Time to become a member of AMA. The cost of the tow will likely pay for the membership for the year. Gives you some insurance for next time something goes wrong.

 

I have a viable strategy now. J.R. at MPT was most helpful. Stay tuned for the dramatic conclusion.

 

Here's the update. I've learned quite a bit and will now divuldge my knowledge so you may benefit, my fellow Americans.

I learn that SCT has a stand alone program/machine with which they can flash a PCM sans vehicle.
I call SCT to enquire about this and the ability to do so is confirmed.
I am asked for the "box number" on the side of the PCM.
The only numbers are on a white sticker on the front of the PCM, so I begin looking for a field labeled "box number" (yes I know the field will not be labeled as such). So I ask what the number indicates as with this information I can likely decipher if I'm being asked for the serial number, model number, etc...through the process of logic and elimination. The gentleman is unsure, it's the 'box number'. I ask what the format of the 'box number' should be. Anyway, I give him every number.

30 seconds later the answer is "we don't support that one. We typed it in and it said 'not found'."

Conclusion: Call SCT before purchasing a tuner to make sure your 'box number' is supported. If you happen to have a software failure and need rescuing, this is something you will want to know before hand. If you backed up your factory tune to your computer, but the computer hard drive crashes when you try to retrieve your stock tune...well I hope you keep backups and the backups are not on a seagate hard drive. Because that's going to crash too.

Now for the juicy part: the 'box number' is not labeled at all. Its in the dead center at the bottom of the white sticker on the outside of your PCM (at least on a 2004 F150) under the hood on the passenger (right) side firewall. The 'box number' is bigger than all the other numbers. The 'box number' is four alpha numeric characters. For example mine is EAY2.

Bonus information: Western Digital and Hitachi hard drives are what the technicians who recovered my failed Seagate recommend. If you want to step it up, get an enterprise hard drive for your computing needs (ex: Hitachi Ultrastar).

 

I still cannot figure out what I would do with a fellow American's stock tune which no one would share.....which has to be used on...I don't know...a few tens of thousands vehicles if not more. Well ya never know, there are real *ssholes out there....lord knows.

 

I believe stock tunes are keyed to the VIN. Even if you could load someone else's stock tune into your PCM, I don't believe it would work - at all. What would you use to load it with? How would you even obtain it? Be careful what you ask for!

Off topic - WD Blacks are the best consumer-grade hard drives out there, the best enterprise drives are WD RE's.

 

a pcm from the salvage yard can be installed in the truck and it will start, run and drive. There are some features that would need to be reprogramed for full functionality.

i am just slightly disappointed that not one person offered, thats all. whether it was a good idea or not is not their problem, it would be mine.

 

I'll go back and answer my own question at the start of the thread, "Why wouldn't they?"

Answer: Because if someone was considering it, that sweet contribution to my issue being "Dealer,who in their right mind would give u their stock tune ,unless they were trading it in." most likely put enough doubt in someones head that maybe there's something they don't know just crushed my chances.

So thanks for that help. If you don't know anything then don't chime in with your words of wisdom. At least be able to answer the question when it's returned.

Also words of wisdom like, 'be careful what you ask for' is real helpful. What is anyone going to do with that? What value is there? I guess it gets a post count up by one.

 

No it won't. The PATS needs to be reprogrammed or you will have a no-start, and that requires a dealer visit.

 

I'm not going to get in the technicalities of this, as I can be schooled by those with more knowledge. However enjoy and thanks for the fatherly advise.

http://www.bsecorp.com/files/techtips/FORD%20PATS.pdf

 

Most people don't have access to one of those programmers. If you do and know how to use it, you are fortunate.

 

Ease up man, we have no idea as to your knowledge and willingness to experiment with your truck. We get similar questions all the time from guys without a clue and we feel the need to express so caution. Each has his own way of looking at what you are attempting and have the right to express his opinion in a post. That is what a discussion forum is all about. It's your responsibility to sort through the posts and determine if there is info to help with you and your specific problem. Then, if dialog continues, we all learn and benefit.

 

"ease up man"? I do see that you recognize what most do not in the point of a discussion forum. However, you did not chastise others for interjecting their own points which had zero value. At the conclusion, I vomited all information I had gathered. That is of value.

My new conclusion: Much respect Bluejay. But, ease down man....give it to the others too.

 

You may have missed one point in (moderator) Bluejay's post:

I don't see where I or anyone else who has posted in this thread should be chastised. Your tone is one of calling us idiots, and none of us have insinuated that you might be one too. I believe that's why he has asked you to ease up.

 

Exactly.

 

wow