anybody heard of any problems with their sct. i had mine for a bit and then something went wrong and fried my pcm had to get a new one. now im scared to put it on my new pcm dont want it to happen again

 

Problems are very rare. Just make sure you have a really good connection, and the battery is nice and charged when you are uploading a tune.....

 

what exactly happened? did the pcm go bad while loading it? If so something likely disrupted the transfer and writing of the new programming... It happens I update eproms (firmware) on machines I service and have had a power outage or mistakenly bumped or removed the cable before it was done programming and it can basically turn the eprom chip into a paperweight...sometimes the whole board needs replacement.

 

Ok. Back up and on topic, kinda. I went back to the 180* stat and all has been fine. BUT, now the check engine light is on...again. It has been coming on and going off for several months now. 9 out of 10 times I ignore it. Usually P0420. It doesn't like the cat being gutted.

Anyway, when I checked them today I had the P1281 too cold, too long. Why would this be coming up now? When I had a 180* in before it never came up, but it was summer time. Also, wouldn't Seans tune include this in the tunes seeing as though a 180* is required?

The gauge (I know) now reads the same as it did in the summer. It heats up in the same amount of time as it did last winter, just not as hot, obviously.

So, any ideas on what gives?

 

Ok, I've been searching to try and find something. All I'm coming up with is to change the stat.

What else could there be? The stat is good, I boiled it before it went in, bled the system (with right front higher), used a 50/50 mix of coolant, no leaks, temps "appear" good, etc.

It does take 10-20 minutes to fully get up to temp while idling depending on how cold it is and always has since I bought it, but NEVER had the code before.

 

Call and have a chat with Hemifever, and see what he says...... I had thought his tunes would take that into account as well........

 

To help keep all info in one spot.

I emailed Sean last night on this. Here is his response, and what I had asked.



-----Original Message-----


I checked the codes, the CEL was on from prior emmisions, but I got a P1281 code also. Searching, I found it's "engine too cold for too long" and the recommended fix is to replace the stat. I have the 180* stat you reccommed with your tunes. I boiled it before install to verify it works correctly. When I had a 180* prior to this I never got a code. The truck heats up to operating temp in the same time as it did before. Now, I am assuming your tunes are programmed to run with a 180* stat, correct?




Hemifever's response:


The tunes have a timing curve for a cooler motor, it doesn't coordinate the actual 180 stat. Winter time it can sometimes kick off this code. Sometimes the cheaper priced stat's will do that. It needs a bleeder hole if there isn't one in there. I don't hear much problem with the Jet tstats but the $5 Stants often do

 

So do you have one of the $5 Stants or another without the hole? Just wondering. I haven't been driving my Ram since it started getting cold as it is in garage so I can do body work so I don't know if I will have the same problem at some point.

 

Hope this answers your question GD. The thing I don't understand is a second bleeder hole. Wouldn't that allow more coolant flow and take longer to warm up? Anyway, I don't think it matters, I'm just gonna live with the light in the winter. I mean, it appears to be fairly common I guess.

I replied back:

-----Original Message-----

Ok. I had a Hypertech in previously, but when I put it back in, it was overheating. The only place that had one locally was Autozone. So its a Duralast, but does have a bleeder hole. I know Duralast isnt the best in parts. Would it be worthwhile to change it again to a Jet?

Hemifevers response:

it's not hurting anything and will probably do it here and there during the winter months. You could pull it out and drill another 1/16 hole in it to see if that helps