P59 Tuner Locked

I can't believe in this day and age some shops still 'tuner lock' ECMs.

Some high horsepower race thing, sure, that's your secrets and a compleltley different level of tuning..

A gen 3 sierra with a cam only. There is no reason for that at all.

Didn't even tell the customer before they did it. To me, this is sort of 'stealing' by not allowing the owner to go forth with another shop to make different adjustments, like gear ratio or tire size changes.



Please don't tuner lock, it looks bad on the shop.

You do know that you can still unlock a P59, right?

You can unbrick a P59 pretty easy but to actually unlock one that the key has been changed in is a little trickier.

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Originally Posted by STAGEUP

You do know that you can still unlock a P59, right?

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Originally Posted by 2xLS1

unlock one that the key has been changed in is a little trickier.

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Please share some info on this? I have heard about unlocking one, but, always good to learn how for future usage.

We have a unlocking service. Last I checked it was $75

I've never seen a locked tune that wasn't a complete shit show.

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Originally Posted by bk2life

Please share some info on this? I have heard about unlocking one, but, always good to learn how for future usage.

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Locking involves changing the key part of the seed/key. I doubt you have the tools to do it. It requires more than just having HP Tuners. The ability to read the PCM and save it as a true bin file. Then a hex editor and the knowledge to find the seed key in the bin, calculate what the key should be, change it, then correct the checksum. Most shops that have an unlocking service set it up on a bench with a program running that will cycle through all 65K+ keys then when it finds it it writes it to the PCM. Those programs seem to be protected like KFCs secret recipe and are very hard to acquire. It could take several days of that program running to find the correct key.

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Originally Posted by Alvin

I've never seen a locked tune that wasn't a complete shit show.

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that's my issue all along. It wasn't even a tune. yes it was modified, but, it was my tune, the owner had an issue, i couldn't resolve it at the time because i was doing some mil training in another state.
Now were doing work to the vehicle, and find out its locked.
I just think it's childish to lock an ECM.

I'd be interested to know more about the unlocking process, do you have a phone number or message me on the side. How long, what do i need to do, etc..

Those P59 PCMs can be had around here at salvage yards for $20. If you already had a tune file for that PCM just pick up a used one and write entire the unlocked file you have to the used one. It will require re licensing it but by the time you pay shipping both ways and the unlocking fee it's almost a wash. Any blue/green PCM will work. It doesn't even have to be the same service number unless it is something weird like a swap using a drive by cable with a P59. Not all unlocking services preserve the file in the PCM also. Some do and some don't.

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Originally Posted by 2xLS1

Those P59 PCMs can be had around here at salvage yards for $20..

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correct, i have probably a dozen here at the shop.

Its more of the principal now to me.

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Originally Posted by bk2life

To me, this is sort of 'stealing' by not allowing the owner to go forth with another shop to make different adjustments, like gear ratio or tire size changes.

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perhaps changing gear ratio or tire size will have a bad effect on tuning
...you haven't thought about it?
file blocking is a normal practice that protects shop from copying their tuning solutions

but in your case this P59 is a very old ecu perhaps shop went too far with locking
Publish your file and i will unlock it for you

I can get rid of a tunerlock in minutes with the regular old ground the pin method and hpt. Probably not going to share my method since ive not seen anyone else do exactly the same thing, its obvious when you come across it. Does not loose or overwrite the tune.

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Originally Posted by 04silverado6.0

I can get rid of a tunerlock in minutes with the regular old ground the pin method and hpt. Probably not going to share my method since ive not seen anyone else do exactly the same thing, its obvious when you come across it. Does not loose or overwrite the tune.

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And you are saying then that that file is writeable or just viewable.

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Originally Posted by bk2life

that's my issue all along. It wasn't even a tune. yes it was modified, but, it was my tune, the owner had an issue, i couldn't resolve it at the time because i was doing some mil training in another state.
Now were doing work to the vehicle, and find out its locked.
I just think it's childish to lock an ECM.

I'd be interested to know more about the unlocking process, do you have a phone number or message me on the side. How long, what do i need to do, etc..

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https://www.pcmofnc.com/product/pcm-...ing-service-3/

File is readable and writeable.

Ive also unlocked a ecm from a 02 duramax lb7 the same way but took about 2 days to get it to hold the flash.