I have recorded many clips of video intending to make a complete video of the flashing process. Yet it never completed. I have tried 20+ times to reprogram the amplifier module and it never finishes. It fails at random times. The closest I got was 21 seconds remaining. Generally people say that power spikes/dips cause programming failure so I took that into account and tried switching the following variables:
- Tried my Surface Laptop as well as wife's Motile.
- Left battery tender on SRX
- Fully charged battery and removed battery tender
- Jumper cables to my STS while running and charging at 14.0V
- Jumper cables to my STS while off, voltage around 12.6V
- Disconnected AC adapter to Tech 2 and just ran off battery (while connected to STS)
- Cleared RTC failure by changing time by 1 minute (it's actually a bug in the original firmware that was likely cloned)
- Fooled around a little with serial to USB converter settings
- Ran IE in administrator mode
NONE of these things changed anything at all - same random results. So I guess it's the Tech 2?
Asked Ivan (PHAD) and he says:
Use Tech2WIN with an approved pass through. Remember the Astra from Hell? Tech 2 clones are often junk.
I use the Bosch MasterTech M-VCI. It's discontinued, but if you can find one it works flawlessly.
Great. So what would that setup entail?
Well for starters I'd have to buy a 3 day subscription to Tech2Win for $55. This would effectively replace my Tech 2 with a genuine unit but just running in Java or whatever. Then I would need a J2534 pass through module like MDI (or VCX Nano).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUMJFwMuAkE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqeGnWovaic
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254634186533?h ... Y&LH_BIN=1
Video on a clone MDI:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZfXuuzORZo
He even downloads the MDI drivers direct from Bosch. That's a good sign. And then he flashes the factory GM firmware onto the clone MDI. Even better.
Looks like I can get an MDI clone module for about $200 (or $220 shipped from US). There are also pirated Tech2Win options but I'm not even going to bother.
This would also be a clone but it seems like this setup should work? That would suck to have to spend another $255 (or $275) making this work as that's almost as much as the Tech 2 clone package (that I bought years ago and split with Adam). But then if I am going to pay the dealer $150 or whatever, I would rather put that $150 toward a tool and do it myself (yes, still stubborn).
Technically I think I just need to use a J2534 OBD-II to USB cable. I don't need MDI unless I am doing a GDS vehicle. 2008-2013 was the transition period for GM, depending on the platform. For example, the 2010 Camaro is GDS.