97-06 Jeep Wrangler TJ ECM / PCM Tuning Options

[MikeE024]

In the VCM editor under the "Trans" tab, go to "Shift Scheduling" to view the various shift patterns. The important ones are the "Normal" and "Hot" schedules. Each shift has a tab, ( I.E. 3-4), and clicking on it reveals a table with axis of rpm vs throttle position. It's important to note that the row axis is incorrectly labeled as "Engine RPM". Its not. It's output shaft rpm. Adding something like 200-500 rpm to the lower throttle positions will delay the 3-4 shift notably. The same principle applies to the 2-3 shift. The 4-3 downshift can also be tuned to allow a more responsive downshift from overdrive to 3rd gear instead of having to apply heavy throttle to initiate the downshift.

Thanks man!

 

[Matt84]

Does anyone have good results on tuning the 2003 4.0 sport 5spd?

 

[97 blueboy]

I have a1997 4.0 with auto 4X4 and am having trouble with lose of power and engine dying. Any suggestions!! I love my matching numbers blueboy !

 

[MikeE024]

Does anyone have good results on tuning the 2003 4.0 sport 5spd?

FRP offers a tune for the 4.0L.

I didn’t have any complaints as Ryan did what he could, but not much can be gained by tuning a stock configured 4.0L.

I have a1997 4.0 with auto 4X4 and am having trouble with lose of power and engine dying. Any suggestions!! I love my matching numbers blueboy !

Folks would need more info before they could help you on this.

When do the issues occur, and do you have a check engine light with codes being reported?

 

[Zippyman1962]

I want to add to this thread.

I spoke with Dave who owns B&G Performance today for about an hour on the phone. Super nice guy, very friendly, and told me quite a bit of information. Dave worked for Chrysler in the 90s and early 2000s and was one of the original software engineers for the TJ and various other Chrysler powered vehicles.

Because of this, Dave has a wealth of knowledge about these PCMs and how to access them. According to him (and I believe this), he is very well one of the only people in the world who can fully access the PCM on 97-06 TJs (he said he can do it all the way up to 2019 as well though) and have 100% control over them.

Some of the things he mentioned he could do to the PCM are as follows:

• Activate / deactivate SKIM
• Disable post-cat O2 sensors (allowing for cat removal without check engine lights)
• Disable evap system (allowing for evap system removal without check engine lights)
• Disable purge valve (allowing for removal without check engine lights)
• Disable any other emissions
• Change the temperature your cooling fan comes on at
• Fully tune the air / fuel / timing curves
• Change the VIN assigned to a PCM (so you can use it on another vehicle)
• Enable / disable the automatic transmission module on 05-06 PCMs (so you can for instance, use a PCM from a 2005 manual transmission TJ on a 2005 automatic transmission TJ)

The list goes on, but that's just some of what he can do.

He mentioned he can actually tune the PCM even on a stock TJ so that you'll get a bit more performance out of it, and so it will run even better.

You can send him your PCM using this form and he'll tune it (and enable / disable any features you want) for $399, or you can buy the software from him for $599 and do it yourself.

The bottom line is that these PCMs are 100% tunable, we can just blame the misinformation that's been spread on the internet for making us believe that it wasn't possible. I'm very, very glad I looked into this further and decided to spend some of my time pursuing a solution to what many considered to be impossible.

This is actually a breakthrough if you ask me. It will allow TJ owners to keep their vehicles on the road for that much longer, but also tune them the way they want. No need for things like Split Second fuel controllers if you want to run boost, you can just tune the PCM directly and be done with it.

I encourage anyone and everyone to share this information and use B&G Performance for all your needs.

You no longer have to believe the lie that our PCMs are not accessible.

 

[MikeE024]

Fwiw, I recently tuned a @Wranglerfix PCM using the Diablo tuner that comes with an 05/06 Banks turbo kit.

It was previously thought that Mark’s PCM would not take the Banks tune and that’s 100% misinformation. His computers have also been successfully tuned using an HPtuners device. I’ll be updating my tune using HPtuners to increase my 2-3 and 3-4 shift points so lockup follows at a higher RPM (keeps me in boost).

I went the WF PCM route trying to fix a transmission shifting issue that ended up being the transmission.

That said, I’m keeping the WF PCM since it fixed my rough idle issues that caused a CEL for a #3 misfire no matter how much I wrapped the fuel line/rail/injectors.

Btw, FRP is the more modern option I’ve seen guys go with regarding tunes including guys like myself and @Chris who have had FRP’s stock 4.0L tune.

 

[SSTJ]

If you have a 97-06 Jeep Wrangler TJ, you've probably heard lots of bullshit rumors across the internet about how our PCMs (ECUs) are locked, can not be tuned whatsoever, and there are simply no options for accessing the PCM.

Well, I'm here to dispel that stupid rumor and whoever started it. This is 100% untrue. While there may not be as many tuners for our PCMs as there would be for LS series GM engines, there are still plenty of tuning options out there for our TJs. Below I am going to compile a list of the tuning options that are guaranteed to work. Keep in mind that the crappy tuners like Superchips and Diablo Tuners DO NOT work for Tis, only JKs and newer.


