ECU Flash Counter?
 

It was discussed that people were checking into the ECU to see if there was a way for GM to see how many times the ECU was flashed. Has the counter being present or absent ever been confirmed? I would love a tune but am concerned about the CV joints in the rear. (As they have been failing on stock cars.)

BTW A good friend runs the service department for a GMC dealer. Here is what he emailed me.

"I just wanted to give you a heads up. I just saw an email today about some of the GMC Duramax trucks that we're supposed to start taking pictures of ECU settings before removing anything powertrain related. If they see a tune they're dropping powertrain warranties. I told my tech about it and he said he's seen this popping up on some other vehicles. I didn't see one on the Camaros but I'm sure if they're targeting tuned vehicles they'll be out there once more are on the market. This isn't something our reps are letting us ignore. They will reject our entire warranty claim without having proof it's not tampered with. They're asking for Calibration ID from the Vehicle Information/Programming history screen and from the Transmission Data screen containing the Max Transmission Calc Engine Torque parameter. So if these are bumped up per a tune no dealer is going to want to touch it because they're not going to get paid. I don't think you're exhaust or intake will show on these settings but I'd stay away from tuning it."

Looks like GM is informing more dealers about flashing the ECU. (I know this has been discussed but thought you guys would find it interesting as it came from a third party who has no ties to Camaros or this forum.)

I know some people here were looking into if the ECU had a flash counter. Did anyone ever confirm that it did not?

There is a Huge thread on the subject. search for "undetectable tunes"

I subscribed to that thread. The Vector Motorsports people said they were going to look into this and confirm one way or the other BUT from what I saw they never did give a definitive answer. (They said they "thought" there was no counter but never 100% answered as the thread went down the road.)

Considered buying a reaplacement PCM to swap back/forth? Cheap insurance!

Ding! Winner!

It won't be cheap though.

Well here is how to remove it...

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37166

I'll see if I can find you folks a price on replacement.

In this Thread you'll see we posted,

"No. the E38 doesn't have a flash counter."

Thanks as you were the source. I must have missed the final confirmation as the thread became very much a mess towards the end. (Major off topic discussion about paying warranties by tuners.)

Maybe you could answer another question. Does the ECU track mileage? For example I have 1000 miles on my car.... replace the ECU and tune the new ECU.... a 1000 miles later my trans tailshaft fails due to the factory defect.... so I swap back my "stock" ECU. Will there be a mileage mismatch between the ODO and the ECU? (In this example would the ODO say 2000 miles and the ECU reports 1000 miles.)

I don't blame you for missing it, quite a mess in that post!

There is no mileage reading in the ECM either. Actually anything that is not hard coded into the ECM from the factory (or us) is erased when battery power is removed.

Fantastic. So IF I was to purchase a 2nd ECU and tune it and then swap back my "stock" ECU no one would be the wiser? Or if I wanted to go the cheaper route I could flash my ECU and then flash back to stock for service and no one could figure out I did a tune.

EDIT: Thanks for all the info!!

Kirk - so you are basically saying that if we save our factory tune before flashing a tune, then GM will not be able to detect any tune work after reflashing the factory tune back to original?

so where is the oil life monitoring system registered? Because I know it needs the milage to function. So where does it get this info, if not from the ECM?

Good question was thinking the same thing.