MOPAR PCM Installed today. Small Review

[lmcgrew79]

Hey just a quick comment on the hour drive home with the new pcm. I have the corsa exhaust and the RT metallic cats.

1. I noticed that the idle is much smoother now. Not nearly as noisy or diesel sounding as it was at idle before.
2. No as loud as it was in the cabin at regular cruising speeds. Seem the lil bit of drone is gone. At wot it still screams.
3. Playing with the throttle as far as off throttle to back on throttle was much smoother, the drive train just feels less jumpy. Def Improvment.
4. The obnoxious "fuel burn" popping is going. It has more of a race car whine down, which i think sounds much better. More of a small and tight gurgle.
5. RPM Gauge looks not to hang as much. Probably wouldn't notice if i didnt know it corrected it.
6. Power? Who knows 10 hp would probably be hard to notice. I did notice in second gear i got a lil more tire spin than usually. Could have been the 80's weather today on the pilot sports. The colder it is the worst they are.
7. Skip shift obvious
8. Overall, it seems to refine the car. From, noise to throttle response. Just seems right, like the way it probably should have been. I got a base line dyno before 520 hp 488 ft/lb tq. Ill repost when i get it redynoed.

 

[viperdrummer]

Number 4 is the reason I am reluctant to get it. Like the rest.

 

[lmcgrew79]

As soon i get time ill try to make a video. Ill tell you the idle improves so much you would forget about the, popping. Its still pretty loud when decelerating sounds like the opposite of accelerating if that makes sinces.

 

[01sapphirebob]

Number 4 is the reason I am reluctant to get it. Like the rest.

Agreed. I love the decel pop. One of the cool things about the GEN IV's.

 

[STUGOTS]

thats only on gen 4's right?

 

[challenger&viper]

I have the same set-up except i have Roe racing cats and i noticed every point you said.
My stock viper did 535 hp 510 trq. duuno what is the # with now.

 

[1.8t]

Was the throttle response and the lag associated with the stock PCM improved an appreciable amount? This would be the main reason why I would pursue this mod.

 

[redtanrt10]

Was the throttle response and the lag associated with the stock PCM improved an appreciable amount? This would be the main reason why I would pursue this mod.

Not sure how you would define appreciable, it definately is noticible, but doesn't eliminate the lag. Best bet would be to demo another members viper whose got one. If you've got travel plans to SCA, stop on by. Mike

 

[2001ViperGTS]

Number 4 is the reason I am reluctant to get it. Like the rest.

I agree, this was the reason I haven't bought it as well...

 

[PAvenomRT/10]

Can someone enumerate why this PCM is for "off road" use only? Is it because the skip shiift is eliminated which could affect gas mileage or an effect on emissions or a combination of factors?
BTW, I happen to like the popping on decel and the rough idle. Behaves more like a race car than a street car.
PAVenomRT/10
2009 ACR

 

[1.8t]

It is not streetegal because it turns the rear 02 sensors off, therefore not passing an OBD2 scan.

 

[Brian GTS]

Number 4 is the reason I am reluctant to get it. Like the rest.

Same here....otherwise, I'd be all over it. LOVE the pop!!!

 

[JonB]

Can someone enumerate why this PCM is for "off road" use only? Is it because the skip shiift is eliminated which could affect gas mileage or an effect on emissions or a combination of factors?
BTW, I happen to like the popping on decel and the rough idle. Behaves more like a race car than a street car.
PAVenomRT/10 2009 ACR

Any of the factors you cite would make it fail a Fed Emissions OEM program..... and a combination is 3+ strikes.

I have NOT given up with a 'line-item-restore' of the idle-program only, to restore the BURBLE so many like. Since its an off-road unit, no Fed issues! Stay tuned...... But it is a great mod, for the 7 reasons McGrew notes (thanks) and he did not even mention: NO CELs

 

[lmcgrew79]

8. I almost forgot no cel codes. Luckily i didnt have any in the short 2 weeks of factory pcm. JonB mention it could happen, when i ordered. I guess i just didnt get so unlucky.
JonB has been the upmost helpful in getting all these products to me. Corsa Track, PCM, and RT Cats. Flawlessly quick.
For christmas my wife dont know it yet but she is getting me Belanger Headers. If my patiences can only hold out that long.

 

[Pappa Prich]

Thanks for the review. Good luck on waiting for the headers, lol

 

[red heat]

8. I almost forgot no cel codes. Luckily i didnt have any in the short 2 weeks of factory pcm. JonB mention it could happen, when i ordered. I guess i just didnt get so unlucky.
JonB has been the upmost helpful in getting all these products to me. Corsa Track, PCM, and RT Cats. Flawlessly quick.
For christmas my wife dont know it yet but she is getting me Belanger Headers. If my patiences can only hold out that long.

