Please Help, Dangerous PCM and Electrical Problems, Shut off no start

[MichaelOverfield]

My initial assessment from your situation is it is a bad ECU. (for the cummins its ECU, though shows as PCU in places). The loss of injector data suggests the ECU memory has been corrupted, my guess is during the time in shop and dead battery situation, they tried to jump start it with some unknown source of power and caused some electrical spike that might have damaged the electronics within the ECU, speficially the non-volitile RAM (memory that should not be lost from loss of power).

I recommend you read through my post on a electrical saga I've had that is now isolated to the ECU, but in the process of gettting there I have dealt with the TIPM, WCM and checked the network, CAN signals and other things. I'm still far from resolved, but thankfully mine is a mere ECU not continuing communication with the scan tool/OBD2 monitor, it has not caused it to die or not start, YET.. and the yet part is why I'm trying to trace it down.

I was able to find a bargain ECU for mine from a place in China ironically, $227 shipped.. not sure if they have anymore, seemed it might have been a one of, it was used and showed it. In my thread, near the end you can see the ECU internals from this used ECU. It did work, but my problem remains, and a new wiring harness has shipped, which is my next step.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...connection-i-think-its-a-tipm-problem.269151/

 

[MichaelOverfield]

Should be a code on the injector, if it can be read, and that will have to go back to Bosch to get the correct codes. Depends on who has access to and knows how to look up trim codes. We just got done going thru this, the trim code Bosch sent with the injector was wrong. Vendor had to go back to Bosch to get the correct trim code.

The problem is I don't think you can see the serial # without pulling the injectors.

Correct, the codes can be found on the injector, or the ECU can show them (if they were not lost as appears to be the case here). I pulled mine from my original ECU using wiTECH when I programmed the spare, and have the print out saved in multiple places, and in hard copy. It would be a major PITA to have to pull the injectors to get the codes that are stamped on them.

 

[MichaelOverfield]

You must know that the reflash you did is only a canned tune but it is not the actual software that was on the Truck when he left factory, there can be differences between them.
It is difficult and at that point my knowledge ends for helping you out of your disaster.

Worstcase you need a new ECM and have it programmed from the Dealer - $$$$.

You can get another ECU, wiTECH (I got it for $130 (obd2tool.com, I think), and subscribe to Mopar TechAuthority, with a high speed internet connection and do your own flash program right from the OEM, that is how I programmed my spare. The ECU I found was $227, TechAuthority has a 7 day subscription for $70. Where there is a will there is a way!

 

[MichaelOverfield]

There is nothing there that should cause a problem EXCEPT the failed load. If you did not load the recovery file and the subsequent tune with batteries fully charged and a charger on the batteries all bets are off what happened. Even the ambient temp has to be in the normal range above 70 F for a load thru the OBD port to work correctly. By rights should not EVER be loading a calibration thru the OBD port on these trucks but it is what we have to work with. To do it safely and correctly it should be benched flashed with Insite but that is a lot harder to do.

Great point, it is all over the service manual to ensure the voltage is STABLE during any ECU flash, even pointing out to ensure it's not a variable rate battery charger in use. Starting off with weak batteries from the alignement shop episode, and the subsequent reflash attempts, where no information on what was done to keep the voltage stable is a warning sign for sure.

I made a 30A power supply for this reason (for about $20), it is set at 13.5 Volts and I ensure it is always connected when I'm doing work that is changing anything in the various ECUs.

 

[MichaelOverfield]

I just had about the same failure. Truck sputtered and died. Hauled to dealer and they say I need PCM/ECM.

Apparantly the Cummins ECUs with a reputation of not failing is starting to crumble a bit...

 

[CUMMINZ]

Bummer, out of curiosity what year truck? Since going through this I've heard the 07.5-08's are more prone to PCM issues. Anyway, you may want to rethink the dealer if you don't mind doing a little work yourself and have access to a good scan tool. Removing the PCM is very easy and I've been happy with my reman unit over the last year. If you want to try this route I can message you the company I went with.

My truck is 07.5... It is my ECM not PCM.

 

[MichaelOverfield]

Just verified.. it was OBD2TOOL.com where I got the wiTECH micropod 2 for $130.

 

[sag2]

I just had about the same failure. Truck sputtered and died. Hauled to dealer and they say I need PCM/ECM.

Did they say what fault codes it has?