# ECM with a tune



## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

I have located a diesel Cruze that is totaled and deleted.

If I bought the ECM would it basically be plug and play after removing dpf and unplugging the egr and throttle body?


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

No.


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

Snipesy said:


> No.


Would u care to expand on the reason for the no?


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

its vin specific


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

boraz said:


> its vin specific


So where does the vin reside?


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

15cruzediesel said:


> So where does the vin reside?


the ecm will have its vin, you have to program it for the new vin

thats reason 1 why its not plug and play

reason 2, is the delete tune locked to the original vin? if so, cant be used with new vin (your undeleted motor)

i wonder if the dpfs are programmed to the ecm for those not wanting to delete, on our western stars at work in 2015, the dpf/scr were programmed to the computer, couldnt just swap em over


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

boraz said:


> the ecm will have its vin, you have to program it for the new vin
> 
> thats reason 1 why its not plug and play
> 
> ...


I was assuming the ecm with the delete wouldn't know which car it was in.

Meaning if I swapped the ECM's they wouldn't know what car they are in. If that makes sense.

It sounds like the vin tag is in more than just the ECM in the cars.

I know back in the day I would just go to the junk yard to source a new ecm and then just swap it out. Sometimes if it had stored codes they would clear once it received good data from the sensors on the new car.


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

15cruzediesel said:


> Would u care to expand on the reason for the no?


VIN, Enviorment ID, and BCM/ECM exchange have to match up. Otherwise you’ll get a no start.

I don’t believe there is anything really stopping the ECM from learning new ones. But no program exists to do it. GM SPS will not let you do it unless it’s a brand new ECM.

A JTAG program could do those things but why even bother with the used ECM then?

It’s been like this for a while. Any used GM ECU you find on eBay after about MY2012 are bricks.


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

Snipesy said:


> VIN, Enviorment ID, and BCM/ECM exchange have to match up. Otherwise you’ll get a no start.
> 
> I don’t believe there is anything really stopping the ECM from learning new ones. But no program exists to do it. GM SPS will not let you do it unless it’s a brand new ECM.
> 
> ...


Sooo sounds like it might also require all the bcms to work.🤔

The used ecm has the delete tune. For me, that is what I would want.


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

15cruzediesel said:


> Sooo sounds like it might also require all the bcms to work.🤔


Pretty much. It was a lazy way to prevent hot swapping modules to prevent theft.

In reality it doesn’t ******* work. How do you think trucks are being stolen? There’s nothing secure about this system. It exists only to make e waste.


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

Snipesy said:


> Pretty much. It was a lazy way to prevent hot swapping modules to prevent theft.
> 
> In reality it doesn’t ***** work. How do you think trucks are being stolen? There’s nothing secure about this system. It exists only to make e waste.


I figure it is also a way to make money.

I mean it sucks that if i have to replace my fuel pump control module it has to be "programmed" for my truck. Straight up BS.


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

15cruzediesel said:


> I figure it is also a way to make money.
> 
> I mean it sucks that if i have to replace my fuel pump control module it has to be "programmed" for my truck. Straight up BS.


Pretty much all newer GM vehicles have the PSCM in the steering gearbox.

Which is a non serviceable part. Entire assembly goes. Rack pinion inner tie rods and all. $1100 a pop. Plus labor. Plus reprogramming the PSCM. Doesn’t matter if it failed.


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## thebac (Jul 29, 2017)

Can you do a manual VATS relearn on a Cruze? Can you change the VIN in modules using Tech2/MDI in the Cruze?

Only way to find out if the tune is locked is to buy the ECM and try editing it.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

nowadays you gotta reprogram the car when you replace a windshield

errything is made to steer the customer to the dealer for repairs


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

thebac said:


> Can you do a manual VATS relearn on a Cruze? Can you change the VIN in modules using Tech2/MDI in the Cruze?
> 
> Only way to find out if the tune is locked is to buy the ECM and try editing it.


Nope. 😜

If the Vin is not 0000000000 or xxxxxxxxxxxx then SPS kicks you off. And it has to be done through SPS. The Tech2 won’t work.


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

So let's say I need a new ecm. How do I put the cars vin in the new ecm?


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

15cruzediesel said:


> So let's say I need a new ecm. How do I put the cars vin in the new ecm?


SPS. Now on Techline Connect.

Alot of these restrictions came with Techline Connect. As in they are new. It used to be possible to at least sort of get SPS to work on used or trick it so it would. If it is possible on Techline connect, then it's much harder to do.

Classic SPS is gone. Bye bye.


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## Boathook36 (Apr 4, 2021)

Id like to have a spare ECM for troubleshooting. I dont care that a VIN mismatch would mess up various things like state annual inspections. I just want to eliminate down time and be prepared for component failures. We rent in week chunks costing about $500 when the car goes down. So far we've only needed that twice but both times was avoidable if I had bought the parts ahead of their failure. I figure a budget of $400 for a spare ready to use ECM is a good idea.

Could I drive the car as normal if I got a used ECM for $200 and bought a $125 EFIlive license for that new VIN to flash alike tune files? That keeps me below a $400 total cost.

If not then what if the TCM and/or other control modules were from the same VIN vehicle? Sometimes the ebay sellers can be contacted to find a matched set.

Would a dealership be able to or willing to retune the ECM? We did that for an older Tahoe once and it was only about $70 at the dealership. Thats cheaper than a second EFILive VIN.


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