Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 29

Thread: "controller locked with custom key" DEAD ECM

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member DURAtotheMAX's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    1,016

    Default "controller locked with custom key" DEAD ECM

    Well EFILive V8 just bricked an LLY ECM I have here. This is my first time flashing an LLY with V8 and its not going well.

    I have a customer here who bought tunes from another tuner. The tuner sent him the DSP5 file in a .ctz format, "semi-locked" (unable to be modified/viewed in V7).

    So I figured it would be straight forward to flash it. I click full flash (in V8) and it says "FULL FLASHING FOR E60/LLY CONTROLLERS NOT SUPPORTED". Ok right. Ive been full flashing LLY controllers with EFILive for 6 years, but I guess now its "not supported" all of a sudden.

    So I download/update to the latest versions of V7 and V8, update the firmware in my V2, and reload the tune.

    I click "full flash", and EFILive begins to unlock/secure the ECM for flashing. It did that for maybe 5 seconds then came up with an error message that said "controller locked with a custom key". I clicked OK, turned the key off, waited for the countdown... then I turned the key ON and the driver info center happened to say "AVG FUEL ECON: --.-"

    I knew things were bad when I saw that the cluster apparently wasnt communicating with the ECM. Turned the key to crank, nothing. Dead.

    Literally bricked the ECM. Tech 2 wont communicate with it, EFILive wont communicate with it. EFILive says nothing is there. Its as-if the ECM doesnt even exist.

    HOW does this happen!!???? It hadnt even started flashing yet! All it did was attempt to unlock the ECM for 5 seconds and BAM. Fried. Awesome. Now I have to eat the $400 for a new ECM just so my customer can leave here with his truck today.

    Just for grins, I got a spare LLY ECM off the shelf and threw it in the truck. Flashed it with TIS/Tech 2. Read the tune out with EFILive V7. Changed a couple things, reflashed it with V7, no problems at all. Flashes fine with V7. I opened up V8 and tried flashing it, and it gives me the same error messages, as if the ECM is locked, cant communicate, doesnt know what to do, etc...

    Any ideas what is going on? Has anyone seen this before with an E60/LLY?

    Is there any chance at recovering this ECM? Eating the cost of a core ECM just because of some tiny glitch in the V8/V7 confusing tuning/flashing combination is frustrating to me.

    Im sorry if I come off like an ass with this post...its just that im kind of heated up about this. Im leaving for the Diesel Power Challenge tomorrow, and I promised this customer I could flash his truck before I left. I told him it would only take 10 minutes, and it ended up taking 2 hours of screwing around, a dead ECM, and he left with a stock truck.

    Ben
    Last edited by DURAtotheMAX; May 3rd, 2012 at 12:37 PM.
    2005 Silverado, CC/SB, 4x4, LT, LILLY/Allison
    12.9s @ 108 mph

    many thanks to Ross and Paul

  2. #2
    Joe (Moderator) joecar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    28,403

    Default

    Ben,

    I pm'd tech Support.

    You're using builds 204/195...?

  3. #3
    EFILive Developer Site Admin Blacky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    9,490

    Default

    Please send me the trace files as described unde the heading "Further Support" from this page:
    http://support.efilive.com/kb_articl...8254-QOGC-9586
    Send them to paul@efilive.com

    Regards
    Paul
    Before asking for help, please read this.

  4. #4
    Lifetime Member GMPX's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    13,148

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DURAtotheMAX View Post
    Is there any chance at recovering this ECM?
    Have you fitted the ECM back in to the truck and tried full flashing it again with V7?
    I no longer monitor the forum, please either post your question or create a support ticket.

  5. #5
    Lifetime Member DURAtotheMAX's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    1,016

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GMPX View Post
    Have you fitted the ECM back in to the truck and tried full flashing it again with V7?
    Yes, EFILive (both V7 and V8) act like the ECM isnt even there. Tech 2 wont communicate with it (just says 'no communications with vehicle, check that ignition is on').

    Instrument cluster isnt communicating with the ECM either; Average fuel economy and oil life stuff just reads "---", fuel gauge sits at "empty' (truck actually has 3/4 of a tank in it)

    The truck is 100% stock; no aftermarket remote start, no aftermarket radio, no hacked wiring anywhere, etc...

    Ill plug the ECM into my bench harness and see if I can get something out of it there, but like I said, im almost positive its braindead, especially if it wont even communicate with the instrument cluster.

