ECM & tune chip location

[Paul]

I bought my modified car used from a former member here. One of the mods was stated as a dyno tune from DR. When researching the former owner's posts, I saw that he had the car tuned early, in late '03 IIRC. I thought that meant he had acquired an overlay chip with the tune burned in, and added it to the ECM. Today I looked under the dash, where I think this would be located from posts here on the board, and found what I believe to be the ECM box, an access opening with the cover tape broken open, and the connector on the board where an overlay chip would be added. If I'm looking in the right place, this means no chip. The dyno tune must have been loaded into the ECM itself.

Judging from the broken tape, I would guess the car had a chip once, and it was later removed. Or is it opened when a car is hooked up to a dyno? I actually don't know how a dyno is hooked up to the car, always just assumed it was through the OBDII port. May be not?

Please look at this pic and tell if it actually is the ECM? This box is attached to the firewall, just to the left and slightly higher than the brake pedal.


.http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s261/pbrodersen/My%20blue/b16816a0-1.jpg

[Seneca]

that is the ECM i dont have a chip though so i cant answer your question i have a tuner that reflashes the ECM.

[Wags]

Yes, that is where a module would be plugged in. It appears that there was a module there in the past, but no more. There is a break-a-way plate that covers this opening from the factory.

Wags

[Merc-O-matic]

Send an e-mail to Dennis Reinhart for more info...or try to
call "Sam"....if you know where he is now.:confused:
Reinhart was the guy who set the car up for Sam.

Good Luck

[RF Overlord]

Judging from the broken tape, I would guess the car had a chip once, and it was later removed. Please look at this pic and tell if it actually is the ECM?Yes, that's the PCM (Powertrain Control Module). The sticker is one of Dennis's old ones, so the car did have a chip at one time. Either someone re-flashed the PCM with a new tune, or without the chip you now have stock tuning.

[Paul]

Thanks everyone. It makes me wonder though - have I been driving for a year thinking I have a tune, but was actually stock? Interesting.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

If your torque converter clutch engages at 25 mph at light throttle and dogs the car down something horrible, you have a stock tune. You'd know because the stock shift routine granny shifts and holds the engine back unless you are at WOT