked. how i understand it is the dealer is the only one who can perform this task.

why do you think the ECU is locked?

AFAIK there is now way for the ECU to be locked.

as I understand it, Evo could tune it, the tune in the car would become the "stock" tune in the handheld and the new tune they create would be in the car.

 

[michael kellam]

why do you think the ECU is locked?

AFAIK there is now way for the ECU to be locked.

as I understand it, Evo could tune it, the tune in the car would become the "stock" tune in the handheld and the new tune they create would be in the car.

I dont know for sure. I am only just now learning this is a thing.

if they could add a tune that would be great. however that wasnt an option presented to me. maybe i led the conversation a bit too much.

 

[michael kellam]

You obviously don't have the tuner that's married to the car. Flashing it back to stock, so you can store the stock tune is something some tuners and/or SCT may be able to help you accomplish. However, you are going to need a new tune for those mods. It could be a can of worms too if you don't have stock injectors.

great point. this is why i was wanting to have EVO tune it in house. i dont know all the mods and i am having a hard time identifying what is factory and what is not.

i dont know the brand of the tune on the car. how would i figure that out so i can contact the correct company?

 

[michael kellam]

You can also order another hand held with Jon Lunds tunes on them for your car as well.

No need to go back to a stock tune.

thank you for the advice. i will research his contact info and call him now.

 

[stkjock]

If I were you, I'd try to research who owned the car before you and get in contact with them to find out exactly what mods are there.


also use the multi-quote feature.

 

[07 Black Beauty]

If EVO is dyno tuning the car they should be able to identify what mods the car has. The only thing that can be married to the car and thus locking it is the tuner, if the stock tune is not reloaded to the car the tuner cannot be used for another vehicle until unlocked by downloading the stock tune or sending to SCT to be unlocked. Lund or VMP can get you a new tuner w/ tunes once you know what mods the car has, even if the tune is off some data logging can be done and the tune can be tweaked as needed.

 

[masterman]

If EVO is dyno tuning the car they should be able to identify what mods the car has. The only thing that can be locked is married to the car is the tuner, if the stock tune is not reloaded to the car the tuner cannot be used for another vehicle until unlocked. Lund or VMP can get you a new tuner w/ tunes once you know what mods the car has, even if the tune is off some data logging can be done and the tune can be tweaked as needed.

^ This

 

[nxhappy]

it will be hard to tune the car not knowing what mods you have. With that much boost it sounds like you have a basic pulley and intake upgrade. I would take it to a reputable dyno shop in your area that deals with mustangs and GT500s. Buy a SCT handheld tuner from them and have them make you a few custom tunes. That way you know your car is dialed in.

 

[michael kellam]

guys thank you for the responses. for Tune shops would you choose EVO or JPC? i live sorta in the middle of them both.

 

[GT Premi]

...

as I understand it, Evo could tune it, the tune in the car would become the "stock" tune in the handheld and the new tune they create would be in the car.

^^^This. I went from a FRPP tune with their Procal tuner to a VMP tune with an SCT Xcal3 tuner. No need to flash it back to stock. My FRPP tune is now my "stock" tune in the SCT and my actual stock tune is lost forever, which doesn't matter because I don't have the stock pieces anymore.

Whether to use EVO or JPC, I'd go with EVO. I've never heard of JPC.

 

[stkjock]

As for tuner - JPC is good, you could have Lund Racing remote tune it as well.

Whether to use EVO or JPC, I'd go with EVO. I've never heard of JPC.

seriously??? Justin Burchman? Justin's Performance Center? They do some great work have a 7 second Coyote and IIRC have the N/A ET record for a Coyote, had a low 8s 3V back in 07 or 08.

very well known name

 

[PrestonJ]

I'm in the same boat as the OP and I'm due for an inspection. I'm worried that the car isn't going to pass. Is it possible to get a tune that will allow the car to pass inspection with the Brenspeed Stage II power package installed (intake, pulley, NGK plugs, tune) without having to reinstall the stock parts?

 

[stkjock]

No reason the car can't pass as it sits

But yes you could get such a tune

 

[SCGallo2]

great point. this is why i was wanting to have EVO tune it in house. i dont know all the mods and i am having a hard time identifying what is factory and what is not.

Michael, if you go to Cars & Coffee downtown Annapolis on Sunday morning, I can help you identify what is installed on your car. Evolution is the only shop that has touched my car and Jon Lund tuned my current setup on their dyno. As others have stated, your current tune becomes your "stock" tune if you install another custom tune in your car. I have been to JPC also, and they know and tune fast Mustangs as well.

Steve