RE: Dealer wants to flash PCM, can't tell me why

From: brian.duffey@intelsat.int
Date: Mon Sep 25 2000 - 12:27:09 EDT


Jason,

I've never heard of any flash-fixes on the OBDII Daks computers, much less
the 95's (which I also have). What could they be 'fixing'? These were the
best year Dakotas ever built!

Seriously though, I agree with your thinking, unless they can tell you what
they are 'fixing', keep them the he!! away from your Dak. Like they, say,
"If it ain't broke...".
(Unless of course it is the programming from the Mopar HiPo SBEC for your
Dak they're offering to flash to your stock controller!?)

Duff
'95 SLT 4x4 CC 318 4spd/OD - 3.55 LSD
MSD 6AL - MSD Blaster Coil
MSD 8.5 wires - K&N FIPK - F&B Stage I TBI
Mopar HiPo SBEC - Thorley Headers - Gibson Catback Exhaust

-----Original Message-----
From: Jason Bleazard [mailto:drazaelb@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2000 11:24 AM
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
Subject: DML: Dealer wants to flash PCM, can't tell me why

So I had our "5 star" dealer do a "performance inspection" over the
weekend. It's a fairly cheap service they offer (they make their
money on the secondary stuff they convince people to have done), and
I was curious to see what, if anything, they might find.

What a waste of time. They told me:
- I need a fuel injector flush (I've got a bottle of injector cleaner
behind the seat)

- I need a tune up (I think they always say this, I'm planning on
doing it anyway)

- I need a new PCM flash from Chrysler.

This last item was the interesting one. I asked, "why?"

"Because there's a new program for it," was what they told me.

"What's it change?"

"We don't know, it just came from Chrysler. The told us it's
'better'."

"I know there's a fix out there for pinging that retards the timing
by four degrees, is that what this is?"

"We've never heard of a pinging problem."

I really hate talking to service advisors, these guys don't know a
throttle body apart from a cupholder.

I told them that I didn't want it anywhere near my truck until they
could tell me what changes it made and why. Even if I don't fully
understand the engineering, I want to make sure they know what
they're doing before they're doing it. Especially since they wanted
to charge me $80 to do it.

Anyone out there have any idea what this might be? It's for the '95
(specs in my sig line).

Thanks.

=====
Linux: Because a 486 is a terrible thing to waste.
---------------------------------------------------------
Jason Bleazard http://www.bleazard.net Toronto, Ontario
his: '95 Dakota Sport 4x4, 239 V6, 5spd, Reg. Cab, white
hers: '98 Dakota Sport 4x4, 318 V8, Auto, Club Cab, black

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