PCM Program Update for 2000 MGM

[IPreferDIY]

I read somewhere that the stock PCM program for the 2000 MGM is among the worst. I can get an update at the local dealership for $90 plus taxes (last time I checked) and figure it would be worthwhile whenever I can spread my finances that far. Here's a few things I'd be interested in knowing:

1. Does anyone have any personal experience with updating a PCM program? (not necessarily on a 2000 MGM) Any obvious benefits etc?

2. Can the update be done even if a couple of the mode $06 monitors are showing fail results? I've been getting fail results for an evap monitor and a DPFE monitor for quite awhile. They don't cause a check engine light or an emissions readiness failure or throw a code, so they haven't been a priority. I'll be posting something about them eventually.

3. What is the interplay between a PCM program update and a tune? If/when I get around to doing things that require a tune, is the tune modifying the actual program or just the parameters?

Thanks in advance!

[sly]

1. Just with my tuner (SCT)

2. Every sensor on the engine could be bad and you could still update the PCM.

3. PCM update is still a "stock" tune for what a performance tune is based off of.

[IPreferDIY]

#2 is good to know. I can just imagine them telling me "Oh, we have to fix this and this before we can do anything, and it will cost you an arm and a leg on top of the $90+ for the update."

The tune stuff is still way beyond me at this point. Just to clarify #3, is the tune "reflashing" the entire PCM like an update would?, or is it just modifying the parameters? I've seen people referring to tune files, but I have no idea if that means a partial or total PCM substitution.

Also, any idea how the compatibility and currency of the updates works? Here's a link showing a bunch of software versions available for 2000 and 2002 CV's and MGM's:

http://www.obdtester.com/ford-ecu-info/mlc_467

According to my sticker, I have the YW7F-CD, LLK3, which apparently does not have an update available:

http://www.obdtester.com/ford-ecu-update/grand_marquis/4.6l_2v/2000/YW7F-12A650-CD

Am I stuck with the "C" series?, or would the "JD" (GUE3) be compatible with my unit? And would it be worthwhile?

[sly]

#3 - it's a reflash. It takes the stock tune, changes the settings and then reflashes the entire thing with the "tune" from the tuner. The stock program update the dealer does, flashes it in a way that keeps it marked as stock/factory tune.

I know nothing about the compatibility of the programming to the PCM... I do know you can swap out PCMs from 99-2001 and everything should work with little or no issues if the gearing in the rear axle is the same. My 2003 engine and 1993 trans in my 93 seem to work best with a 99 PCM though. So when I find another 99 P71 PCM, I'm going to be very careful with it and get it tuned for my car. The shift programming works much better for my transmission than the 2001.

[IPreferDIY]

It turns out that swapping in a '99 CVPI PCM is the simple and potentially cheaper solution for my problem:

http://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2916656#Post2916656

Here are a few points that I picked up (the validity of which I can't actually confirm):

1. the '99 MAF's might have a slight calibration difference, so it's a good idea to grab the MAF along with the PCM
2. since the 2001+ have an upgraded valve body in the tranny along with a PI motor, you don't want to use the '99 CVPI PCM with anything after 2000 (not sure what this means for your 2003/93 setup)
3. the '99 CVPI PCM is intended for a 3.55 RAR, but a 3.27 will work, and some have said they don't have any problems with a 2.73
4. the '99 CVPI PCM does not have the PATS function, so you don't have to worry about matching keys, though the light on the dash still flashes as a deterrent to would-be thieves

[IPreferDIY]

I've been hoping to find an ARA3 from a 1999 CVPI at a decent price, but there doesn't seem to be much chance of that happening. According to https://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/...98#Post1696798, a YYA6 from a 1998 CVPI and an NKL4 from a 2000 CVPI are the best for those years, though I would guess the NKL4 is the worst among the three since 2000 is reputed to be a really bad year. I didn't see any reasonably-priced YYA6s either, so I ended up getting an NKL4 delivered from the U.S. for only a bit more than what I would've paid at a local U-pull yard.

My original one is an LLK3 (in an HPP), which seems to have a 'dual personality' kind of quality. If I drive casually, it has a 'grandpa' kind of response, but if I get aggressive, it responds accordingly. The biggest issue I have with it is there's a certain speed and RPM range where either third or OD kicks in while the RPMs are really low. When I first developed COP misfiring years ago, that was the zone where it became apparent. Giving it a bit of gas while it's in that zone causes it to downshift, so it's beyond me why anyone thought that was an appropriate shift point. A lesser issue is that I would prefer if 1st gear was allowed to wind out a bit more.

Fortunately, the NKL4 was not DOA, though it's too soon to say how it's doing overall since I've only been on a short highway trip to get gas and some frozen pizzas. I didn't really notice any difference at low speeds, which was disappointing. There was certainly nothing that provided any kind of "police car" quality. Highway cruising did seem better, and I hadn't elicited any low RPM upshift, so I'll see how that goes. It'll need awhile to go through the self-test and fuel trim stuff (particularly since I don't drive much), so I'll follow up eventually.

[Mr Bean]

Where are you located? I got old SCT software and Xcal2 somewhere. I can probably do a reflash for you.

[IPreferDIY]

Thanks for the offer. I'm in Toronto, so I think that's a long way from your place. I'm definitely not in a rush. I work at home, and sometimes I only use my car once or twice a month; and I haven't done any long trips lately. That's partly due to stuff I need to do (shocks, brake fluid flush, tie rods, alignment, put better tires on) and partly due to anxiety about timing chain tensioner arm wear showing up before I'm ready for it. For what I'm paying for insurance, I might actually be better off using rental cars or taxis. It'll probably take me awhile to get to know the NKL4 enough to appreciate the differences from the LLK3 and figure out what I want to do from here. Would I be right in guessing your tune was done for an NKL4 and that it would be at least as good as getting an ARA3?


I ended up using the need for a snack as an excuse to go out for another short highway drive. I can't add to my prior observations from a performance perspective, though the expected PATS light issue was certainly noticeable in the dark. (I hadn't even noticed it earlier.) I was aware from what I read that it goes spastic for a bit after startup and then goes off, but it took a lot longer to go off than I had presumed. I just checked it with the engine off for awhile, and it does indeed continue to flash as before, though possibly a little faster.

[IPreferDIY]

I finally have a bit of an update. The NKL4 is basically a carbon copy of the LLK3 but with a slight refinement. The NKL4 seems hardly worth it unless you do a lot of highway driving.

The ARA3 is definitely worth it if you can get it for ~$50 or less, and even ~$100 would probably be worth it for people who drive a lot and can afford it. I got one with a bent pin for relatively cheap on eBay (with shipping to Canada probably being more than the item price), but the pin ended up being not only bent but also pushed in. Here’s the closest photo I could find showing what I’m presuming is pretty much the same setup for the connector:



Straightening and pulling out the pin went fine, and I haven’t had any issues. I don’t know enough to be able to describe particularities, but I can say that the ARA3 definitely suits the car a whole lot better, and I have not experienced any obvious issues with the 2000 MAF. I would love to be able to tweak things to get the car driving the way I would want, but the expense of a custom tune is not worth it in my circumstances.