What is the deal with saleen?

Matt Saunoras · May 22, 2012

After today I am seriously ready to say no to every saleen/roush piece of crap that rolls through the door. Sorry if this offends anyone but I've had it, if saleen can't make a vehicle that I can accurately diagnose then get it the hell out of here. I guarantee I'm not the first one to pull such a stupid stunt before and saleen confirmed it happens all the time.

There is no technical support on the subject, no job aid on how to properly hook up IDS, and nothing warning of the instant reprogram of the PCM when IDS is finally acknowledging a PCM in the vehicle. Hotline tells me saleen isn't even affiliated with ford!

I had technical hotline by my side the entire time when an 07 mustang came in with the radio backlight inop. The pinpoint test basically says to install as-built into the ACM so it's networked with the entire vehicle and illuminates when everything else does. That would be no problem IF it was a normal mustang.

So hooking up IDS tells me that the PCM is blank, now I know this isn't true because the vehicle drove into the shop. So I contact hotline. IDS wants to start a new session with the VIN and PCM part number (or tear tag). Hotline offers up the part number and I found the tear tag. Hotline says both will work. So I punch the vin and part number in.

If you can see where this is going that was a bad thing to do. Very bad thing to do. Instantly IDS starts reprogramming in the stock PCM calibration without prompt.... before I could even pull the DLC it's in the middle of an erase.

So I inform hotline of what just happened and they can't understand why. Normally a pcm with an aftermarket calibration will have what's called a unique identifier encrypted as the pcm part number (engineering number) and the IDS will recognize this. We came to the conclusion that saleen never programmed this into the pcm and that's why IDS immediately thought it was blank. Then I come to think of all the 6.4 reprogramming issues we had with blanking PCMs on every single truck that came in for the 11B23 recall. Soon after later IDS calibrations were recognizing and correcting this problem instantly.

And that's where the problem lies. So I was told to call saleen. I rarely lose my cool but seeing as how I'm out about 4 hours on this car that ran fine when it came in I almost lost it on the phone with tech support. This was after they casually tried to mention their $250 reprogram fee. Saleen will be taking care of my fuck up but not before getting an earfull (especially when he tried to bad mouth ford techs Posted Image )

So the lesson here is, the safest thing to do with a saleen or roush anything is to unplug the PCM before even hooking up IDS. As I learned the only way to reprogram their calibration is to send the pcm to california.

Why would I post this on a diesel forum? Please learn from my mistake. This is the general manager's brother in law's car. GM doesn't know about it yet and we don't really get along.

DieselD · May 22, 2012

Been there done that with the roush side. I feel your pain brother!!!

Keith Browning · May 22, 2012

I think we had a similar experience with a Roush as well.

mrbudge · May 22, 2012

I have seen engine failures on Roushcharger equipped vehicles that have been re-flashed with the stock calibration by accident. I pull the pcm flash enable wire out of the dlc and tape it back into the harness to prevent writing over the aftermarket program. I also write on the pcm "do not re-flash" in black sharpie.

Matt Saunoras · May 23, 2012

Yeah the engineer I talked to insisted I don't start the vehicle because it will pretty quickly flood out the cylinders. I hadn't even thought of it but with larger injectors the fueling has to be cut way back at idle speeds.