Is the Flashscan right for me?

[jmanc2]

Hi all, my name is Josh and I am obviously new here. I am teetering on the fence about purchasing a Flashscan. My current project is a 2007 late model Silverado Vmax that has been highly modified in the drivetrain including the wheel speed sensors and everything else relating to anti skid/anti lock and such. My dash now looks like a xmas tree with all the idiot lights blinding me at night. I am told that EFI Live is about the only tool that may be able to remedy this. Will it be an easy undertaking to turn off the idiot lights? As I modify the engine and tranny down the road, I would also like to retune the ecu to deal with cam, intake, even block and displacement changes. Am I in the right place and will EFILive and a Flashscan V2 be the right tools?
Thanks in advance
Josh

[GMPX]

Hi Josh,

As far as turning off fault codes, we can certainly do that for the engine and trans computers, however, as the wheel speed sensors for ABS etc are directly related to the ABS module I'm afraid we couldn't help you in that department. I don't believe there is any tuning products on the market to disable the ABS system through programming.

Cheers,
Ross

[jmanc2]

Hmmm, Just turning off fault codes is easily done with a bluetooth dongle and an Android or a $30 tool from the auto parts store. I guess what I was hoping for was the ability to individually control the warning lights on the dash whether to repurpose or just leave them off regardless of whatever input might be coming in. I would think that on a modern computer controlled vehicle, the idiot lights are not directly wired to the sensors but go through the ECU first in which case they should be reprogrammable at some level. This would be akin to the single temperature sensor controlling the dash gauge, the fans and having an effect on the fuel mapping for warm up and at running temp.
As I wrote this, I had another thought. Do the different modules talk directly to the dash and their individual idiot lights/indicators or is there a master computer that interprets all the various inputs from modules for dash display and logging purposes?

[Blacky]

Hmmm, Just turning off fault codes is easily done with a bluetooth dongle and an Android or a $30 tool from the auto parts store. I guess what I was hoping for was the ability to individually control the warning lights on the dash whether to repurpose or just leave them off regardless of whatever input might be coming in. I would think that on a modern computer controlled vehicle, the idiot lights are not directly wired to the sensors but go through the ECU first in which case they should be reprogrammable at some level. This would be akin to the single temperature sensor controlling the dash gauge, the fans and having an effect on the fuel mapping for warm up and at running temp.
As I wrote this, I had another thought. Do the different modules talk directly to the dash and their individual idiot lights/indicators or is there a master computer that interprets all the various inputs from modules for dash display and logging purposes?

Turning off the fault codes is different to clearing the fault codes.

Clearing the fault codes just resets the codes and as you say can be done with most generic scan tools.
Turning off the fault codes requires reprogramming the computer to disable the codes so that they never get set and the MIL never gets illuminated. This is what EFILive can do for the engine controller and transmission controller.

What EFILive can't do is reprogram the ABS controller to turn off any codes that might be detected by the ABS controller. In most vehicles, I'm pretty sure the ABS controller is capable of illuminating a warning light on the dash independently of any other module.

Regards
Paul

[Taz]

... Do the different modules talk directly to the dash and their individual idiot lights/indicators or is there a master computer that interprets all the various inputs from modules for dash display and logging purposes? ...

Gen III - the modules may communicate with the IPC (gauges / warning lights / message centre) via serial data. Some gauges / warning lights receive direct data from a sensor, or direct data output (hard wired not serial data) from the PCM.

Gen IV - use similar communications as the Gen III (in some models) as well as GMLAN (Can Bus) communications.

What exactly and specifically is the issue at hand ?


Regards,
Taz

[jmanc2]

Sorry for the delay, I had to do a quick road trip to go pick up a new trailer. Here is a picture of my dash while driving. As you can see, almost every warning light on my dash is lit up. What you can't see is the scrolling warnings for the airbag module, stabilitrac module, anti loc brake module and tire pressure module. I am hoping to disable as many warnings and lights as possible. I also would like to chase down mil light triggers such as gas cap (I have a 65 gal Fuelsafe cell without all the pressure sensors an such) and exhaust warnings...

I went ahead and ordered the flashscan 2 today. I figured using it to move up the speed governor on my 4500 (currently its at 73mph!) will almost justify its purchase then I will have it to play with both of my silverados :-)

ahhh, I can justify just about anything if I put my mind to it long enough...

(sorry for the quality of the pic but its kinda tough to hold the camera still enough for a night photo while driving down the bumpy road)

[GMPX]

What you can't see is the scrolling warnings for the airbag module, stabilitrac module, anti loc brake module and tire pressure module. I am hoping to disable as many warnings and lights as possible.

As was posted above, those warnings are coming from modules that EFILive does not program, maybe a big bit of tape on the cluster

[jmanc2]

Sounds like I will be chasing wires, tape on the dash would be a last resort... Sok, plenty of other stuff to improve like shift firmness and fuel mapping as I make more mods to the engine...