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Can someone elaborate on the interaction between the various masks and bins for the same ecms. What's the process to change or upgrade to a newer revision of mask or for that matter where can you find which is the newest version.
Will the new mask then still read the same bin correctly?
Different masks or "codes" are application specific, for most ECMs, there are updates which I will get into later.
Using the '7730 as an example since so many different coeds were used on this ECM and a few can be used with it that weren't originally used on it from GM.
Lets look at two different masks, even though there are many that can be used on it.
Lets look at $8D and $A1.
$8D is used on V8 TPI cars, in the F-body and Y-body.
$A1 is used on 60 degree V6 in Cavalier, Beretta and other FWD cars.
So between these two codes there is no easy way to swap between them in the same car, though people have and there are reason for that, it's not common. One is not newer than the other, they are different.
Now we can look at $6D and $A1, both are used on the '7730 and both are 60 degree V6 applications. If you have a $6D equipped vehicle and want to swap to $A1, you need to use a MEMCAL with an $A1 bin programmed to it, since these are both genII 60 degree V6 codes, but a change to the EGR valve will be needed for complete proper functionality. Alternatively there might be settings in the bin that could allow for just the code change without the hardware change.
Conversely if you have a car that uses $88 (F-body 3.1 1990 to 1992), you can't directly swap to $6D or $A1, because the ignition systems are drastically different and require different settings in the bin, among a few other things that are different.
Now lets look at the '7165. This was used in the F-body and Y- body TPI cars from 1987 to 1989. There were 3 code masks used over those three years, $32, $32B and '6E. $6E is the newest and most people swap to it because it has some improvements over $32 and $32B that help in tuning the engine and running a bit smoother, it also eliminates the cold start valve/injector.
To swap to $6E from $32/B you need a bin that is a $6E bin, programmed to an EPROM/MEMCAL install it in the ECM and disable the cold start valve/injector. To datalog with this code you need to use a matching datalogging file, such as an ADX, as used by Tuner Pro RT, to edit the bin the XDF also has to match the code.
As long as the bin file has the proper instructions for the hardware, it will be read fine by the ECM and as long as the engine hardware matches it will run.
So you need to choose a code based on application, and go from there.
Thanks for taking the time to explain this.
So masks are the instruction key to the bin information, but the bin needs to have been programmed using the matching mask so the location of the instructions on the bin are recognized?
And the latest revision mask revises, unlocks or changes parameters of older masks(doing the same in the corresponding bin information) to improve control or accommodate different hardware?
Am I close
Not really.
Think of it as changing OS' on your PC.
You can install Windows 7 in place of XP on the same PC, but one is no more related to the other than being from the same company, and serve very similar purposes. One does not unlock any features of an older version, it simply replaces it.
The masks are named as such because they were what allowed people to go through a bin and see what the values mean in human readable form. In the case of Tuner Pro RT, a mask has been turned into an XDF to allow us as humans to see the binary information in ways that make sense.
A bin can be programmed not using an XDF or mask, that is what the programmer software is for. Unless yo mean modifying the bin, in which case, yes you need to use the matching XDF file or mask to correct modify a bin.
If you were to try and modify a bin using the wrong XDF/mask you would end up with a corrupted bin in most cases, or at least something not tuned correctly, because you may be thinking your changing one thing, such as the VE (fuel) map, but actually changing a transmission parameter or an instruction set.
That's what I was trying to say about the mask interpreting location of stuff on the bin.
Using your OS analogy, I was thinking of it as masks like revisions(1.0,1.5,2.0,etc.) of the same OS, but a different OS all together makes sense too.
Are masks the OBD1 equivalent of the different flash OSes in OBD2?
time for me to ruin Chris's fun(and otherwise accurate post): $88 was used on 1990 model year FWD 60V6 applications. the F-bodies just stayed with $88 instead of jumping up to $A1 like the others. i can't remember why, but i want to say it was A/C or fan control related.
I don't remember $88 being used on anything FWD. :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertISaar
Using the '7165 example,
original $32/xxxx (mask/bin) combo on memcal,
swap to $6E/xxxx combo by,
replacing memcal assembly with $6E/xxxx memcal,
or if already set up to use flash chip,
re flash chip to $6E/xxxx.
Then to tune/log new combo use $6E - XDF/ADX(ADS)
Is the chronology of usage of the masks within the same ecm documented anywhere? Is there a easy way to Id newest or changes made with in same application (i.e, $32-#32b-$6E)?
That would be correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by roby
I don't know of anywhere, where this sort of thing is documented as such, other than just as knowledge past around on forums. I'm sure there are some GM docs that have this sort of information.Quote:
Is the chronology of usage of the masks within the same ecm documented anywhere? Is there a easy way to Id newest or changes made with in same application (i.e, $32-#32b-$6E)?
Got it, Thank you
my wife's 90 grand prix originally had the ATSN calibration in it before i started playing with it. GM released a calibraton for it to update to A1(BFBM, i think), but i could never find it, so i used a version meant for a 91(BFBD) and modified it to work. road speed constant and changing a/c pressure sensor to pressure switches were the only things needed IIRC.Quote:
Originally Posted by Six_Shooter