Well after weighing the costs and making sure I still have enough money set aside for the Suncoast tranny...I just bought a Tech 2. I found it for a really good price on ebay (1300 shipped), however it only has a 10mb card and is only updated for 1991-1999 GM vehicles. A week or so ago, I bought the SPS/TIS programming software (found a good deal on that too...150 shipped) so I could reprogram my Lux amp or reprogram head units for people. Now in the description when I bought the TIS software, it said it can update the Tech 2 to the latest software. I assume this is all I need to do to make my Tech 2 work with my 2005 Silverado correct? Plug it into TIS and get the update? Or do I need to buy a whole new PCMCIA 32mb card??? I hope not...Ive spent enough money on everything already.Censored :help:

---Ben

Congratulations on your purchase. When can we start sending you our amps/HUs for reprogramming?:D

Hate to tell you this but your **** out of luck without the 32Mb card. The Tech II is OK but you will need the card and calbes for the Tech II and did you get the KEy for the software. It needs a USB type or parelle port ket to work. You also nedd by weekly updates to go along with it.

arrghhhh I was hoping NOT to hear that!!! Oh well...I guess I did get a pretty good deal even tho the card is worthless. (1300 vs ~3000 for a new Tech 2)
I have the serial-to-RJ45 cable for hooking it up to the computer...the TIS software package I bought DID come with a key, I made sure of that. Im confused...I need to BUY a new key or something every 2 weeks? You gotta be kidding!!! I thought I would be good with my current SPS/TIS software for at LEAST a year!!! grrrrrr...

---Ben

One other thing. I found a 32MB card on ebay for like 100 bucks. But its got OPEL and Saab software on it. Can I buy this and write over it with the latest 26.007 (or whatever the latest is) GM Tech 2 software?? Or does it have to be a "GM 32mb" PCMCIA card???

--Ben

From what I gather, you'll need that 32mb card AND the new Can-di box to use that Tech2 on 03-newer trucks. As for updating the programming, Eric told me you needed a key to access it, and the most recent, current programs are big $$.

You have guts for taking that plunge, Ben.

I dont think you need the CAN-di module. Only a FEW new Cadillacs (XLR is the only one i can think of) run on a full CAN-bus network. Our trucks are all Class II except for PCM-to-TCM communication, for which Class II is too slow a data rate. But the PCM and TCM's have CAN to Class II "converters" so they can talk with the BCM. Whenever my truck has been hooked up to a Tech 2, they didnt use the CAN-di module.

---Ben

Only thing I need to know...is...can I use a 32mb card that has old Saab or Opel software on it???? And then hook it up to GM TIS and upload the latest GM software on to that 32mb card?? Cause I can get an old outdated 32mb 'SAAB' PCMCIA card for like 100 bucks. And I have TIS/SPS CD's for my computer... If worse comes to worse, I can go to my dealer and beg for the TIS-updates. We are good family friends with our dealer so I dont think it will be a problem...just inconvienient because the dealer is about 45 minutes away from my house. And 6 hours away from me right now (at college)!!!

---Ben

Just ship me the Tech 2 and new card and I'll take a ride to the dealership and get it programmed for you. :exactly:

Of course shipping it back could be a problem. :lol:

DD

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:lol: :funnypost
haha thanks DD!! Ill let you know when it comes in. I just need to find out now if I can grab an old outdated Tech 2 NON-GM 32mb card (I can get an old Saab card for like 100 bucks) and then "convert" it/update it to use the latest GM software (via TIS). I dont see why I couldnt do this, right? I mean a 32mb card is a 32mb card, no?

--Ben

Not sure if the cards are the same.

The TIS stuff you got is only gonna get you so current. Depending on what you got, you may be only as new as 10/04 ( just a number in thin air, no meaning)

Regardless, the tech-2 is worthless with a 10mg card.

IIRC when I bought my 32 mg card it was about 600 bucks. I have all the TIS programming but I dont have a subscription to keep it updated... thats about 1200 per year last I knew.

Thanks Eric...I think ill buy that old Saab/Opel 32mb card anyway and try to update it using my TIS subscription that I bought. Its 100 bucks and if it refuses the Chevy update, I can always resell it. The TIS subscription I bought was version 25.006, which is the latest and covers 199x to 2006 vehicles. I wont ever need to update it because my truck is a 2005, correct? Like what Im asking is my TIS service wont vanish into thin air after X amount of time right? It just wont be up to date, obviously. Am I correct?? If I just spent 200 bucks on TIS software that will only hold me out for a month and then be rendered useless or something im gonna be MAD!!!

----Ben