Tune Locking now in 2.25 Beta for Ford

[Eric@HPTuners]

Due to many requests, we have added the ability to lock Ford tune files.

Unlike the GM Tuner Lock which prevents anyone from being able to read the file out of the ECM, the HPT Lock will allow the read, but the file will not open in the editor. This will prevent the viewing/flashing of the read file.

To lock your tune file, go to Edit > Calibration Details, then click on the Controllers tab.



Here you can enable the lock by double clicking, where it is indicated.

If you would like to remote tune a vehicle, you can also setup a Slave ID, under the Remote Tuning tab.



This will allow you to send your .hpt file to someone with VCM Suite and they can open the file, as well as flash the vehicle. They cannot view the contents of the file.

*Be sure to have the HPT lock enabled, or the customer would be able to read the file back out of the PCM and view it.

[Matt@MMP]

Sweet!!

[mechanicboy]

If a vehicle is tuned with an SCT device, could that prevent a reading of the ECU using HPTuners?

[Eric@HPTuners]

No. However some tuners have been modifying the OSID to protect their work. In those cases, you will not be able to use the read.

[mechanicboy]

No. However some tuners have been modifying the OSID to protect their work. In those cases, you will not be able to use the read.

That would prevent the dealership from being able to flash the GPS wouldn't it? I ask because I had this problem, making me think that tune is locked. I had to revert back to stock so they could access the GPS so they charged me $75 because the extra time/effort they had to put in.

[Montecarlodrag]

This is sweet!!!

Which Ford cars/ECMS can be locked?

Thanks for the hard work

[Eric@HPTuners]

That would prevent the dealership from being able to flash the GPS wouldn't it? I ask because I had this problem, making me think that tune is locked. I had to revert back to stock so they could access the GPS so they charged me $75 because the extra time/effort they had to put in.

Possibly. I have an IDS and it does not recognize the Roush OSID in my PCM and will not allow me to flash it either.

[Eric@HPTuners]

This is sweet!!!

Which Ford cars/ECMS can be locked?

Thanks for the hard work

All of them.

[Montecarlodrag]

All of them.

Sweet!!

Would it be possible to overwrite a locked PCM? Either using HPT or other software

[Eric@HPTuners]

Sweet!!

Would it be possible to overwrite a locked PCM? Either using HPT or other software

Yes, you can flash over it no problem. The lock just prevents another HPT user from viewing the file. It does not prevent reading/writing the vehicle like the GM lock does.

[Montecarlodrag]

Yes, you can flash over it no problem. The lock just prevents another HPT user from viewing the file. It does not prevent reading/writing the vehicle like the GM lock does.

Excellent work Eric!!
One last question.
If a locked tune is flashed to the PCM can it be viewed/edited using another software?

[Eric@HPTuners]

Excellent work Eric!!
One last question.
If a locked tune is flashed to the PCM can it be viewed/edited using another software?

Yes. No way to prevent that.

[wywindsor]

I don't like the idea of locking tunes. If I contact you to tune my car and you say your locking the tune I will go elsewhere. I paid for it. Your work is now in my hands to do as I feel. You may say I can't share it and that your prerogative. But I should be able to view and manipulate it as I see fit. Just my 2 cents. Look at it this way All tuning manufactures are breaking strategies and calibrations.

[Fast5oh]

I don't like the idea of locking tunes. If I contact you to tune my car and you say your locking the tune I will go elsewhere. I paid for it. Your work is now in my hands to do as I feel. You may say I can't share it and that your prerogative. But I should be able to view and manipulate it as I see fit. Just my 2 cents. Look at it this way All tuning manufactures are breaking strategies and calibrations.

I feel the same way, but coyote tuning is the biggest secretive tuning there is now.

[ElecTech]

I don't like the idea of locking tunes. If I contact you to tune my car and you say your locking the tune I will go elsewhere. I paid for it. Your work is now in my hands to do as I feel. You may say I can't share it and that your prerogative. But I should be able to view and manipulate it as I see fit. Just my 2 cents. Look at it this way All tuning manufactures are breaking strategies and calibrations.

The dilemma is the intellectual property contained in that calibration. You paid for a calibration and you got a calibration. You didn't, necessarily pay for the intellectual property that went into creating that calibration. I see both sides and competition is tight in the tuner world these days with people ripping off qualified calibrators that spend countless hours developing calibrations. The biggest misnomer out there is that if a tune is locked someone is trying to hide something (although this is sometimes the case), but in fact, they may be trying to protect themselves from getting ripped off. Also, if you are selling a supercharger package with a warranty, the last thing you want is some DIYer messing around with your work and then trying to make you cover it when things go wrong.

I'm on the fence on this issue, but I have locked some calibrations down that I know I spent serious time on to work through some things and I didn't want to chance it getting in the hands of others in town. If you ask up front for it to be open, most calibrators will accommodate that.

[Eric@HPTuners]

The dilemma is the intellectual property contained in that calibration. You paid for a calibration and you got a calibration. You didn't, necessarily pay for the intellectual property that went into creating that calibration. I see both sides and competition is tight in the tuner world these days with people ripping off qualified calibrators that spend countless hours developing calibrations. The biggest misnomer out there is that if a tune is locked someone is trying to hide something (although this is sometimes the case), but in fact, they may be trying to protect themselves from getting ripped off. Also, if you are selling a supercharger package with a warranty, the last thing you want is some DIYer messing around with your work and then trying to make you cover it when things go wrong.

I'm on the fence on this issue, but I have locked some calibrations down that I know I spent serious time on to work through some things and I didn't want to chance it getting in the hands of others in town. If you ask up front for it to be open, most calibrators will accommodate that.

Jamie is spot on. As a tuner, I have personally never had an issue sending out a file unlocked. But all of my business was hightly modified cars. In almost all cases the tune would not work on another car anyway. However the guys that spend a lot of time developing a perfect file for a mostly stock car or mildly modified car that they make a living off selling have a legit issue with tune theft.

[MikeOD]

If you would like to remote tune a vehicle, you can also setup a Slave ID, under the Remote Tuning tab.

This will allow you to send your .hpt file to someone with VCM Suite and they can open the file, as well as flash the vehicle. They cannot view the contents of the file.

Does the slave ID need to purchase credits to flash this, or will their HPTuners software flash it without caring about credits as it's been assigned by a master that it is licensed to?

Can we do this master/slave thing with GM controllers too?

[Keith@HPTuners]

Slaves need to license the vehicle/file as well.

The master/slave works on all vehicles we support.

[MikeOD]

So without using the tunerlock feature, there's no reason to bother with the master slave thing, if we don't mind if they can edit the file, just e-mail it to them and let them open it, license it and flash it normally right? If it's a tunerlock thing, then lock it and assign a slave? At that point they can license and flash it, but cannot see/edit it?

[wbt]

Jamie is spot on. As a tuner, I have personally never had an issue sending out a file unlocked. But all of my business was hightly modified cars. In almost all cases the tune would not work on another car anyway. However the guys that spend a lot of time developing a perfect file for a mostly stock car or mildly modified car that they make a living off selling have a legit issue with tune theft.

I will say there isn't one single car I have tuned that didn't need some sort of change/modification from one to another. What I run in my car is different than what I may write for someone else depending on their needs, especially on the auto side. Some don't want a car that will bark the tires casually driving around while others don't care. A good bit of my time is tuning to subjectivity.

I don't make a living off doing it and I also don't mind sharing with other's so I am at the other end of the spectrum.