Read This Before Buying A Second Hand Capa Box..

[bencat]

A word to the wise here guys, if the car HAS NOT been returned to the ford standard tune ie: reflash back to factory, you CAN NOT UNLOCK the capa box in Australia at a tuning shop, it must be sent to the USA to get unlocked and that'll cost you many many hundreds of dollars (roughly half what a new unit costs)...

Speaking from first hand experiance here by the way, you can confirm this with Capa...

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my understanding was this is only true if it has ben used multiple times and it does`t have any lifes left.I think you are incorrect on that one son.

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Mate, I am right, I just went through the process, get the facts before posting.

A unit can be used on 5 separate VIN's at once, no worries, but before using it on another VIN you must flash the previous VIN back to factory, it will then 'save' the previous VIN as one of the 5, thus you can then use it on the next, there is a 'unlock xcal' function in the tuners software, but only useable if the previous VIN was flashed back to factory.

You can then retune any of the 5 VIN's as many times as you want so long as you follow the process above. Also, if ford reflash over your tune, the unit then becomes useless, can't be used on ANY vin and must be sent back to the USA.

Again, if ya don't believe me just ask Capa in Australia, don't do what I did and believe the bullcrap on the forums or even what the 'top' tuners tell you, as they told me that no worries, just send it back to Capa Australia and they will charge you around $200 to reset it, Capa Australia can not do that.

Everything above is fact, all of it can be checked with one phone call to Capa.

Edited 10/01/07 04:08 AM by bencat

[Dagabond]

Take it back to whoever you purchased it from and have them re-flash the original back into it.....

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*COUGH*

Also which forum did you read it on?

It sure aint here it's been covered MANY times.

[RAPHOON]

A word to the wise here guys, if the car HAS NOT been returned to the ford standard tune ie: reflash back to factory, you CAN NOT UNLOCK the capa box in Australia at a tuning shop, it must be sent to the USA to get unlocked and that'll cost you many many hundreds of dollars (roughly half what a new unit costs)...

Speaking from first hand experiance here by the way, you can confirm this with Capa...

←

my understanding was this is only true if it has ben used multiple times and it does`t have any lifes left.I think you are incorrect on that one son.

←

Mate, I am right, I just went through the process, get the facts before posting.

A unit can be used on 5 separate VIN's at once, no worries, but before using it on another VIN you must flash the previous VIN back to factory, it will then 'save' the previous VIN as one of the 5, thus you can then use it on the next, there is a 'unlock xcal' function in the tuners software, but only useable if the previous VIN was flashed back to factory.

You can then retune any of the 5 VIN's as many times as you want so long as you follow the process above. Also, if ford reflash over your tune, the unit then becomes useless, can't be used on ANY vin and must be sent back to the USA.

Again, if ya don't believe me just ask Capa in Australia, don't do what I did and believe the bullcrap on the forums or even what the 'top' tuners tell you, as they told me that no worries, just send it back to Capa Australia and they will charge you around $200 to reset it, Capa Australia can not do that.

Everything above is fact, all of it can be checked with one phone call to Capa.

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Almost everything you say sounds about right except for the Fords flashing your car. The box holds the tunes. If you take your car to FoMoCo and they flash a new tune over the top, then you can re-flash your tune in, as long as its your car and your flashbox.

Done it before and I know it works.

[bencat]

To be fair, I actually did a search for Capa and Reset on this forum, and on AFF and both came up with nothing that indicated my problem, most posts just said - get your tuner to reset it - nothing that I found described it with any clarity at all.

Now, in saying that I'm sure 600 people will search the forums and find something I missed.

Should make a sticky about this sort of stuff, seeing as how just about everyone is using these things and effectivly your better off buying a new one rather than a second hand one that is vin locked for whatever reason, as the cost is near on the same for second hand + reset. Also, with a new one you get a warrenty.

My biggest gripe is that the tuners themselves didn't really know what the process is (not their fault at all btw), I would assume that it's an education thing for Capa to address, and during my conversation with Capa (who by the way are very very helpful, qudos to them) stated that they will be sending out a new bulletin to their authorised resellers clarifying exactaly how it works.

[Dagabond]

Take it back to whoever you purchased it from and have them re-flash the original back into it.....

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[bencat]

Almost everything you say sounds about right except for the Fords flashing your car.  The box holds the tunes.  If you take your car to FoMoCo and they flash a new tune over the top, then you can re-flash your tune in, as long as its your car and your flashbox.

Done it before and I know it works.

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You are correct to a point, if the standard ford tune is changed, IE: you had version 1.1 in your capa box, and ford flash over your custom tune with version 1.2 you're stuffed. The box actually comes with a page, in huge letters, stating that if ford do flash over your custom tune the unit then becomes unuseable. Your experiance differs thus I would assume (can you verify please, don't like assumtions) as they probably flashed over your tune with the same version as is stored in the box.

If this is in fact incorrect and they flashed over your custom with a different version of the standard tune, I'll speak to Capa again and get clarity on that, I can't stand conjecture, rhetoric and supposition, prefer facts direct from the maker

I believe that it's as simple as the checksum changes when the updated ford tune goes in to your eprom, thus the software locks the functions out, most software engineers and developers use that method to validate data itegrity.

[bencat]

Take it back to whoever you purchased it from and have them re-flash the original back into it.....

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Sorry bloke, not ignoring your comment, the seller sold the car and held on to the tuner so not an option. Same I would say for most who bought one second hand (with the same issue I had) unless you bought it from a mate or the car went to a mate, then ya gotta convince the new car owner to flash back to the stock tune etc..

I will say, there was no dishonesty or mal intent from the seller, he as I simply didn't know, as there is little factual information regarding this particular issue readily available.

[YPURV4]

Take it back to whoever you purchased it from and have them re-flash the original back into it.....

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Tell him again dagz

[Falchoon]

Stupid Ford co(khead dealer reflashed my car on Monday (after 2 specific requests NOT TO TOUCH THE COMPUTER) and I thought the same as you at first that I was up creek without a paddle and would have to go back to my tuner but after some advice from some other learned forum members I just reflashed from my CAPA box and all is well again.

Ford co(khead dealer showed me 2 different part numbers for the new and old tune. New one was an update for overboost aparently.

Edited 10/01/07 08:44 AM by Dagabond

[RAPHOON]

Almost everything you say sounds about right except for the Fords flashing your car.  The box holds the tunes.  If you take your car to FoMoCo and they flash a new tune over the top, then you can re-flash your tune in, as long as its your car and your flashbox.

Done it before and I know it works.

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You are correct to a point, if the standard ford tune is changed, IE: you had version 1.1 in your capa box, and ford flash over your custom tune with version 1.2 you're stuffed. The box actually comes with a page, in huge letters, stating that if ford do flash over your custom tune the unit then becomes unuseable. Your experiance differs thus I would assume (can you verify please, don't like assumtions) as they probably flashed over your tune with the same version as is stored in the box.

If this is in fact incorrect and they flashed over your custom with a different version of the standard tune, I'll speak to Capa again and get clarity on that, I can't stand conjecture, rhetoric and supposition, prefer facts direct from the maker

I believe that it's as simple as the checksum changes when the updated ford tune goes in to your eprom, thus the software locks the functions out, most software engineers and developers use that method to validate data itegrity.

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In my case the tune by FoMoCo was an update. Later version.

As long as the VIN ID checks out the box will happily download your slot 1, 2 or 3 tune over the top of the update.

It will not, however, upload the new Ford tune into the F slot unless this has been cleared by a deler.

By all means confirm this with CAPA for your own piece of mind.