VF GTS Wagon

I spent some time yesterday with the SS

I have now changed all the door internals over to SS from the evoke doors. I have also added the Keyless go door handles and associated wiring. Having 4 Cars with which to get a full set of clips helps as broken clips seem to be par for the course with Holdens. So far the Rear wagon liftgate chrome trim and the upper door moulds are the only clips I will have to buy and maybe some side skirt moulding clips.

I also re-assembled the front seat which had the bag go off. I had it repaired at a local trimmers. The front seat headrest mounting tubes are a bear to get out unbroken but I had the ones from the evoke seats so I cut the seat top away to get at the retention mech and problem solved. I love having spares for when you bugger up. I can now get at them from inside and extract reasonably easily.

The door wiring and front regulators needed changing as the Auto up/down functions for the front doors have the current sensors in the actual regulators rather than the bcm like in earlier models. This allows for power and ground to run directly to the regs and have comms cables run from the bcm to the switches and not through those devices. It also makes my life difficult as the windows cannot be moved without the harness in the car. I could probably jerry rig something up but it is not that imperative and the harness should be in soon enough to allow me to move the windows.

I have completed the dynamat install - full firewall, floor and rear. I also did the doors in and out.

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The main harness has been laid in the car and I have started to put the engine bay bits in.

I have mounted the Air handling unit for the AC and installed part of the front of the AC Filter/Intake.

I was going to test the harness before finally fitting it but It seems this will really be impossible wihout removing the engine at the end and this seems more hassle than risking a couple of problems which I can add a wire or two at the end if required. I may put some spare wires through the firewall and seal it up so we will be golden if there/more like when there is an issue.

Heading down to the Top Shop now to get started.... Really Enjoying this..

Cheers

Cobalt

Chad reckon the dynamat will be a great investment in the wags, they definitely give more boom inside than the sedans.
Having so many different level looms must be a nightmare & in reality be more expensive in production I would think.
Great progress mate :goodjob:

All I can think of when I read through your posts is "god I'd be stuffed, trying to remember where everything goes" You've either got a very good memory or a great system of documenting what goes where. Great read mate

Would have nothing to do with pulling four of them apart :lol:

It's actually a combo of memory and logic. If you have four holes and four bolts in the box the same then that's where they go.

There is also a relatively small number of different fastners. I do have to do thing a couple of time sometime when I forget a step.

Putting them hem back together is much harder than pulling them apart.

I also have a VF GTS to reference what I forget.

An I have pulled 5 of them apart now. ��������

Making Progress

I have put power to the system and just working through the issues. Only issue which is not just something not plugged in yet is the steering column lock.

I am not sure if I put the wrong column in, and it is vin coded, or if there is a wiring glitch. It may also be missing power or ground from a missing fusebox pin. Going to trace it tomorrow as I had a mate help put the engine in today as you really can't do that on your own.


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Almost everything is VIN coded now, and because the steering lock is security related I bet it's throwing a VIN mismatch and refusing to do anything. You might be able to get it all to work together if you get a V6 Calais V VIN and program all the modules to work (HUD/ESCL/BCM/ECM/EPS etc).

If it is the vin mismatch ill swap the column...

The column was the wrong one. Wiring was all good. I'm and expert at taking the dash in and out now as it has to come out to change the column.

So everything works including the hud. I dont know if it will bitch when the car is started or show no data but it doesn't say locked like the headunit did....

I can't start it as hptuners cannot remove the security. Waiting on an email from efilive to confirm they can do it. Else I will try the flash a Calais-v vin into everything when my mdi gets here.Worst case it will get a LS3 :) :) :)

I had some dramas with the cluster dying. I had removed the eeprom to get a read and then soldered it back on. Put it in the car and all was fine.. Came back next day and cluster is dead with just random lights and no screen and the fuel gauge moving opposite. I'm like WTF. So just in case I resoldered the eeprom and it is working... Quite a relief as I have never had a bad eeprom connection totally kill a cluster. I plugged the GTS cluster into it to see what errors I got and it shows forward facing camera as it is not plugged in and tpms errors as well as the others the orig cluster showed.

Does a 2013 Calais V Sportwagon have TPMS? Can you get the RPO Codes for a particular VIN? Can you disable TPMS if it is there?. Looks like I can do TPMS in the cluster eeprom but that will be a fun task to find. The mdi will make it all easier as I can change things and then see what changed in the EEPROM if I have the time.

I now have only errors that are known possible problems or things not connected like low brake fluid, service airbag, service esp. I will go over all the connections associated with the errors and make sure there are no issues. I'm guessing the esp ones are brake related as there is no fluid or pressure and I didn't check the abs wiring so there may be an issues there. I'm sure when I clear them all it will give me a fresh set. I also haven't plugged the maf in yet which may be part of the esp code.. I'm pretty happy as the evoke harness, had all the extras added to it and so far I haven't made any wiring errors or missed anything.

