well, got my first chance to mess with t.c. and my laptop today. It wasnt very productive. After installing the software for the usb/serial adapter cable I hooked it up to the car. It has a hypertech tuner adapter for the GM1 diagnostic port. I dont think the akm cable needs the cig. lighter adapter hooked into it though, so I didnt. Anwyays, I started the pcm read session and it got about 50% through and then I got a communications error box and then pcm read aborted. After that, I tried reading again to no avail. I turned the key off and unplugged the cable and tried to start the car and it just cranks. Sounds like the PCM fried I guess. I dont know what happened, any ideas? Can the PCM be revived? Can you fry a PCM just from doing a READ session? Ugh.......

on a side note, it has a optima battery and it WAS on a charger as well and the laptop was plugged into a wall outlet as well.

 

I have never heard of one frying by doing a read.

 

the serial akm cable doent need any 12v sorce, and if you are using a usb to serial adaptor cable on your akm serial aldl cable, i tried the same and never coult get it to work. somthing about the baud rate or somthing. the adaptor messes things up.i just ended up using a desktop,the only problem is youll need a realy long extension cord to datalog.
all jokes aside, ive never heard of anyone being able to use tunercats with a usb to serial adaptor cable.wait, one guy said he got a pcmcia (lil wierd laptop expansion slot that all of them have) to serial adaptor to work. he posted a link and it was close to $100 i think.maybe a usb cable would be our best choice,but i ended up putting a old desktop in my garage for now.
madz28 i believe can reflash your 'puter if the data session was interupted,but like shoebox said, its damn near imposable to fry a pcm while reading.did you perhaps try and connect a 12v sorce?you might be able to have a bettetr tuner than i revive it.ive heard about people geting it reflashed or somthing by sending it in.ask madz28 about that.

 

Disconnect the battery for a little while and the PCM will probably straighten itself out.

Have seen other threads in the past where people were sure they killed the PCM on a read, then after a reset it worked fine.

 

yes ive read that too. this was going to be my first plan tomorrow and I hope it works because i have never heard of anyone frying a pcm on a read only either. I believe my laptop has a serial port anyways as its an older model. I dont know why I even tried to do it with the usb adapter. Wasn't thinking str8, I was in a hurry on a time limit. Ill try to re-connect the pcm and hope it works again as I swapped in another pcm to move the car for now. Ill post back l8r. thanks guys.