Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) caTCHER ecm (Marco's aka MAD)

[Marco]

Amillstream,

RCone,

Darkhorse,



I've send you an PM. Please reply ASAP!



Thanks!



Marco

 

[Murle]

Marco, I have sent you a PM and have not received a reply.....

 

[Marco]

OOOOOOPPPPPSSSSSSS, sorry, I musta have overseen it...



Reply is on it's way!



Marco

 

[Murle]

Marco, sent you a e-mail with a description of the problem.....

 

[SmokinJoe]

What kink of Doner ECU do we need? 1998. 5-2002? I can have my brother look and get me one.

 

[PRyker]

I have been watching this thread patiently for results from people who have received their MAD ECM's and I am a bit concerned as no one has posted. I did see a couple people with new threads about getting the ECM and installing it and then having rough idle, no cruise and no "wait to start".



I have my ECM on order (second batch to go to Italy I think) and would really like to see the reports of others. Am I just asking this question to prematurely?? I hope that there is not a bug in the software that has been used to reflash the ECM's.



Let's hear from the new owners of the MAD (caTCHER) ECM.

Thanks



Phil

 

[darkhorse]

Phil, as far as I know it's just three of us who have reported the problems. Mine is going UPS express back to Marco right now. I think there's about 7 others in this batch & I'm wondering about them too.

 

[tcourse]

Have not recieved mine as yet, but will post when I do.



I have driven Bob Wagners truck after the ECM change, so I know it works. I'm thinking Marco rushed thru that first order trying to satify all us guys that were in a hurry and maybe something got missed. Or maybe something different in the 01. 5 trucks???



I try to be an optimist and I think there will be a common denominator in those three and it will be worked out.



Keep the faith





TC

 

[John - K5AWO]

With as many different versions of these trucks as DC put out, it is hard to cover everything in one flash.



Just have patience. Marco will work through the different issues one by one.



The result will be the best possible ECM program we could ever hope to get.

 

[Marco]

Let's hear it from the horse mouth.



Each year, transmission, HO, SO, has a different software. So it is not that I cover all the ECM's with the same software. It seems that we have a problem in determining the correct SW for the 2001 trucks.



For the '98 trucks there are two different SW's.

Automatic and stick.



For the '99 trucks there are two different SW's.

Automatic and stick.



For the '00 trucks there are two different SW's.

Automatic and stick.



For the '01 trucks there are three different SW's.

Automatic, stick (5 speed ) and HO ( stick 6 speed )



For the '01. 5 trucks there are three different SW's.

Automatic, stick (5 speed ) and HO ( stick 6 speed )



For the '02 trucks ther are three different SW's.

Automatic, stick (5 speed ) and HO ( stick 6 speed )



Let's assume for a moment that every ECM I get here is the original one out of the truck. Problem solved, because I can determine which SW version that ECM has in it and replace it with the CaTCHER version for THAT version of truck.



The problems we have today are due to the fact that ALL ECM's are spare ones. Which SW does that truck need?



Use the 01. 5 SW version in a 01 truck and the result is:

PROBLEMS.

We're working on it...





The four guys that have problems with the ECM are all 2001's.

The fact is that I wasn't aware ( should've been, my fault, lesson learned ) that there are the 2001's and the 2001. 5's. "Early build" and normal for DC. ( Rear barkes, drum or disc... )



Two of them got the "Normal" SW instead of the "early build".

Bingo!



For the other two I'm not yet certain to what causes their problem. I'll know more once I get these ECM's here.



What do you want, nobody is perfect...



To make things even worse... .

Saturday 07/31 I'll leave for my vacation. So we had to SPEED up things in order to try to solve the problems before the vacation.



I think that gives you the whole picture.



Ciao,



Marco

 

[darkhorse]

Thanks for the update & explination, Marco. Sure I'm dissapointed in the delay but with all those different SW programs to deal with I understand how it happened. Every one is pulling together to get the bugs worked out & I've learned a little about processing export forms. It's all good. My ECM was export scanned by UPS in Philidelphia about 6 hours ago, so perhaps it's speeding over the Atlantic at this moment.



