Computer Flashing....Need some info

[Jimmy96er]

Vehicle: 98 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4

Anyways, after a long journey of replacing an engine because of a knock - it just so happens that the ECU is broken and so we got another one from the wrecker and low and behold.. the truck starts and dies in 3 secs.

My mechanic told me that the ECU had to be "flashed", not too familiar with the term but because my ECU was from another truck, the dealership has to flash it.

Now my question is:
1) How much does this usually cost (flashing)??
2) Is this a "dealership only" tool that can do flashing or any other shops flash?
3) I still have the old computer, is there anything in the motherboard that I can move over to keep the old info from the original ECU?

Any information or comment is greatly appreciated. Thankyou.

[wafrederick]

It is a dealer only,it has to be reflashed with thier factory scan tool DRB III.You have to buy a whole new computer and nothing cannot be transferred to the new computer.There is a core charge on the old computer and Chrysler computers can be programed once.After that,they are done.Only computor the can be reflashed a lot of times are GM computors.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Jimmy96er

Vehicle: 98 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4

Anyways, after a long journey of replacing an engine because of a knock - it just so happens that the ECU is broken and so we got another one from the wrecker and low and behold.. the truck starts and dies in 3 secs.

My mechanic told me that the ECU had to be "flashed", not too familiar with the term but because my ECU was from another truck, the dealership has to flash it.

Now my question is:
1) How much does this usually cost (flashing)??
2) Is this a "dealership only" tool that can do flashing or any other shops flash?
3) I still have the old computer, is there anything in the motherboard that I can move over to keep the old info from the original ECU?

Any information or comment is greatly appreciated. Thankyou.

Oh boy
Now you have done it for sure.
If you used a used pcm that did not match your old pcm or switched from a standard to anti theft pcm or vise versa you may have or wrote/tripped the anti theft on the body computer and also the pcm you put on it..
They can not be reset them.
Once tripped both of them are dead ducks.
You may now need a matched set pcm and body both.

If you have a scanner check and see what code is set or if anti theft is tripped.
You might try to reset anti theft .
If you are lucky it might go.

[Jimmy96er]

Update:

Upon furthur research on the subject, my mechanic borrowed another PCM off a local wrecker and low and behold, my truck runs like a charm. Turns out that the other "used" pcm that was given to us by the diagnostics shop was a bogus part.

It will still need flashing to remove the intermittent ABS light but everything on the engine is in excellent running condition. For furthur info for someone that is researching this topic, I found out:

Dealerships here in Canada - charge about $60 to flash the PCM.
Intermittent light on the ABS will go on and off until the flash is done.
Luckily, my truck is not equiped with an antitheft so this scenario was simply plug and play.
A brand new unit PCM in a dealership costs about $600 plus tax, plus flashing costs.