Tuning Software

​

Syked ECU Tuning (for 97-04 TJ models)​

Syked ECU Tuning offers a complete tuning software suite to fully access the PCM on all 97-04 Jeep Wrangler TJ models.​

​

HPTuners (for 97-06 TJ models)​

HPTuners is very big in the GM LS tuning scene, but also the Mopar tuning scene as well. Their MPIV2 in combination with their VCM Suite gives you full access to the PCM on all 97-06 Jeep Wrangler TJ models. It does not have the ability to access 97-06 models. For more information on the HPTuners setup see my review here: HPTuner MPVI2 & VCM Suite Review: 100% Full PCM Access For 2005-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJs (at the time of writing this, HPTuners only offered access to 05-06 PCMs, however, that has changed and they now provide access to all 97-06 PCMs.)​

​

SCT (for 97-06 models)​

SCT is a popular option for tuning 97-06 Jeep Wrangler TJs. SCT is very big in the automotive tuning industry and has a stellar reputation.​

​

Tuners

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Performance Dyno (can tune 05-06 models)​

Josh uses the HPTuner software and can remotely tune any 05-06 model TJ. In order to have Josh tune your TJ, you'll need the HPTuner MPVI2, as well as a wideband O2 sensor. You can see my review on the HPTuner setup here: HPTuner MPVI2 & VCM Suite Review: 100% Full PCM Access For 2005-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJs​

​

Flyin' Ryan Performance (can tune all 97-06 models)​

Ryan uses SCT to tune all 97-04 models and HPTuners to tune 05-06 models. Like Josh, he can tune remotely, so you can be anywhere in the world and still have him do your tune. Many of us use the FRP tune on our 4.0 equipped TJs including myself. I can't even begin to explain how much of a difference the FRP tune made on my 4.0. You can read more about FRP tuning here: FRP tuning for 97-06 TJs.​

​

Conclusion
Why am I posting this? Because there has been a long standing rumor in the TJ community that these PCMs could not be tuned by anyone, and that they were effectively locked. Well, a little detective work has led me to the right place, because I'm finally putting this myth to rest. It would appear that all hope is not lost for the ability to tune our TJs after all.

Just came across this for the first time. Wondering if there have been any updates over the past few years. Are these still our best three options for software and only two options for tuners?

FWIW, I'm told by a tech rep at FRP that 97 owners should go with SCT, not HP. But I haven't looked into that any further.

 

[Chris]

Just came across this for the first time. Wondering if there have been any updates over the past few years. Are these still our best three options for software and only two options for tuners?

FWIW, I'm told by a tech rep at FRP that 97 owners should go with SCT, not HP. But I haven't looked into that any further.

Not anymore. I need to edit I the original thread now to put @Wranglerfix at the top.

Flyin’ Ryan isn’t worth doing business with since he doesn’t seem to want the business.

 

[Wranglerfix]

We are currently finshing up tunes for the 2003 and 2004 TJ's. We are working on tunes for other TJ years and should have them available very soon. I will keep you posted.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[SSTJ]

Not anymore. I need to edit I the original thread now to put @Wranglerfix at the top.

Flyin’ Ryan isn’t worth doing business with since he doesn’t seem to want the business.

And based on some of what I've read here, plus a look at their site, B&G should also be on the list.

 

[jjvw]

We are currently finshing up tunes for the 2003 and 2004 TJ's. We are working on tunes for other TJ years and should have them available very soon. I will keep you posted.

Thanks,

Mark

2003 is my year! Looking forward to what you come up with.

 

[Jezza]

I have been offering custom PCM tuning services for the TJ/LJ since we released the turbo kit. We have been tuning the JTEC and the NGC controllers for over a decade in other platforms. We also tune all the turbo kit installations we do onsite. There's a link in my signature to the website, or feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions.

 

[Mike_H]

We are currently finshing up tunes for the 2003 and 2004 TJ's. We are working on tunes for other TJ years and should have them available very soon. I will keep you posted.

Thanks,

Mark

Looking forward to what you come up with as well...I have an 04!

 

[SSTJ]

And based on some of what I've read here, plus a look at their site, B&G should also be on the list.

Hi @Chris. Saw the updated OP, but what about B&G on there? Seems like they would fit in both categories, since they offer software, tuners, and also mail-in services. I started a thread here to see what experience others have had with them.

Plus Jezza's tuning services, who chimed in above.

 

[SSTJ]

​

HPTuners (for 97-06 TJ models)​

HPTuners is very big in the GM LS tuning scene, but also the Mopar tuning scene as well. Their MPIV2 in combination with their VCM Suite gives you full access to the PCM on all 97-06 Jeep Wrangler TJ models. It does not have the ability to access 97-06 models. For more information on the HPTuners setup see my review here: HPTuner MPVI2 & VCM Suite Review: 100% Full PCM Access For 2005-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJs (at the time of writing this, HPTuners only offered access to 05-06 PCMs, however, that has changed and they now provide access to all 97-06 PCMs.)​

Hi Chris,

The part I put in bold seems to say the opposite of the previous sentence.

I learned recently that HP tuners does not work for 97 and 98. At least, not the data-logging component, which is necessary for a remote tune. That's why (as you mention below) FRP uses SCT for earlier TJs.

 

[teamgsxr]

I have been offering custom PCM tuning services for the TJ/LJ since we released the turbo kit. We have been tuning the JTEC and the NGC controllers for over a decade in other platforms. We also tune all the turbo kit installations we do onsite. There's a link in my signature to the website, or feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions.

What do you charge for tuning? 04 lj 4.0 auto.
Thank you

 

[bluescapegoat]

Fwiw, I recently tuned a @Wranglerfix it was previously thought that Mark’s PCM would not take the Banks tune and that’s 100% misinformation. His computers have also been successfully tuned using an HPtuners device.

Now that's interesting

 

[Jezza]

What do you charge for tuning? 04 lj 4.0 auto.
Thank you

PM sent

 

[NWPA Jeepy T]

Is there a way to easily UN-tune an 01 Sahara done by the PO? Like to start from scratch

 

[Jezza]

Is there a way to easily UN-tune an 01 Sahara done by the PO? Like to start from scratch

Go to the dealer and have them flash the PCM back to stock. That's the cheapest and easiest option.