In spite of the rough idle & other glitches, I got a taste of the amazing power the CaTcher can put out. Smoke control at lower boost has been one of my issues. In spite of the other trouble I encountered, the MAD CaTCHER made a significant improvement in acceleration & smoke control in that critical but short period below 10psi boost. I am eager to try again with the proper software for my "limited edition" HO six speed.



Marco, if my ECM gets delayed on it's way to you, don't worry about me. Have a good time on your vacation. My truck runs fine now & you deserve the break.

 

[PRyker]

Marco,



I have sent Doug at ADT an ECM to flash for my truck. It is a 2002 Auto (in my signature). My name and vehicle type are written on a piece of white paper and taped to the ECM. Will this be the first 02 you flash?



I understand that there are bugs to work out and have no issues with working through this. I was the VP of engineering for a large web hosting company for a while and even after extensive testing of code we would still find bugs with how everything worked when we pushed code into production.



I consider this a normal step in the product development life cycle... My previous post was only inquiring as to the status of the tests and wondering about the fixes to the problems. As usual you have answered the questions quickly and without hesitation and I think you have been a stand up guy.



I REALLY look forward to getting that ECM home and on my truck.



Thanks



Phil

 

[Marco]

Problem!

RCone's ECM is already here.



To make it short. That damn thing works! It works and has the right software in it!!!!



I'm puzzled... I'd have preferred to find a problem somewhere instead... nuthin...



How can I fix something that's not broke???



I'm starting to suspect that altough that truck is an 01. 5 ( no doubt!) it still uses the "early build " software.



Anybody has an idea how to find out WHICH software those trucks have in them? With a DRB it should not be a problem... .



Darkhorse, I'm affraid that your ECM will be the same way...

I hope it get's not delayed!



AAARRRRGGGHHH



The other two guys have gotten the normal SW instead of the early build! So at least those will be fixed.



PRyker,



Nope it's not the first '02 for me. I've done several...





So how it looks now, we have a problem with the 01-01. 5 trucks.

It's not the CaTCHER , the problem is which software version does those trucks use? Not having the original ECM's here makes it impossible for me to determine.



Anybody has a good idea here?



Marco

 

[Murle]

Originally posted by darkhorse

Phil, as far as I know it's just three of us who have reported the problems. Mine is going UPS express back to Marco right now. I think there's about 7 others in this batch & I'm wondering about them too.

Make that 4...

 

[Marco]

Murle,



If you read one of my previous MSG's ( Horse mouth ) you'll see that I've already said F O U R. You are the 4Th.



All the problems did arrise with year 2001 trucks.



At least your problem is simple you've got the 01. 5 software instead of 01.



Marco

 

[darkhorse]

Marco, would it help if I sent you the numbers off the Cummins Engine Company plate from my original ECM?

 

[Marco]

Thanks for the offer Darkhorse but that does not help.



The numbers on the ECM tell what revision of hardware that ECM is, when build and so on. It does not say what software is written into the ECM.



My problem is what SW...



I've already checked with our local Chrysler dealer. Also with the VIN# alone it's not possible to determine what software the truck has. Odd but that's how the DCX software system works.



When the DRB is hooked to the truck for a reflash, it looks first of all for the software version. That's a number like 3833313. 05J

( just as an example. That's a SW for the 01. 5 HO )

If the new software is compatible with the old one then the reflash takes place. If not, then a different file has to be used.



What I'd need to know is what SW revision number is in your original ECM. That number tells without any doubt what SW the truck needs.



Clear as mud?



Marco

P. S. I'm starting to think the other way arround...

If the 01. 5 SW does not work then the 01 HAS to work...

 

[Murle]

Originally posted by Marco

Murle,



If you read one of my previous MSG's ( Horse mouth ) you'll see that I've already said F O U R. You are the 4Th.



All the problems did arrise with year 2001 trucks.



At least your problem is simple you've got the 01. 5 software instead of 01.



Marco

Sorry Marco... I had downloaded and was reading the post and a bunch more was posted after I downloaded... .

 

[darkhorse]

Sorry the numbers don't help. I know shipping costs get to be a bother but I'm willing to go on a trial &error basis. Is there some way to determine what software I have? Could a dealer get to it?

 

[Marco]

Yup, the dealer could get it with the DRB III.



That would solve the problem... .



Marco