I agree, it would be great if you could just do the whole thing with a plain scanner. There really isn't any relearn process. The DRB sets the idle high, maybe 1200 rpm. At that point if you were out of sync it shows + or - to help you get it back in sync. Once you are close it reads degrees so you turn the OPDA until it reads zero or close to it. It's just a readout of what the timing difference is, there is no data stored in the PCM about it. Resetting the computer is obviously a total waste of time. You simply are setting it to zero, that's it.
Okay, it's the modern digital version of a timing light. Thanks for explaining it.
So do I have this right? The PCM doesn't really do anything special, it just responds to inputs from the DRB. The DRB sends an idle value, and then starts reading a timing value or two. Compares those and displays which way you have to adjust it. You turn the OPDA to zero it. When you're done, hit a button and the DRB turns the idle back down.
That would be almost tempting to write some code and try, if we knew what timing values it's reading. But I would rather try it on someone else's Jeep when they're not looking.
So do I have this right? The PCM doesn't really do anything special, it just responds to inputs from the DRB. The DRB sends an idle value, and then starts reading a timing value or two. Compares those and displays which way you have to adjust it. You turn the OPDA to zero it. When you're done, hit a button and the DRB turns the idle back down.
That would be almost tempting to write some code and try, if we knew what timing values it's reading. But I would rather try it on someone else's Jeep when they're not looking.
Someone already has it - but not sure how good the reverse engineering is. I had found and bookmarked this link a while ago when I went crazy trying to fix the harmonic vibes issue.
https://www.controllertech.com/products/drb-iii-emulator
Only way to know how good this is to compare against how it does against a real DRB III. Other than @mrblaine, I don't know anyone on the forum that has or knows someone who has a DRBIII + knows how to use it properly. Those DRBIII tools should last a while ... but like everything else electronic, one day it will fail to boot.
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Given how old it is, it has an pretty complicated interface with a lot of menus and submenus and it is EASY to miss stuff. I have seen enough on youtube to know that it is not as intuitiuve as we think it is. I remember reading that Chrysler gave very specific training on it to techs and they won't do that if it were as simple as "follow the manual".
Modern scan tools running on android (or whatever) are far easier to use.
When I was looking for a dealership to activate my SKIM module, though many dealerships near me had the tool, they had no one that knew how to use it. It took me calling 10-11 dealerships before I found one ~20 miles away with an older tech who knew how to use it to flash my ECU and the get the SKIM activated and then to program the keys. So this stuff is not as trivial as you think.
Do you have one? If yes, what have you used it for? Wasn't clear from your comments above.
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Nobody reverse engineered anything, the DRB emulator is Chrysler software that is free.
I have the DRB3 and I've used torque and several other code readers. The DRB is pretty easy to navigate, you just have to remember to hit the "more" key. The tool is just expensive so not many people get to play with them. They can't enable/disable skim on their own, while they do write the firmware they don't generate it. Most people watch experienced mechanics use the DRB and don't really understand what's going so they give the tool a little more credit than it deserves. I hope that makes sense. Enabling and disabling SKIM is complicated and it does use the DRB but the DRB is just flashing the PCM which isn't complicated. I am positive that anybody on this forum could use it trouble free. I am not suggesting by a mile that I have some special skills because I bought a tool.
Are you sure what you linked to is official Chrysler software? Does not look like it. I would be surprised if Chrysler benevolently open sourced their proprietary software completely free for public use. It is either illegally copied and shared, or reverse engineered. Scan tool makers may perhaps have some agreement with Chrysler for that information but I do not know much in that area and so a just guessing.
I am sure most here can learn to use it. That isn't the point. You implied (or maybe I misunderstood) that it is trivial to use and all I am saying that is it is not trivial.
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You can download the same emulator from Chrysler, I didn't look hard for the link, I think it's called tech authority or something. I've run it but was hesitant to buy some clone wiTech and really didn't want to pay the subscription or spend the massive amount on a real Chrysler wiTech. I hear what you are saying about the complexity but it really is just expensive and honestly getting one of those cheap chinese ELM things to talk the right language can be equally difficult.
You want complicated, I just helped a buddy turn off seat belt chimes and connect to his tire sensors on a 2013 F150, that's complicated.
This part just really gets to me for some reason. Nobody is going to plug it in backwards, you imply that you need some special skills or something and this site to me is just the furthest thing from that. You don't have to be some smarty pants to do any of this stuff. Dealer mechanics can figure it out, so can most of the guys here. If you ever are in the area I'd be happy to let you use it.
You want complicated, I just helped a buddy turn off seat belt chimes and connect to his tire sensors on a 2013 F150, that's complicated.
that doesn't really seem to align with this post, which makes it appear indeed very simple...
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/sentry-key-immobilizer-module-skim-install-retrofit.44/
I stopped in to my local dealer today and they didn't seem interested in doing this.
I'd hope that when the dealer wouldn't take your money it would tell you what level of simple it is. Did you tell them you read on the internet that it's easy? (just kidding) I have heard it is easier to enable versus disable to prevent just disabling skim with a scan tool. Let me know if you find out any details. I don't know all about it and certainly enjoy learning what can and can't be done. You do need the code from the dealer to work with the skim module at some point. I have three good keys so I've never had to dive into it but I did get the code just in case the dealership database is encrypted and they don't want to pay the bitcoin ransom.
Their issue is that the service writer didn't believe they had a drb3.
I'm chasing down a lead with a local ecm guy that's up for trying it out. He commented that people usually want to go the other way so that leads me to believe he's at least been into those functions with it.
You don't need a DRB3, their computer system has the emulator and unless you need to re-flash the PCM that's not an issue. If the process is "easy" like you say the emulator on their current system will work fine. This is probably a case of a less than super smart service manager.
It was clear from the look on their eyes that they had no idea what I was talking about. The two guys at jeep sent me next door to dodge/ram/Chrysler and the four guys in that office didn't know any more.
Aren't they all?
You kinda gave them an out if you mentioned the DRB, "oh ya, we don't have one of those." If you just tell them to do it maybe it'll get to the tech and that guy will just get it done? Hindsight and all.
There is when I plug my DRB III into my 05 LJ Rubicon:
I can't figure out what it does, though. The engine has to be off to do it, and not much happens, other than you get a message that it's done after a few seconds...
Perhaps it just sets a flag used by the PCM to do something the next time it's running?
I just got this DRB III, so I’m as far away from a subject matter expert as one can get, unfortunately. However, I’ll look through the menus and take some screen shots if that will help.