Couldn't get the tailgate to work but turned out to be some shite in the connector between the tailgate switch and the tailgate harness.. All sorted and working sweet.

What's left:

ECM TCM fix so the damn thing runs.
Finish the modified stereo wiring
Passenger door dynamat/waterproof and install door card.
Put the front seatbelts in
Check all lower dash parts are done after column change
Install frontBumper and modify the the connector to the standard 20pin from the 16pin
Adjust the bonnet fit.
Install Windscreen wiper and front upper engie bay plastics.
Radiator and Condensor
Master Cylinder to ABS brake lines - Bleed Brakes
Change Diff to New Evoke One and install tailshaft
Install Exhaust
Install Lower Airflow Panels
Install Rear Bar and Tailights when the broken bits arrive from holden on friday
Install Rear Compartment Interior Panels
Finish Harness Wrapping and Dynamat under rear seat.
Panic Handles in Roof Lining
Repair/Re[lace steering rack end and ball joint damaged in accident
Install Windscreen / Camera / Mirror / Rain Sensor.
Fluids
Wheel Alignment
New Wheels
Drive.

There is a good few days there. I have lost a couple to chasing things like the column and the tailgate and I put the front belts on the wrong sides and had to sway them as my ocd wont left me have a little L and R on the wrong side and probably the inertia reels would work incorrectly. Should have it complete minus windscreen and pcm/tcm stuff by Monday.

Then clean up pack the tools away and get ready for the GTS Build.

The list s definitely alot shorter now.

Cheers

Cobalt

Have been enjoying the thread. You'e certainly set yourself a doosie of a task.

I have a 2013 CalaisV and there is no TPMS. The only Holden to date to have this feature from factory was the Craig Lowndes SSV Redline.

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Originally Posted by Woodchukka

Have been enjoying the thread. You'e certainly set yourself a doosie of a task.

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Nothing ventured nothing gained. :)

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Originally Posted by dgp

I have a 2013 CalaisV and there is no TPMS. The only Holden to date to have this feature from factory was the Craig Lowndes SSV Redline.

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Thanx. Seems strange that they have under-utilised this feature.

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Under that closed bonnet everything is buttoned up. Just need to do the windscreen wipers and the top plastics.

Bumper fit was a PITA. I'm a stickler for good panel fit and it took 3 hours and 20 on off's to get the alignment stuff sorted. The whole front end had to be tweaked to get it how I like it. Would be way easier at holden as they have fixtures to make sure its all good from the start. I have to put it all on and work back and forth. When the bumber goes on it shows issues with the bonnet so when you move it then that means move the guards etc. etc. etc......Takes ages, but worth it. I also looked at the drivers side front guard bottom and back of the front door and they are bout half a mill off so I will have to adjust that. I will take the skirt off and move the guard bottom forward and the back of the door needs to come up. Hope I can just tweak the door and move the striker to get what I need without taking the bar, guard off to fix the door. Didn't notice this till it was on the hoist and bang in front of my face. Passengers side is perfect. I'm also not happy with the top of the drivers side guard as it sits proud of the a pillar a little to much. I will have to remove the a-pillar to door trim and will most likely break clips so we will see how much it bugs me. I also have to take it off the hoist to get the doors open enough to see if I can pry the trim off and get in to adjust it without breaking said clips

So my MDI arrived and there are some massive limitations on what you can do. I'm just not used to this.

You can't just flash a new config over the old one as the security in the bcm/pcm just says no dice and reboots. I know why they do this but it still sux. It is annoying how people trying to do the wrong thing stuff it up for the enthusiasts who just want to play and upgrade.

I'm currently investigating other means of changing the vin to trick the system. EFI live should take care of the immo defeat and hopefully the vin change in the ecm. I do have concerns about the mismatch between 2015 znd 2014 when programming keys and the other security codes related to the vin. Hopefully the codes are computed based on the vin and not stored in there. Hopefully I can change the vin and then can program the keys. I'm concerned tht the program will fail with they wrong ecu. I have the ss ecu so I may have to get v8 engine harness and plug it in to program they keys then plug the v6 one back in. Proper Hassle but not insurmountable. One way or another we will get it done.

I may need to put the evoke bcm in and release the ecm basically virginising it and allow it to be put in a new car. Then get a new bcm and keys or some from a Calais-v v6 and re program the ecm to match. This would leave all the other modules with incorrect vins and hence possible issues. I may need the ABS and airbag computer or get a new airbag computer. It seems easy to match the vins on stereos and holden has that in the mdi. There is also keyless and parking modules and a power steering controller. I would really like to find a Calais-v and get all the computers from it.

