Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

[WyoSyclone]

Well, I'm making good progress towards having my first tuning session this weekend. The Sy is mechanically in good shape, I've done my first DM log, I've burned my first chip (not installed) via a Burn1 from DT using the new code $59 60lb BIN, and I've accessed my ECM. Before I install the chip I'm going to get used to logging using TunerPro.

Now, here's the thousand dollar question. The people I bought the Sy from said it has a KB chip in it (why I haven't gotten into the throttle yet). The truck has a lot of knock at anything over half throttle - another reason I'm not getting into the throttle, plus it's throwing a lot of DTC 45's.

But, after having removed the ECM the security sticker is still in place and I can't find any evidence of the case being tampered with (although it was removed during the rebuild of the truck).

Here's the pic....

Anyone want to vote before I expose the chip for what it is this weekend??

 

[SY2932]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

You're getting detonation at half throttle and you want know if you should get rid of it? Why do you still have it in your truck right now??? Get rid of that chip ASAP! That chip has probably blown up more motors than anything else that's out there... With the 4.3's intolerance of detonation plus the KB chips lack of any knock retard, that is a blown motor just waiting to happen.

As far as the factory seal goes, someone could have flipped up the cover to make it look like it wasn't tampered with. The sticker looks to be "ruffled" in the corner where it would have had to be peeled back to do it.

 

[WyoSyclone]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

Hi Mike,
Yes I was warned when I bought the truck about the chip... the reason I haven't driven it much. Dig has been nice enough to give me the courage to get into the tuning game. There is NO QUESTION about getting rid of the KB chip... it will be taken out and smashed with a hammer this weekend!

I've spent the last month going over the truck making sure it is mechanically sound (good thing as I found a lot of things that needed tweaked). I'm going to make a few more data runs tomorrow night and make sure the waste gate acutator/wastegate are operating properly.

I ordered the full suite from DT and have burned a chip with the 60lb BIN as a starting point. I want to get real familiar with the logging/analyzing routine. I hope to make a nice clean set of instructions out of my efforts that other Newbs can use to get into tuning.

Thanks!
Rob

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

If still sealed it can't be KB

 

[turbodig]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

Here's the pic....

Anyone want to vote before I expose the chip for what it is this weekend??

Looks like the 'ear' around the wiring harness is broken.

You could actually take the ECU case apart, and make it appear like the seal was never tampered with. The average GM mechanic didn't know what he was looking at, so it was easy to fool.

When push came to shove in a warranty claim, the seal was never proof of anything. If a truck had a valid GM MEMCAL in it, they had to honor the warranty, seal or not.

 

[turbodig]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

Personally, I'd keep that sucker as it is... sealed (even fake-sealed) ECUs will be worth $$$ someday.

Find another '749 ECM and use it...

 

[willyson]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

Hi Mike,
Yes I was warned when I bought the truck about the chip... the reason I haven't driven it much. Dig has been nice enough to give me the courage to get into the tuning game. There is NO QUESTION about getting rid of the KB chip... it will be taken out and smashed with a hammer this weekend!

Dont smash it, i think it can be reflashed with a custom tune in the future, save you money on the hardware

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

Dont smash it, i think it can be reflashed with a custom tune in the future, save you money on the hardware

You don't want to do that because the KB doesn't have the correct ESC circuitry for knock retard anyways. I personally would through away a KB chip, rather put it back in circulation.

 

[WyoSyclone]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

Well, that's why I thought It'd be fun for us to vote on what is really in it. I'm going to do a few very light throttle runs with the engine up to temp tonight to get some DM logs, then I'll disco the battery and remove the ECM in the morning to see what's inside. I'm going to try and open it up carefully and see if I can get the label back on just the way it is now.

I'll probably keep the KB chip and just put it away with a big warning label on it... it'll go with the truck as history someday when I have to part with it.

Does anyone have a pic of a KB chip so I can identify it if it is in there? I don't know if they came with a KB sticker on them...

 

[WyoSyclone]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

Well, the evil chip has been exorcised from my Sy... I can breath a sigh of relief now

For all of you who voted.... yes it was a KB.

I still don't know how they managed to get the KB chip in without ruining the factory security sticker... I guess they took the case apart from the backside. I had to carefully slice the sticker to get the cover off.

G1 is now installed here with a 60lb BIN from the Code59 site.

As per Dig's suggestion, I now need to reinstall the KB, get the truck warmed up, then turn it off, install the new chip and 3bar real fast, start it, and look at the idle AFR's. Sounds like this will be my starting point.

Interesting that the KB chip used a black MEMCAL base, and the original factory one that I have was brown - I wouldn't think that they had made enough of them to switch colors on the plastic - unless the KB carrier is a knock-off.

Also interesting that the factory MEMCAL looks like it uses a socket for the chip... I thought that they were soldered in place??

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Chip Mystery... KB, or not??

You could actually take the ECU case apart, and make it appear like the seal was never tampered with. The average GM mechanic didn't know what he was looking at, so it was easy to fool.

Good call