Well you don't have to be a factory trained tech to answer this . I've read several posts about what the ECM will and will not record as far as boxes and performance mods and there seems to be opinions on oppisite extremes on the subject so I'd like to start a new thread to discuss it more in depth. Some of your knowledge on the computer related functions on the truck is over my head but I would like to hear from you on the subject anyway and hopefully you could tell us how you were able to know these things are true, by true I mean not just second hand information because thats all I personally have. A friend of mine is a service writer and he says it records it any time someting exceeds the factory settings but I'm not sure he knows or is maybe just telling me that to keep me from boxing my truck. He said if something happened to my truck be he couldn't help me. I've read posts from bigblock2stroke and maybe Superduty about properly clearing codes and I'd like you to discuss how to do that also since the two subjects seem to go together. Thanks for a great board and bring on the knowledge.. LCH

 

From what I'm told there's no way to completely erase everything from the computer. And no, I'm not a service tech, but I did stay at a holiday inn.

 

Guys, don't let the title of the thread stop you from sharing your knowledge. I think BigBlue found the humor in it. Goofy title, serious subject. LCH

 

I had one dodge dealer and one specialty diesel shop tell me it was impossible to tell if it had a box on it. The only way is if they seen the box or if the wiring has been played with. I do not know if I believe them because they can not pin point my problem of black smoke, they just say "I think you have a leaky injector". I do not want to change injectors on a "I think".

 

you ecm does not have enough memory to datalog. there for I don't see how they would really be able to prove a box was on unless they just saw signs of the install. It may store a code of out of range parameter but that is not proof positve of a box.

leave you velcro for you edge up on the fuse box. pretty obvious that you had something there. not sure if there is legal grounds to void waranty on that but if there were obvious signs of overheating etc and there was evidance of mods they would proably make sue before they would pay out.

I think this is a hard question to get answered truthfully. I think there are alot of varibles. I am sure if you go in with a blown engine and it is going to cost dodge $$$$$ they will look harder for reasons to void the waranty.

 

velcro??? oh yeah.... I had my EZ pass up there for a few tolls but it didn't register too well so I moved it back up in my window...... thats what the velcro is from, Honest.

 

Nice

I'm not typing it twice and you know what I think.

I also can't tell you how I actually know.

 

Yes, I know what you "think" and I appreciate your post in the other thread. Your post as well as Superduty's post is what prompted me to start this thread. I can't question whether or not you can tell me how you know, you must have a good reason but you also didn't share with us how to properly clear the codes either and from reading some of your posts I think you might know how. I did say I'd like to discuss these things more in depth and your answer was pretty short. I can't imagine why all this information would be some great secret if it does indeed exist. It's diffucult to come across in writing like you mean to sometimes so don't take this wrong, I don't mean it smart but I'm really thinking now that most people are like me on this subject, all they know is " someone told me this or that " they don't really know for sure and it would be nice if one of you that have seen first hand one way or the other to chime in and tell us. There's got to be someone here that has had their hands on one of these ECMs that has the knowledge and is willing to share it. Surly I'm not the only one that want's to know this.
Thanks to everyone who has responded so far...LCH

 

Guys, let me also point out that I'm not looking to find a way to bomb the crap out of my truck and then let dodge pay my repairs on the stuff I break, thats not my intentions at all with this thread. If I do ever put a box on my truck it would be something mild because I work out of it every day and reading some different opionions on the subject I thought it would be fun to have a thread that we could learn some facts on the subject. I know some of you might be thinking "this guy sure doesn't know much" but we all have to start somewhere and I thought this is what boards like this were for. Remember we all didn't wake up one day knowing what we know about anything, someone had to teach us....LCH

 

I'm not familiar with the programmers for the CTD, but I was told by a good friend who is an engineer at DC that the Superchip I had on my 4.7 could be detected and that the read out would state when the computer had been changed.

He's up there a little ways and had no doubt about it being detected if it was actually checked for, that's the key, they may not check the computer for that info(or whatever the heck they do).

He made it sound like it may not be checked for at all times, but did state it would void any warranties if they wanted to use it against an owner that used a chip.

 

The ecm cannot tell if there was a box hooked to the truck! The only thing you may see are some overboost codes but that alone will not prove there was a box hoooked up.

 

The diffrence here is you put on a programmer, They can check and see when the last change was made to an ecm. Thats in their. But a box that just sends diffrent signals to a stock ecm cant be detected. Unless they find obvious deals like a pierced wire on a vp44 on a 2nd generation ram

 

The only thing they can check at a dealership is the part number thats it. Now maybe when they send the ECM back to the vendor the vendor can see the program has been altered but by then youve already gotten the warranty work done.

 

Hum, Im a heavy duty mechanic, Semi trucks and the like. I know that when i plug the ez tech into the cummins engines it gives you how many times its been changed. No matter if it was just a speed govener increase or the like. I assume that the smaller ones would keep track just the same? WHo knows

 

Well i cant speak for other diag systems but i now the DRB which i use cant tell