    So I guess im 2 for 2 with killing LLY ECM's, I thought they were supposed to be pretty difficult to make doorstops out of!!
    2005 Silverado, CC/SB, 4x4, LT, LILLY/Allison
    12.9s @ 108 mph

    many thanks to Ross and Paul

  6. #6
    Lifetime Member DURAtotheMAX's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    1,016

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by joecar View Post
    Ben,

    I pm'd tech Support.

    You're using builds 204/195...?
    Yes, I just downloaded them today from the efilive main website 'downloads' section.
    2005 Silverado, CC/SB, 4x4, LT, LILLY/Allison
    12.9s @ 108 mph

    many thanks to Ross and Paul

  7. #7
    Lifetime Member GMPX's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    13,148

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DURAtotheMAX View Post
    I thought they were supposed to be pretty difficult to make doorstops out of!!
    Bordering on 'should be impossible' because the LLY ECM has a bootcode section that is never erased or written to by EFILive (or TechII). So the main OS can be totally erased and the ECM should still run off the bootcode to get communications.
    I no longer monitor the forum, please either post your question or create a support ticket.

  8. #8
    New Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    5

    Default

    Same thing happened to me yesterday as well. Ironically only a few hours before.Ben.

    Got some tunes from a tuner that were set up and locked in V8. The customer waited for me to perform all of the updates. After updating to the latest V8, updating firmware and boot block I attempted to license the ecm. Nothing, kicked me out saying $010a. After some research I found his batteries to be weak. So I stuck the charger on it and voltage was back up. I then tried again and nothing. The truck was dead at this point. Ecm wouldn't communicate truck wouldn't start. I unhooked the batteries and let it sit for 10min. Upon hooking batteries back up, truck started up fine. I decided to try to license the Ecm again. Went perfect. Went to flash the calibration in full flash. Nothing. $0101. No communication. I did have.good voltage at that point. I figured it was the usual quirks. I unhooked everything, rebooted laptop. Still nothing. Tried just a Cal flash and still nothing. Tried talking to it through V7 and still nothing. Unhooked.batteries again and the truck sis start so I sent him on his way with a stock truck before I ended up having to eat the cost of an ECM.

    I've tried contacting the tuner about it but have had no response. Truck is completely stock with no butchered wiring. I do not have a bench harness.

    Any help would be appreciated. I am going to go try flashing one if the LB7s to see if that works.

    Thanks.

  9. #9
    Lifetime Member Mitco39's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    648

    Default

    Since this topic came up the last LLY I did after updating to the new build would refuse to flash in V8. It read the tune out just fine, however when I went to flash with it it would try the first time then say it was unable to detect the serial number. The next time I tried to flash the truck the ecm would be no responsive. The truck would not crank and could not communicate with the computer. Unconnecting the batteries waiting a bit and reconnecting them would bring the ecm back to life. I tried this 2 times before trying the V7.5 and that flash went first try.

    I have flashed LLY's with the V8 in the past.

  10. #10
    Lifetime Member THEFERMANATOR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    800

    Default

    On my LB7 I have the opposite problem. I have found I can no longer flash with the V7 software, but V8 flashes go through fine. I know mine is a bit differrent as it is a pretty bare bones set-up. It is just a bit tricky sometimes getting it to flash my LB7, yet I have had zero problems with LBZ's and LMM's(haven't done an LLY yet, and after all I'm reading I think I will hold off awhile longer before I do).
    1995 GMC 2500 SUBURBAN powered by 01 DURAMAX/ALLISON, little of this, a little of that,
    DIAMONDEYE 4" exhaust, CORSA muffler, AFE stage 1 dry filter, custom tuning by me, KENNEDY single pump and pump rub kit.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. LMM in a "DEAD STATE!" Help
    By 8100 Power in forum Duramax 06 LLY / 06+ LBZ & LMM
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: January 3rd, 2011, 12:33 PM
  2. Replies: 14
    Last Post: June 20th, 2009, 03:48 AM
  3. EFILive "Classic"/"Legacy"/"Historic"?
    By emarkay in forum FlashScan V2
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: November 2nd, 2008, 01:48 AM
  4. "Best" Wideband Controller for Portability?
    By agreif in forum General (Petrol, Gas, Ethanol)
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: October 25th, 2006, 02:50 AM
  5. Vat relink??? Says "Locked with custom key"
    By nitrorocket in forum General (Petrol, Gas, Ethanol)
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: September 6th, 2005, 02:15 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •