adding to this & in response to your latest findings, I find it strange that the older engine started without learning the key... if what your assuming is correct, that the key is only coded to the BCM then I see a huge security flaw there. if that were true then that means that just swapping out the BCM & you can just drive away in any Ikey vehicle easy as that, somehow I find it hard to believe that is by design & that is the whole NATS system, it wouldn't take more than a few minutes to access the plugs to the BCM & unplug them & plug them into a replacement BCM & drive away.
somehow I don't see these cars being that easy to steal, but then again I am not doubting what you are saying here at all either. I'm wondering if it's possible that just by chance the key code was the same??? I know sounds far fetched, but I'm sure as long time techs we've all seen the odd occasion that the wrong key actually worked in a different car or the wrong remote actually activated a different car, most times this is discovered by accident, I'm wondering if this could be the case here? other than that I'm at a loss for an explanation of why the vehicle started... I was sure that the bcm & ecm both have to have the same key code up until now...
another question, by your last post & the fact that you were able to install an earlier engine back into the donor car, does that mean that the donor was a fully intact vehicle when you started???hmmm, & here I am not even willing to spend what a complete wrecked car would have cost to do this swap, which is why I just bought a drivetrain & not a whole vehicle... wow
oh & Steve, I too am like you that I need to question everything & over think them to death, I'm not comfortable until I know everything I can & fully understand everything I can about the project at hand, but then again this trait is probably the thing that would separate someone like this from the type that just dives in head first without realizing all the possible pitfalls & then half way through just stands there with a huge mess & no solutions, kinda like the guy that was described in the first post of this thread "hey, that sounds like a good idea, let's do it" & then the inevitable egging on of "yeah, that sounds cool, do it!!!!!" this thread is here to avoid that I think I like to over think things to death, that's the way to get er done no matter what & be prepared for whatever pitfall you may encounter
also going back to my previous post, another thing that makes the haltech a plus over the HR ecu for FI is being able to run it speed density, meaning no mass air sensors needed. i like that
as far a sharing my findings & eventual wiring solutions & everything I'm more than happy to share whatever I can here, our pooling of knowledge is going toward setting the ground work in place to make these swaps eventually become more commonplace & doable even for the less tech savvy out there. something is much easier to do when #1 you've seen it actually done before & also when instructions & info is shared by those that have done it, I'm more than happy to share whatever I can. if anyone is interested in seeing my fx heres a link to thread at mp3car, long thread but skimming it can give you an idesa of what I'm working with, also if you need any info on carpc's or car audio I'd be glad to help there too. don't know if external links work but here goes:
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulleti....html