Man kills car with dodgy opcom...

[Matt]

As you may know, a few of us on here have the Vaux-com system. This is a bit like tech2 except that it works through a laptop and can do a few things that tech2 can't do (such as anti-hijack on the Astra/Zafira). The system costs £700 plus maybe £300 for a decent-ish laptop. Which is a lot of money, but is cheap compared to a tech2 with CANdi adapter and flash card etc. (over £3k). And, unlike tech2, it works on the new Insignia/Astra J.

Recently, some Chinese pirates have managed to create a clone of this system, known as opcom. This comes with an old beta version of the software we use that they have managed to crack the security on.

The good news is that it only costs £40-ish on ebay

The bad news is, it doesn't do most of the programming the proper version does because the software is too old. Oh, and - for some reason - it can kill cars by screwing up the ECU programming :roll:

http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1342668

Just a heads-up lads - you pays your money and takes your choice 8)

 

[MikeS]

yeh never use opcom to change any sort of program

it is basically a cheap way of activating cruise control and changing mileage

it is also good for abs diagnostics

 

[Matt]

stampede is the bloke who did my SMD conversion, and fitted my cruise control, and activated check control and speed dependant locking. Wouldn't let anyone near mine with op-com to do that.

 

[rushy]

The cheap Ebay Op-com's have killed many a Vec C/signum, and this is just one of many threads that are popping up. It must be down to the Can bus and activating modules. TBH I think its more of a case of uneducated hands praying with things they know nothing about and just going through menu's and hitting options. At £45 anyone can buy it and hammer the options, but pay the full £400 and you know you have to know your stuff and you also get full support.

 

[Matt]

Couldn't agree more Steve, which is why blue se2 is doing my cambelt on Saturday. I have the tools to do it, but would rather have someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[MikeS]

looks to me as if he has entered in his security pass code and reset the ecu & immobilizer

now he needs to enter in the MKN & vin number to get it talking again

it is a step by step process when u remove / replace / reset ecu or immobilizer

everything needs to be reset and programmed bit by bit

also if you dont reset an ecu and take it out of your car then it useless as it will be coded to the immobilizer same will be said about the immobilizer if you dont reset it prior to removing the ecu

 

[rushy]

See i've been considering one of there ebay jobs, but just for activating rear electric windows and the like. Yes the Vec C SRi still has handles in this day and age I can get the motors, switches and looms for about £40 but I'd then need to take it to the dealer and pay them £50-£60 to activate the module. But as said I dont have the knowledge to know properly what i'm doing and its not worth really ferkin the car.

 

[MikeS]

i got opcom if you want me to change some settings on your body control ecu

tbh i am not touching a vectra C / signum again after the grief i had

if it is working fine with no faults then leave the car alone lol

 

[rushy]

i got opcom if you want me to change some settings on your body control ecu

tbh i am not touching a vectra C / signum again after the grief i had

if it is working fine with no faults then leave the car alone lol

Thanks for the offer mike, but your spot on, if it works don't change it LOL. The insignias even worse, apparently you cant retrofit anything yet and the ECU logs any access so removable maps like bluefin and BSR are also out of the question unless you want to void your warranty. Although TMS seam to have got there little toe in with maps covered under there own warranty but to stick the boot in VX now send suspected mapped ECU's to TMS to be checked then they void your warranty, looks like TMS have pretty much got it sewn up when it comes to mapping in warranty new cars.

 

[MikeS]

yeh some vauxhall dealerships are selling tms remaps if i seem to remember one in the west mids [brindley ?]

it is the canbus system

when it goes wrong you need decent gear

the one thing that concerns me is how buggy the cheap opcoms are as well m8 - they crash all the time

my gendan interface is rock solid but it just reads out codes and produces graphs

 

[Drakey]

blue se2 is doing my cambelt on Saturday. I have the tools to do it, but would rather have someone who knows what they are doing.

:think: