Newer PCM benifit

[BOTTLE FED]

I'm looking for information on the REAL benefit IN A SPECIFIC situation of updating from the 98 pcm to a 99+ pcm. (Mine is fried, so this is the time if I am going to do it)
I have a H/C blown C5 making 700rwhp on a speed density tune. I am 95% satisfied with my tune, so I'm not sure what "benefits" I would see from the "faster" 99+ pcm

If I stay with 98, I buy it, install it, buy (I guess) a couple more credits and download my tune.

If I update to 99. I have to re-pin it (not my strong point) have it "updated" to take care of fuel gauge issues, buy more credits (I guess) and transfer #s into new tune (on tables that are different)

Other than more tuning parameters, what would be the real benifit?

[Higgs Boson]

None, if your car works fine, idles good, etc.....you're still way ahead of a carb.... ;-)

[Bill@HPTuners]

None, if your car works fine, idles good, etc.....you're still way ahead of a carb.... ;-)

I agree.

[BOTTLE FED]

Great
I was hoping I could simply put a matching one back in and hopefully just plug my old tune back in

I had two bar tune, will I need 2 or 2 credits? (I have 2)

[nikon1999]

I wouldn't think you need to buy any credits. Buy a PCM and get it flashed for your vin and hptuners shouldn't charge any additional credits I don't believe

[LSxpwrdZ]

If it's in a C5 and is an Auto I strongly suggest upgrading! I tuned Brian Tooley's LS7 C5 and it was a 97 model and running a RPM 4l60e and we had all kinds of trouble with the car shifting and shutting down in the middle of a pass at the track. We were puzzled with it cause all the parameters for the tranny were right. I convinced him to swap to a 99-up PCM and we used a 2002 OS in it running a 1bar SD custom OS as well and he took the car out and it hits every shift right on the money now.

I would want the 99-up PCM on a boosted application even more to take advantage of the RTT 2 or 3bar OS also.

Have you had any trouble with tranny shifts with the stock 98?

Also repinning isn't hard at all! It's ALOT easier to get another set of PCM plugs and pull the pin's out of your old plugs and install them into the new ones that way you don't get the wires you've done mixed up with the ones you havent.

The credits you will have to purchase again because HPTuners licenses the VCM ID not the VIN. Also you cannot flash a 98 VIN to a 99-up PCM with HPTuners because it throws a VIN/OS mismatch and freaks out.

[BOTTLE FED]

I have actually never had any issues with shifting with mine. I recently installed a RPM stage V, and before the PCM issue, it was working fine.

I was told it was best to buy another set of connectors to help the swap

Bummed to have to buy more credits for the same car

[LSxpwrdZ]

In the end you still may be cheaper to go the newer PCM route because it's hard to find the 97-98 PCM's and when you do they want big money for them. A 99-02 C5 PCM will run $100 shipped off ebay and he can set it up for whatever year and OS you want. I strongly suggest if you do the swap use a 2002 OS so you can take advantage of the better table resolution and a few tables that arent in the 00 and older OS's.

[BOTTLE FED]

Thanks for the input

To clarify
1. I would order a 99 PCM
2. Ask the vendor to "flash it" to a 02 operating system (Would this cause issues with my early fuel system etc?)
3. Re-pin connectors for the 99 ECM
4. Download?? Would I "write entire" then start manually transferring my data over to the new tables since they have different parameters. (I have got my VE tables REALLY close after HOURS of data logging) then flash the new tune to the car.

I see everyones point about updating, I was just curious why, IF I am tuned to the point that I am making a LOT of hp, it idles very good (not perfect, but very good) and the shifting ,at least WAS very good, what actual benifit I would see from the update

Thanks for the help

[blownbluez06]

You're going to get way better resolution on your VE table. Since you're running a 2-bar (IIRC), that's something I consider somewhat important.

[BOTTLE FED]

What's up Brett.

How much better resolution will I get from the 2 bar I have now with the 98?
It's hard to ask these questions without sounding like I'm auguring. I'm really just trying to find the answer. But my question still remains, if Im tuned pretty well now, how will this actually help me over the 98 vcm I was running? Other than some more tweaking of my PE table to compensate for my Meth taking me rich (10.2-10.4) at upper rpm, my VE table is in really good shape.
I want to do this right, and now is the time to do it IF I'm going to upgrade, because I have to buy a PCM and credits anyway, but I can sure get on the road quick if I do stay with the 98

[Bill@HPTuners]

You're going to get way better resolution on your VE table. Since you're running a 2-bar (IIRC), that's something I consider somewhat important.

Not sure I understand, there is no resolution difference from what I can tell between the 98 2 bar & 02 2 bar

[LSxpwrdZ]

Yeah there isn't any difference in resolution on the 2bar SD VE tables.

To make your life easier here is a spreadsheet for 98 C5 to 02 C5 Pinout's in a spreadsheet. You'll notice a couple of the injector wire color's change so be sure to read the circuit ID number and the specific pin otherwise you'll have a couple injectors firing at the wrong time.