Source for PCMs?

fastersteve · Aug 24, 2016

I need another PCM for my Excursion:doh:

The Ford reman I put in a few years ago has decided I only need 1st and 2nd gears. The trans, an HD4R100, has been deemed perfectly fine by 2 dealers and an independant shop. The range sensor and shift solenoid pack have been replaced with no effect.

I have a DPC-452, code ABJ0.

A friend of mine who owns a website selling diesel stuff but not on here thinks that the chips we are running, DP, PHP, etc, contribute to PCM issues and programmers like the SCT are a better choice. Anyone have any knowledge about this?

Thanks

Arisley · Aug 24, 2016

Whole bunch of chips out there that have been stuck in PCM's for many years say your friend has no clue what he is talking about.

Unless you pull the chip out when the key is in the ignition, you have nothing to worry about.

rockycreek · Aug 24, 2016

Agreed. Never seen a TS style chip kill a PCM.

jsbelectro · Aug 25, 2016

If you do need a pcm, I had a hard time finding one as well, but finally I did. Go to "auto module source" all one word I think, you should get what u need there.

sent from jsbelectro

jbolen323 · Aug 25, 2016

ive seen plenty chips kill pcms, including myself long ago. if its not secure it can short and fry it, your diag for the friend knows nothing no offense and those are some of the best chips vs programming a pcm, you cant even run aftermarket injs on a sct anyways so right there should end the conversation.

but if the truck runs & has WTS light its good for the 99%.

I have a source for pcms off junkers. I wouldnt go reman. Plus these chips just need a different hex program to work on any.

Justin@DP-Tuner · Aug 25, 2016

Arisley said:
Whole bunch of chips out there that have been stuck in PCM's for many years say your friend has no clue what he is talking about.

Unless you pull the chip out when the key is in the ignition, you have nothing to worry about.

:whs:

jbolen323 said:
ive seen plenty chips kill pcms, including myself long ago. if its not secure it can short and fry it, your diag for the friend knows nothing no offense and those are some of the best chips vs programming a pcm, you cant even run aftermarket injs on a sct anyways so right there should end the conversation.

but if the truck runs & has WTS light its good for the 99%.

I have a source for pcms off junkers. I wouldnt go reman. Plus these chips just need a different hex program to work on any.

Yes, usually when the PCM fries it is because of user error. Installing/removing the chip with the key in the ignition will kill it. If the chip moves on the PCM J3 port at all while the key is in the ignition, you are likely going to fry the chip and/or the PCM.

As far as tuning for larger injectors with an SCT... We do it all the time. SCT is one of the only programmers that will hold custom tunes. This means we can write a tune for larger injectors which is able to be loaded with your SCT programmer. That being said, a chip is still better IMO. You have the ability to switch on the fly.

To the OP... I just sold my last spare DPC-452 last week. Keep an eye on eBay.

gnxtc2 · Aug 25, 2016

I think there was a guy that killed a few PCM from a certain tuner tunes. I think it fried the cruise side of the PCM.

Billy T.
[email protected]

Constructionworker · Aug 25, 2016

You may want to call swamps diesel as I know they have some PCMs

old man dave · Aug 26, 2016

gnxtc2 said:
I think there was a guy that killed a few PCM from a certain tuner tunes. I think it fried the cruise side of the PCM.

Billy T.
[email protected]

That was on a California DPC-312. However, my Ford Master Service Tech says those particular PCMs are notorious for failures and he has personally replaced a bunch of them.

I've been lucky, my California with DP-Tunes has had no problems.

fastersteve · Aug 26, 2016

Well, the first PCM got killed when one of the batteries had a plate come loose and short out, understandibly.
This time, the truck has been running fine since I put a Ford reman in it 4 years ago until one morning in traffic it quit shifting out of 1st. I limped it to the nearest Ford store since it was 33 months into a 36 month warranty on the HD4R100. They said nothing was wrong with the trans and tried to sell me a bunch of bull**** that I know it didn't need so I picked it up.
Curiously it drove normally when I took it home and for the next 2 weeks. I even did a 3 hour loop around town in rush hour traffic and it never skipped a beat. Took off to a race in Houston 3.5 hours away, 20 miles from the track it dropped out of 4th with only 1st and 2nd. It took 5 hrs towing home in 2nd, 3200 rpm 50 mph. Unhitch it the next morning and took it around the block and of course it works normally.
Found atf fluid in the solenoid pack connector and replaced the shift pack. Everything normal for a few weeks, head to Dallas to take my girls to a concert. Make it to Hillsboro 2 hours away same thing.
Small town Ford store seems interested in actually fixing it, tech says he's seen it once before caused by a shorted alternator. Eliminates the alternator, finds a crispy wire to the trans range sensor, fixes the wire and replaces the range sensor, still only 1st and 2nd.
I'm going to pick it up tomorrow. Chip was never loose, not stupid enough to pull the chip with the key in.

Why is a used one better than a reman? there's a guy on ebay says he can test and repair them. Says he has seen this issue before, but only a few times.

79jasper · Aug 26, 2016

Because on most remans, the components will never match the OEM quality.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

golfer · Aug 26, 2016

we can test and repair the 7.3L PCM (circuitboard and software)..

but I'll tell you this..in my experience I don't think you have a PCM or chip issue.

if you want to rule out the PCM and can come across a 99-01 F-series PCM...you can run it HOWEVER YOU WILL NEED TO UNPLUG YOUR GPCM to prevent the F-series (GPRelay) PCM from frying the glow plug module.

I've run many DPC-422 (L99-01 F-series) PCM's in my 2000 Excursion.

if you'd like to have it tested, you can follow this link for ordering & shipping instructions:

https://swampsdiesel.com/products/ford-7-3l-pcm-testing/

fastersteve · Aug 26, 2016

Well, according to 2 different Ford stores, I don't have a trans issue. This last Tech spent several hours tracing wires looking for an open, so just what might my issue be?

Trans passes all pressure tests, fluid looks good-hasn't gotten hot, and no metal in the pan.