ROM Boot ISX

[Rawze]

(09-21-2018 )oldgms Wrote:  Is there any precautions i can take to avoid the dreaded RomBoot? I just tried updating my calibration from Quickserve and ended up with romboot, so had to pay cummins 300 to zapit and install the updated calibration. I'm working on a demandated tune and now i'm nervous because i don't want to go thru this again. My truck is a 2004 KW T800 with ISX CM 870. Any pointers would be much appreciated. If i need to purchase the RomBoot cable which one should i trust? The internet is full of them, But just because it say's so on the internet doesn't make it true LOL.

CM870's are notorious for this. Some rules to follow will keep you from ending up in that situation...

* NEVER EVER EVER try to flash one using anything but the j1939 connector either in the dash (and lock out the J1708) or use the "Weather Pack" connector on CAN1 for the engine harness. CAN2 connector will brick the ECM as Unilevers stated above. Sometimes people get away with trying to flash one through the dash connector/1708 but you are doing nothing but asking for this problem. Insite with a genuine inline5 or 6 will flash with 1708 but unreliably.

* You should NOT use certian versions of calterm to dump "download" file to one unless you are prepared to un-brick the thing yourself just like you have experienced. CT corrupts portions of the file for the CM870 unpredictably when you try to save the file.

* You should NOT Edit an original Incal file to create a custom tune or del file directly unless you know how to "Un-corrupt" it adfter you have hit the "Save" buttopn in that software. The "Save" button in certian versions of Cal4THerm is you enemy on the CM870 ECM's. It corrupts parts of the file every time. Sometimes ppl will get away with it and sometimes they won't, and hence the ECM is bricked at some point. Performing only an overlay usually does not cause this issue though.

* Lastly,.. it is ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE --- ABSOLUTELY !!!!!!! --- TO MAKE A PROPER "DELETE" FILE FOR THE CM870 separate from the ECM!!!. You can get mnost of the way there,.. but there are parameters and settings THAT ARE ONLY LOCCATED IN LIVE RAM DATA that need changing too, hence fourth it is impossible to make a file that can just be dumped into the thing. IT HAS TO BE EDITED LIVE WHILE CONNECTED TO THE ECM for those ram settings to get properly done. -- This is ALSO WHY there4 are so many unstable and bad programs out there for that model engine.


-- My suggestion -- Get with Mommaburt or Unilevers and have them do the thing for you. 870 ECU's are particularly finicky bastards and picky to get right even for the veterans. They are an unstable, buggy ECM and always have been.


** I think Unilevers is on vacation this week so have some patience if you have PM'd him.