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Programmer question

3K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  0lllllll0 RPMEXTREME 
#1 ·
So I’m going to update my ecu on my 2010 jk, 3.8, auto to account for my new 4.56 gears.
Consensus is to program the ecu for the gear ratio change. I have both the Superchips flashpaq and the JScan app with OBDII adapter. Both are supposedly capable of doing this - any recommendations on which to use? I like both programmers but with this being a big modification didn’t know which I should try. Suggestions? Thanks.
 
#2 ·
As a general rule I like to keep the number of programmers to a minimum. The more you use, the higher the chance that something will go wrong and you can brick your ECU.

I currently run two, because I have to in order to get the features I want, but if I could, I'd drop it down to just one.

Beyond that, I'm not sure it matters much, although I would personally lean towards the Superchips due to their long-term presence in the market, and what I perceive as a decent support base is ever needed.

Good luck.
 
#3 ·
I'll completely mirror the above, and give my personal story that I've now been through 4 programmers (old superchips flashcal, new generation superchips flashpaq, diablo-sport (for supercharger), and now HP Tuners (after giving up on having other people tune my supercharger)). Each new programmer messed stuff up in new ways, even going from the old superchips to the new one left it in a weird state where the behavior of the vehicle didn't actually match what the flashpaq thought it should be, although it was still fully workable after figuring out the inconsistencies.

Once you get into the more unique things like Diablo and HP Tuners, stuff got real funky and now I have an ECU that can literally only be programmed by HP Tuners. In fact I had a bricking direction in the other way, where I tried my superchips after flashing the HPtuners ROM and it actually bricked the superchips which now just bootloops into a diagnostic mode where it doesn't even know it's a Jeep superchips anymore.

All in all, definitely pick one and stick with it and avoid cross-contaminating with multiple brands of programmers.
 
#4 ·
It's worth adding too, that if you are forced to stack programmers like I am, it's important to add them in a particular order, then remove them in the reverse order each time you need to.

In my case I have a Diablo Intune for my supercharger tune, then a Superchips to get the vehicle setting I want. I ALWAYS install the supercharger tune first, then use the superchips to change the settings. Then when I need to make a change, I user the Superchips and "return to stock", then when that's done, I use the Intune to return to stock as well. ALWAYS in that order and I never make changes to the Intune settings without fully returning the Superchips to stock.

This, in my mind anyway, keep the two of them from changing the same settings. I think where folks get into trouble is when one tuner changes a value that another tuner has already edited. Then when you switch back to the first tuner to make a change, some of the values are not as it expects.
 
#6 ·
Reprogramming the 42RLE for final drive ratio resets the shift points. Well worth doing.
 
#8 ·
For me, I needed one with which to manage and upload the RIPP tune for my supercharger. But that one would not change the daytime running lights, which I had to disable or my HID headlights would freak out. Plus there were a few other vehicle options like that that the first programmer would not do, since I already had the Superchips from before installing the supercharger, I simply used it to change the remaining settings that the first one would not.
 
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#10 ·
Let me see if I can clarify a few things about the tuners and what options they are really changing.

Most performance tuners will reflash the ECU-PCM. this is where you are getting a power increase.

Then they can change options like:
tire size
gear ratio
DRL
door lock settings
locker settings
swap bar options
and other msc
These changes are made in the TIPM. The TIPM stores and controls most of the different options in the Jeep. Think of the TIPM as the master brain of the Jeep. There are hundreds of different options in the TIPM and are programed based on the vehicle and build options.

Programing the engine computer for more power is a totally separate operation compared to changing tire size or gear ratio.
The PCM, TCM, ABS etc... will look at the TIPM and reference the different options for proper operation and calibration.

I would not recumbent "stacking" 2 tuners on a jeep. It probably would not hurt anything if you did performance changes with one tuner and then option changes with another but if you ever wanted to remove one or another back to stock you may run into a issue.
 
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