9. for all you track rats out there (like myself), redline is actually at 6500RPM with the PCM. for me , getting the PCM installed was a no brainer

 

[Viper Parts of America]

One of our local guys installed one in his 2008 and was shocked at the difference. He said the seat-of-the-pants acceleration was noticeably different. He made somewhere around 600 rwhp at the last dyno day with exhaust, etc. Needless to say, a few more then upgraded their Gen IV's after that!

 

[JonB]

2008 benefits the most, becasue the 08 idle and throttle-by-wire program is more 'intrusive' than 09-10

 

[purplesnake]

Any of the facors you cite would make it fail a Fed Emissions OEM program..... and a combination is 3+ strikes.

I have NOT given up with a 'line-item-restore' of the idle-program only, to restore the BURBLE so many like. Since its an off-road unit, no Fed issues! Stau tuned...... But it is a great mod, for the 7 reasons McGrew notes (thanks) and he did not even mention: NO CELs

I agree with all the positives, but I miss the burble terribly. Screams at WOT, but sounds like a Honda on decel. I hope Jon, or somebody figures out how to return that fantastic decel sound!

 

[purplesnake]

Any of the factors you cite would make it fail a Fed Emissions OEM program..... and a combination is 3+ strikes.

I have NOT given up with a 'line-item-restore' of the idle-program only, to restore the BURBLE so many like. Since its an off-road unit, no Fed issues! Stay tuned...... But it is a great mod, for the 7 reasons McGrew notes (thanks) and he did not even mention: NO CELs

I agree with all of the improvements, but I really miss the burble. It screams at WOT, but sounds like a Honda on decel. I hope Jon or someone can figure out how to return that terrific decel sound!

 

[purplesnake]

Sorry about the dupe...I have been having trouble with the site and didn't think the first one went through!

 

[Cobraken]

Is it a burble that is missed or a pop? How much does the PCM run?

 

[georgethedog]

thats only on gen 4's right?

My Gen 3 pops a lot on decel and I like it very much--it also amuses my kid and gets the attention of the person next to me. Even better sounding with the new Corsa from Jon B.

 

[lmcgrew79]

Any of you know what a 4 wheeler or harley sounds like one decel. Its kinda like that in my opinion. The car isnt as loud at cruise speeds either. Before i had to turn the radio up to like 30 to hear it. Now its about 20.

 

[evomind]

i believe that pop or burble is indicative that it is slightly out of tune. too much unburnt fuel on decel.
i have the mopar pcm and am just fine without that burble.

 

[Sonoman]

The popping is generally from unburnt fuel accumulating in the exhaust and igniting there. This can happen from multiple misfires not burning the fuel in the combustion chambers and passing it through to the exhaust. What I have found while doing tuning on motorcycles is the incidence of popping increases as you go either too lean OR way too rich, so hearing a lot of decel popping was not a reliable indicator of which direction the mixture was deviating from optimum. Also, air entering the exhaust system through a leak near the engine increases the tendency to pop (you would think positive pressure would force flow OUT of the exhaust leak, but at times fresh air is drawn IN to exhaust leaks as well). Using a multiple spark discharge ignition can reduce popping in the exhaust, but does not eliminate it. As it turns out, snapping the throttle shut while the engine is turning high rpms is not the easiest condition to compensate fuel mixture for, as you might imagine. An ignition timing curve which has dependence on rpm will be wrong for an air starved, high-vacuum condition if optimized for a loaded, open-throttle condition. A modern FI system can compensate for both states, but from a purely perfomance standpoint, the decel tuning is insignificant. Decel tuning is mostly significant for emissions and aesthetic/sound reasons, and improving the life of the exhaust system components.

 

[bmw2nv2000]

What is involved in swapping to the venom controller? Do you just plug in the new venom controller and fire it up or does it have to be programmed to the car? And once it has been installed in a certain car does that mean its vin locked to that car or can it be used on a different car later?

 

[JonB]

What is involved in swapping to the venom controller? Do you just plug in the new venom controller and fire it up or does it have to be programmed to the car? And once it has been installed in a certain car does that mean its vin locked to that car or can it be used on a different car later?

Great Questions....the answers:

-MoPar Stage One Gen 4 PCM Must be installed at a Dodge Dealer with a STAR computer. The PCM is programmed with the VIN, and also some learned paramters must be pre-programmed by the dealer.

-Once installed, the car can swap the OE PCM back and forth with the same dealer-software interface needed to update mileage log only. [If you have electronic plug-in emissions testing, this swap process will be needed. The S-1 PCM is "Off Road" emissions program.]

-Once installed it is Vin-locked to that car.....a dealer cannot change the VIN. And If the dealer fat-fingers the VIN, they have a big problem..I know of 2 dealers that had to buy another. (But we can get it re-burned)

 

[1.8t]

So you're saying that you can't just unplug the Venom ECU and plug the OEM one back in for an emissions test? You have to go back to the dealer to have them reinstall your OEM PCM?? If so, that is incredibly ***.

 

[bmw2nv2000]

Thanks John, So now I'll have to find a dealer who I can actually trust to do the swap for me since I live nowhere near a viper certified dealer