Allison TCM stand alone tuning

[MaxPF]

I have a simple question: Will EFILive tune an Allison TCM out of a Chevy truck that is NOT connected to a DMax or 8.1 PCM?

Second question: EFILive comes with 2 PCM licenses and 2 TCM licenses. Is the PCM in, say, a 2003 Chevy truck with an automatic trans considered just a PCM, or is it considered a PCM AND a TCM?

Thanks!

[GMC-2002-Dmax]

You would need to build or purchase the required parts to make a bench harness. You can find the parts easily on many of the forums or perhaps Speartech will build one for you. Once you have a bench harness and power supply you can stand-alone flash ecms/tcms as long as you have a way to connect.

Each controller/ecm/pcm/ requires a separate license.

[GMPX]

Actually, the 2003 PCM uses only one license slot. That would leave you still with two open TCM slots.

[ScarabEpic22]

A 03 truck will have a single PCM that controls both the engine and trans. It will use the ECM/PCM half of a license and let you tune another TCM with the same license.

Now if you're talking diesels (which since your post is asking about the Allison trans) then you will need an ECM and a TCM license. If you have a FlashScan V1, then you need to use 2 licenses as the V1 licenses each controller separately. If you have a V2 then it will only use 1 license for both modules.

[MaxPF]

Actually, the plan is this: My friend and I plan on going in on a V2. He is swapping a 6.0/4L80E into an older Jeep, while I am swapping an Allison 1000 behind a mechanically injected Cummins.

In other words, for my part I am interested ONLY in flashing a TCM - no Dmax ECM will be involved. I already have the complete wiring harness along with the under dash connector. My intention is to use EFILive to disable SEM (torque management) and all CAN communications with the ECM. I will be running a TPS into the proper pins on the TCM, and I need to alter shift points and TCC apply/release parameters, and possibly alter shift timing and TAPS.

[ScarabEpic22]

Yep, you'll need just the TCM part of 1 V2 VIN license, leaving you to flash 1 ECM/PCM after you and your buddy are done.

Im not too good with Alli/Dmax stuff so I cant help you with setting that up, but I believe all the Allison 1000 TCMs are the same.

[MaxPF]

Up to 05 is the same. In 06 they switched to the Gen IV controller. I am using the older Gen III, and even then the software is different between the 03 and earlier and 04-06 because they added another pressure control solenoid to the VB on the 04-up Allisons. Anyway, I have an 02 TCM and a 00 TCM, and my trans is an 02, so I should already have the proper firmware. If not, I have a buddy at GM that can reflash the firmware for me. I appreciate all the replies so far. Hopefully, we will be putting in our order for ELILive this week :jump:

Yet another question, this time for the EFILive staff. It appears as though the tow/haul mode is enabled by either a low speed serial link message from the BCM or via CAN from the ECM. Is it possible to change the software to enable T/H by toggling one of the unused GPIO pins on the TCM, like they do with the 4WD-Lo mode? Also, it would be nice to reprogram the PRNDL patterns and be able to disable OD with a switch. The idea is to have the PRNDL pattern be P-R-N-D-3-2-1, with D being either 4-5 or 4th only depending on whether OD is enabled or disabled. If I'm not mistaken, the current PRNDL pattern for an Allison equipped truck is P-R-N-D-4-3-1 or P-R-N-D-4-1. In either case, not being able to specifically choose 2nd kinda stinks for trail use, especially if you don't have T/H mode either...

EDIT: Found out about the OSLO switch addition to the early TCM's. Solves that issue at least :-)

[ScarabEpic22]

Brain fart, the 01-05 ones used behind the Dmax are the same, 06-10 are different.

Sounds like this should be a good swap, Ive seen a few Cummins swapped trucks (cant remember if they were Ford, GM, or Dodge [if it was, it was a bigger Cummins]) coupled with an Allison 1000. Looks like thats the combo everyone wants!

[DURAtotheMAX]

Send a PM to "Thefermanator" on Diesel Place. I think he is on this forum too?

He is the expert on getting all of the allison features to work properly when an allison is not installed in a 2001+ GM HD pickup truck. IIRC he used part of the body control module and modified it to trigger tow/haul mode.

Ben

[MaxPF]

Thanks for the tip :thumb_yello:

Oh, yet another question: What are the shift positions shown on a DMax/Ally truck's PRNDL? i.e. is it PRND321, PRND21, PRND31, etc. I know the NSBU is capable of encoding 7 positions, but I seem to remember the DMax trucks only using 6?? :confused:

[DURAtotheMAX]

5-speed trucks its PRND321

6-speed trucks its PRNDM1 (M=manual/tap-shift)

ben

[MaxPF]

Cool! So with the ODLO I will be able to select any gear.

[rcr1978]

Yah you can select any gear but it still starts out in 1st and wont exceed the gear you select witch sucks somes especialy if you want to start in second for low traction areas.

[MaxPF]

Yah you can select any gear but it still starts out in 1st and wont exceed the gear you select witch sucks somes especialy if you want to start in second for low traction areas.

That's OK. My worry was that the PRNDL didn't have 2nd available at all. A lot of times it's the perfect gear for cruising down a trail at lower speeds. My other concern was not being able to manually select 4th when climbing a grade, but the ODLO mod fixes that.