How to flash VIN to used PCM?

#11

Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:

Quote:

carbide (AT) egine (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1163834981.621831.157550 (AT) h54g2000cwb (DOT) googlegroups.com...

Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:

carbide (AT) egine (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1163805321.542885.276200 (AT) h54g2000cwb (DOT) googlegroups.com...

1998 Grand Voyager, 3.3L engine. My PCM ( powertrain control module )
died a while back, and I was able to find a used one quite
inexpensively. I installed it and it worked just like before. It was
from a Dodge Grand Caravan, but had the same part number as my
Plymouth, 4727154AJ.

Now it's time to smog it, and I know the VIN not matching is going to
be a problem.

Anyone have any experience changing the VIN? I understand it can be
done with a DRB III scanner, but I expect the dealer is going to tell
me it can't be done or some such, which may or may not be true.
-Paul

Why don't you start by going to the dealer, telling him your story,
and asking him about it?

I asked for an appointment online, and filled in the details on the
online form. I'm waiting for them to get back to me. While I'm waiting,
I thought I'd find out what I could. I did find a procedure online for
initializing a new PCM. If there's not a VIN number, the DRB III tool
prompts you to enter one.

Did you save the old PCM? Maybe if it has a socketed rom chip
you can just take the rom from the old one and put it in the new one.

I saved it, but the circuit board is down in a cast housing and under
an inch of tough rubbery potting compound. I'm an electronic tech and
might have been able to fix it myself if it weren't for that. These
use surface mount flash memory chips, not old fashioned socketed ROM's.

Frankly, I cannot imagine the smog check is going to care.

Heh heh! Part of the price of living in paradise. In California it's
all done by computer. The smog results are uploaded directly to the
DMV, using the VIN number is retrieved from the vehicle's computer. I
believe they do that to prevent fraud. Normally it's very slick. This
is just an oddball case. I may have to buy another PCM if I can't get
the proper VIN programmed into this used one.

I would still talk to the smog people, they must have a way to
override the VIN that is pulled from the vehicles computer.

Legally I do not think that there is any standing for a government
agency to use a VIN pulled from a vehicle computer as the
authoratative VIN. I suspect that buried in some federal law
is a statement that says that the VIN displayed in the winshield
is the only legal authoratative VIN. There's certainly federal
law that requires the VIN to be unique, and for it to be displayed
in a particular location. It would seem to me that if you have
a running vehicle that otherwise passes smog, that CA cannot
legally compel you to make a VIN that is pulled from the vehicle
computer match the actual VIN assigned to the plate riveted to
the chassis. After all, not all car computers have VINs in them,
and I do not believe that OBD-II requires VIN availability as
one of it's parameters. You could try going here and looking
into this:

http://www.epa.gov/obd/regtech/light.htm

I think that the VIN inclusion in OBD was for the OBD-III
standard which is after your 1998 vehicle. I think that CA
wanted this so they could eventually design a system that when
the car's emissions systems failed that the car would
report this to a state agency that could then compel the owner
to get it fixed immediately. But this scheme raised a huge
controversy and I think it was abandonded.

I believe you are correct about VIN not being in the OBD-II parameters.
That level of detail generally requires specialized equipment from a
dealer (or Snap-On, etc. --very expensive) There is no OBD-III standard
active. The newer CAN protocol will be required by all vehicles, I
think by M.Y. 2008. Many cars have been already using it, and started
as early as 2003.

#12

carbide (AT) egine (DOT) com Wrote:

Quote:

1998 Grand Voyager, 3.3L engine. My PCM ( powertrain control module )
died a while back, and I was able to find a used one quite
inexpensively. I installed it and it worked just like before. It was
from a Dodge Grand Caravan, but had the same part number as my
Plymouth, 4727154AJ.

Now it's time to smog it, and I know the VIN not matching is going to
be a problem.

Anyone have any experience changing the VIN? I understand it can be
done with a DRB III scanner, but I expect the dealer is going to tell
me it can't be done or some such, which may or may not be true.
-Paul

Talk to the inspection station and explain the situation.
And If all else fails.
A computer rebuilding co. should be able to erase the vin no.
Or exchange you for another one.
Check you local area for one.
I have one in Texas if you need there 800 no or address.
Post back
Good Luck

--
MT-2500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MT

http://www.automotiveforums.com

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How to flash VIN to used PCM?

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Re: How to flash VIN to used PCM? - 11-18-2006 , 12:21 PM

Re: How to flash VIN to used PCM? - 11-18-2006 , 12:24 PM