SJ’s TJ

Sj's TJ said:
I'm not surprised to hear that about the PCMs. That's what I'm starting to realize when everything else checks out good, that's the thing I can't really test easily. Luckily they aren't terribly expensive so I can try a different one and see how that one works.
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I have two known GOOD PCM's now. The Dodge PCM's were about $100 in 2006 and thankfully haven't gone up in price much between then & now. You can find them for $150-200 now. I thought I was being funny when I had my VIN installed into one but then every time I used a scan tool it would think I still had a 4 cyl Jeep so it was a PITA to get the scan tool to diagnose the engine. So I ended up buying another one with the stock vin for the V-8 in it.

It would sure be nice if there was a sure fire way for us guys to diagnose the PCM. I know you can do test to eliminate everything else but IMO you're still wondering if it's the PCM. Glad to hear they aren't too expensive too.
 
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Wildman said:
I have two known GOOD PCM's now. The Dodge PCM's were about $100 in 2006 and thankfully haven't gone up in price much between then & now. You can find them for $150-200 now. I thought I was being funny when I had my VIN installed into one but then every time I used a scan tool it would think I still had a 4 cyl Jeep so it was a PITA to get the scan tool to diagnose the engine. So I ended up buying another one with the stock vin for the V-8 in it.

It would sure be nice if there was a sure fire way for us guys to diagnose the PCM. I know you can do test to eliminate everything else but IMO you're still wondering if it's the PCM. Glad to hear they aren't too expensive too.
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Yeah, I can get them for around $175 or so programmed to my setup. I'll look into getting another here in the next few days.
 
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I’ve been working on a bunch of smaller items as an inch towards completion. I have bled the brakes and mounted the trans cooler to the tailgate:
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I have since ran the lines and still need to wire the fan. I also modified the battery tray to work with the Crawltek fenders which meant I had to modify the inner fenders to account for my stretched suspension setup. Here is how it looks:
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I’ll eventually add some aluminum mesh similar to the top to the opening for the OEM towers, but that will come later. Checking off items one at a time.
 
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Paparock1 said:
what programming are you having done if I might ask? I am new to the tuning stuff.
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So what I've come to find out is that since I have an aftermarket cam, I'm going to need a dyno to tune it. I reached out to the guy who sold me the computer and he said the same. I know a local guy who bought my old block and heads and he said he may be able to piece together a tune since I have a Summit cam and stock injectors. I'm still waiting to hear back from him. If not, then I need to find a local dyno to tune it. The cam is why my idle is erratic.
 
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Sj's TJ said:
So what I've come to find out is that since I have an aftermarket cam, I'm going to need a dyno to tune it. I reached out to the guy who sold me the computer and he said the same. I know a local guy who bought my old block and heads and he said he may be able to piece together a tune since I have a Summit cam and stock injectors. I'm still waiting to hear back from him. If not, then I need to find a local dyno to tune it. The cam is why my idle is erratic.
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The one good thing about the LS platform is that the computer is cracked and has so many more values that are tunable compared to the Dodge PCM. But GM computers have always been the first computer they have always cracked as far as I know.
I'd check around and see if you can't get a canned tune?
 
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Wildman said:
The one good thing about the LS platform is that the computer is cracked and has so many more values that are tunable compared to the Dodge PCM. But GM computers have always been the first computer they have always cracked as far as I know.
I'd check around and see if you can't get a canned tune?
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That's a good point. I currently don't have tuning software, but that is easily remedied. Since the motor runs well enough, I finished bleeding the cooling system and steering system. Once I get more of the other items on my punch-list completed, I'll turn my attention back to the tune.
 
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Wildman said:
The one good thing about the LS platform is that the computer is cracked and has so many more values that are tunable compared to the Dodge PCM. But GM computers have always been the first computer they have always cracked as far as I know.
I'd check around and see if you can't get a canned tune?
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They are cracked first because they are better than other options
 
Mike_H said:
They are cracked first because they are better than other options
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They are cracked first from what I understand because they are easier & yes there is more support for that platform than others. From what I've always understood and I am no TUNER by far the Mopar PCM has always been the hardest to crack & has had the least thing that could be tuned once they were cracked.
 
It’s been a few weeks, but I have been checking things off the list. I got the center console modified for the winters shifter and installed the trans temp gauge in the console:

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I also hooked up the shifter mount and cable for the turbo 400:

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As you can see I snaked the cable under the Atlas and over the trans crossmember. What is not shown is I did have to drill a new hole as the parking brake cable hole was to far back. She shifts like a dream. I also got the hood pins installed. They were a bit of pain, but they are in and do the job:

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I also put the rear driver tire on to see how much I would need to trim on the rear wheel wells. Ride height:

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Then at full stuff. Having ORIs make this an easy task:

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For once I got lucky and I don’t need to trim my wheel wells. For once in this project I didn’t have to do anything and it just works. About time.

I also finalized the steering my tightening everything down. I also add fluid to the Atlas and diffs. Once I finish mounting the last tire on the headlock. Then I’ll mount all tires and go for a test drive.
 
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Sj's TJ said:
I also put the rear driver tire on to see how much I would need to trim on the rear wheel wells. Ride height:

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Then at full stuff. Having ORIs make this an easy task:

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For once I got lucky and I don’t need to trim my wheel wells. For once in this project I didn’t have to do anything and it just works. About time.

I also finalized the steering my tightening everything down. I also add fluid to the Atlas and diffs. Once I finish mounting the last tire on the headlock. Then I’ll mount all tires and go for a test drive.
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Wow 👌
Test drive.... you've got to be excited about that.
 
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Sj's TJ said:
I also put the rear driver tire on to see how much I would need to trim on the rear wheel wells. Ride height:

View attachment 486417

View attachment 486418

Then at full stuff. Having ORIs make this an easy task:

View attachment 486419

View attachment 486420

View attachment 486421

For once I got lucky and I don’t need to trim my wheel wells. For once in this project I didn’t have to do anything and it just works. About time.

I also finalized the steering my tightening everything down. I also add fluid to the Atlas and diffs. Once I finish mounting the last tire on the headlock. Then I’ll mount all tires and go for a test drive.
Click to expand...

I'll be making a trip to see the awesome work. I'll bring a towel in case I drool! 🤤
 
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I got the last tire mounted and then got all the wheels/tires on the rig:

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I still need to add nitrogen back into the rear shocks to level her back up. I also need to tighten all the CA jam nuts and adjust the Atlas shifter as the rear arm got loose somehow. Once that’s done, I can take it for a test spin around the neighborhood!!!!! Stoked
 
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