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Interesting Article on Cracking BW ECU

AlBinRVA

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V-Series Cadillac(s)?
2023 CT5 V Blackwing

Trifecta Performance Introduces Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing ECU Flashing​

Trifecta Performance, an aftermarket automotive tuning company that specializes in tuning GM vehicles, has just announced that it is developing a native tuning product for the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing.

“We are happy to announce that Trifecta has purchased our own CT4-V Blackwing to develop our flash / native tuning product,” the company said in an announcement. “Our solution will require ECM modification, and once completed, the ECM can be flashed / updated / datalogged in-vehicle without expensive and unreliable ‘piggyback’ solutions.”

In order to flash the ECU in a CT4-V Blackwing, Trifecta states that the unit must be removed from the ultra-high-performance sedan and sent to the tuning company for modification. After this process, the ECU can then be reinstalled, and allows the customer to flash back and forth from stock to custom performance modes. Additionally, the modification allows customers to receive updates from Trifecta, eliminating the need to remove the ECU from the super sedan again in the future.

“This is the real deal,” Trifecta adds. “We’ve settled for nothing less than actually tuning the ECM!”

Flashing the ECU of a CT4-V Blackwing is no easy feat, as the super sedan uses the GM Global B (also known as the Vehicle Intelligence Platform) electrical architecture. The Global B system is highly advanced to prevent hacking. This safeguarding, however, also makes it difficult for aftermarket tuners to modify the vehicle’s ECU to coax more power from the powerplant.

For example, several aftermarket tuners have attempted to modify the ECU in the Chevrolet Corvette C8, which also features the Global B architecture. That’s why it has proved particularly difficult to improve power output from the C8 Corvette, despite the addition of turbochargers, superchargers, and other mods. With that in mind, it will be particularly impressive if Trifecta’s efforts to ECU flash the CT4-V Blackwing prove successful.
 
The EPA is cracking down on aftermarket "off-road" tunes. So much so that Cobb Tuning is now forcing an update out to all of it's customers disabling all the features required to pump out a lot of hp from these tunes. You've got tune shops and customers scrambling to disconnect their systems so the update doesn't hit their vehicle and retroactively screw them all. I believe that's the jist of it. I'm not well versed in the world of tuning, so I don't know exactly who this crackdown will affect in the future, whether it's just big tuners like Cobb or even down to independent tuning shops.
 
Its interesting to see how Trifecta managed to crack it vs how Tapout is going the piggyback route. I got no dog in the fight since I've never dealt with either company but just felt like the whole "without expensive and unreliable ‘piggyback’ solutions.” line was a swipe at Tapout.
 
Its interesting to see how Trifecta managed to crack it vs how Tapout is going the piggyback route. I got no dog in the fight since I've never dealt with either company but just felt like the whole "without expensive and unreliable ‘piggyback’ solutions.” line was a swipe at Tapout.
Yea, I mean...I mostly stay away from modding (outside of aesthetics), but I felt the same way. Competition is good though, right? :)
 
I'm interested in what type of "modification" they need, or think they need, to do to the ecm. Like will it be an added underhood plug connection to hook up to a laptop to flash tunes, and therefore bypass any other computers inline in the car. Or will it be swapping out a specific chip to one that allows a reflash. Obviously still too early to tell though. I do remember a comment from GM in regards to aftermarket tuning... It was somehtign along the lines(not word for word) of "we wont give tuners the backdoor into the ecm, but the good ones will figure it out" . When I read that, to me, it meant it is possible just takes the right people.
 
I'm not giving this article much credence.

GM Global B has proven to be quite secure, as evidenced by HPTuners and COBB both saying it'll never be 'tunable'.

Since the ECU is involved in far more things than just engine control, (adaptive cruise control, SuperCruise, etc) security of the ECU has been a primary goal.

HPE (Hennessey) even stated in 2020 they had a Supercharged and TT package for the C8, but they never brought it to market because they couldn't tune Global B and GM wouldn't provide them any assistance.

For now, they only option seems to be a piggyback unit or an actual ECU replacement that would essentially give the car a lobotomy.

Might also be worth noting that one of the new features of Global B is a wideband O2 sensor. Showing how well a BW5 responded to a kong ported supercharger without any tuning is an example of why ECU access may not be as critical for 'simple' bolt ons.
 
my engine guy seems pretty optimistic that the 5 ECU will eventually be tunable...fingers crossed but who knows at this point. apparently the C8 has been cracked but not without major legal issues if the technology is brought to market.
 
my engine guy seems pretty optimistic that the 5 ECU will eventually be tunable...fingers crossed but who knows at this point. apparently the C8 has been cracked but not without major legal issues if the technology is brought to market.

The C8 has not been cracked. The C8 situation is hardly new. Even the C7 ZR1 has never been natively cracked. It's just until this Gen that GM really cared about cybersecurity.
 
I guess they cracked the ecu, look at that 0-60 and the boost gauge, things are going to get interesting pretty soon
 

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Cool article that was bought and paid for. How many times have they posted here? I like our resident tuner, not to mention their history with the motor.
Who’s that?

Also I want to do minor Boltons in the future so I’m game.
 
This will be interesting to watch.

Personally, I think they are...stretching the truth.

No mention of what they used to crack it. No mention of how they circumvented the 'phone home' logic in Global B.

If you were going to announce such a huge accomplishment, I would have at least thrown on a FlexFuel sensor or something you could use to verify to the community it works.

GM has mentioned in regards to the C8/Global B that they were going to be 'proactive' not reactive about ECU security. Some speculate that means they can remotely tag your car as 'modified'.

The CorvetteForum guys are worried about GM's OTA access. Trifecta needs to address that.
 
Trifecta claims to have cracked the C8 ecu, tuned it, and made 0 to -0 whp gains. 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤣

Then we have a well known and respected lf4 tuner already making real world gains at the track, and on dyno. there ct4-v bw makes 650 whp, runs low 11s and has trapped 130 in the 1/4 mile. simply amazing
 
Hopefully they have it figured out, would love to do some modifications and get an extra 100-150rwhp on the 5BW.
 
Hopefully they have it figured out, would love to do some modifications and get an extra 100-150rwhp on the 5BW.
You can get almost that from bolting on the Kong ported LT4 blower. No tune needed. Runs nearly perfect AFRs.
 

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