97-06 Jeep Wrangler TJ ECM / PCM Tuning Options

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.

I called today about buying software and was quoted $699. I might be able to stomach $599, but $699 might price me out. Did knock sensor activation come up in your conversation?
 
I called today about buying software and was quoted $699. I might be able to stomach $599, but $699 might price me out. Did knock sensor activation come up in your conversation?

TJs don’t have a knock sensor.

Perhaps I was mistaken about the prices, but I could have sworn I heard him right. I’ll have to call again and double check. It’s cheaper to just have him do it for you though.
 
If the ECU is capable of using a knock sensor, adding a sensor is possible. The timing tables are way too conservative for economy or power. I would like to tweak it and it may satisfy me power wise. If not, I love turbocharged engines and could build a kit over a weekend. Buying the software would good for me because I tend to enjoy tinkering.
 
I tried several weeks to get in touch with B&G by phone and email to purchase tuning software for my 2004 with no luck. Has any one else inquired about software and got a response?
 
I tried several weeks to get in touch with B&G by phone and email to purchase tuning software for my 2004 with no luck. Has any one else inquired about software and got a response?

I’ve been waiting to hear back from David at B&G for a month now, and haven’t heard a single thing.

Something must have happened but I don’t know what. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Let me know if you hear back from him. Hopefully nothing bad happened!
 
Me neither. They seem to have fallen off the face of the earth.

Sad, since David was a really nice (and smart) guy when I spoke with him on the phone.
That’s crazy he gave you all that info and then never responded back again. I think I am a little green when it comes to the tuning talk. I am not sure what I will gain and whether it’s something I should be looking into.
 
That’s crazy he gave you all that info and then never responded back again. I think I am a little green when it comes to the tuning talk. I am not sure what I will gain and whether it’s something I should be looking into.
Yep, it blows me away that he just sort of fell off the face of the earth like that.

If you have someone who knows what they are doing tune your PCM, you can definitely pick up some extra power, there is no question about it whatever. Paired with some long tube headers like the ARH ones (which aren't cheap though), I expect you could pick up almost an extra 20whp, possibly more. That restrictive stock exhaust manifold with the pre-cats is probably the biggest bottle neck in the entire 4.0 design from what I've been told by all the engine builders out there (including Golen and ARH).
 
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