I'm going to plan some tests with the GTS computers in this car to see if the sedan stuff and the wagon liftgate computer will play nice. We will see. There is no security in the tailgate module so fingers crossed. The GTS will have no problems but may think the boot is open. I may have to trick it with some wiring trickery. There is a bcm code about the trunk in the wagon bcm so I'm hopeful the code for both wagon and sedan is in there. I will also test the rear wiper. I rekon the cluster can be programmed to suit the wagon pretty easily but it will tke some time to map the settings.

I would eventually like to change the vins in all the devices to a Calais-v v6 but that looks like a long term project. Seems SPS programming is a bit hit and miss with modules that are not new. I'm reliably informed that holden doesn't like you changing modules from one vehicle to another. They are also moving more to using flash storage to store the details rather than eeproms which makes access harder to hack the changes. Especially when it is microprocessor embedded flash storage. I may investigate this further but seems the cost may be prohibitive compared to just getting new modules and I cant see much of a market except for airbag modules and that seems liability problematic.

I may be able to get a vci code (effectively a substitute vin) from acdelco in the states that has the options I need but we will see how that goes if the efilive thing fails. VCI is a method of programming that circumvents the existing programming and talks to GM servers for the option packages installed. It circumvents the security to change things or recover from problems when flashing fails prior to replacing the modules. If I give them the Calais-v vin and the part numbers I may be able to trick all this stuff to work. Suspect I will need new keys though. I know this is able to work as the evoke cam with no keys and they programmed it for new keys.

I spent Friday playing and have gotten rid of all the codes except the immo and non running engine ones. There was a fog light code saying the bcm detected that it wasn't connected to the relay. It turns out the Holden wiring diagrams are incorrect and showed the incorrect pin for the fuse box fog light relay. I'm not using fog lights but have put the wiring in incase that changes in the future and if I hadn't then the code would be there permanently. There have been a number of problems and inconsistencies with the wiring diagrams from Holden. Listed below:

1. Fog Light Relay - Underhood fuse box plug x1 is connected from bcm to pin 12 not pin 13
2. Plug between dash and roof lining has pins marked as not used for the Lane departure warning system that are used and shown in the schematics but not connector diagrams. Can't remember exactly which ones. Bth were white wires and I had to map them from the GTS Harness.
3. Pins marked as not used are often used.
4. HSV Wiring for RPO code V5B is sketchy at best.
5. Rear Fuse box wiring is incomplete and I had to trace a lot of it
6. Descriptions are inconsistent. Trunk versus Rear Compartment Lid - Liftgate vs Tailgate
7. And some I can't remember

Found a short in the secnd hand passengers airbag plug and the passengers seat pre tensioner had not been clipped together properly. The airbag has a plastic bung that clips into the actual metal part of the arbag as a guide for the pins and to suit the holden/gm connector. this had a short in it that most likely occurred when it was taken out of the donor car. Showed as a low resistance error. The internal terminals had touched and caused a short. Fixed. ESP Code is thrown if the maf is unplugged and the brake fluid is low.

There are no airbag codes and the light is off but as the module has a different vin there is a strange "no environment" code on both the bcm and airbag module. Have not decided whether I wll just replace the module with a new one as if I do need the airbags the $300 odd dollars will seem insigngicant if they don't work. I will investigate this further with the efilive guy who is a diagnostics expert apparently.

I have finished all the interior and wiring

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So that is the stereo wiring run to the back to facilitate the future amp/processor/speaker upgrade. 4 pairs for feed and I split the tweeters and doors so we can run full active for time alignment later. I also ran the center channel to future proof the system. I have also run wires for 3-way fronts as all my cars have had that in the past. So that makes 9 pairs back to the speakers. I made a connection harness to join everything back up so I can just unplug that and connect directly to amp/processor. The wifey even helped me work out the identities of all the wiring.. It takes less time to work it out than to label it and the labels always come off...

So Ticked off the list

Finish the modified stereo wiring
Passenger door dynamat/waterproof and install door card.
Put the front seatbelts in
Check all lower dash parts are done after column change
Install front Bumper and modify the the connector to the standard 20pin from the 16pin
Adjust the bonnet fit. Adjust bumper fit.....
Radiator and Condensor
Master Cylinder to ABS brake lines
Install Rear Bar and Tailights when the broken bits arrive from holden on friday
Install Rear Compartment Interior Panels
Finish Harness Wrapping and Dynamat under rear seat.
Panic Handles in Roof Lining
Fix Error Codes

Left to Do

ECM fix so the damn thing runs.
Install Windscreen wiper and front upper engie bay plastics.
Bleed Brakes
Change Diff to New Evoke One and install tailshaft
Install Exhaust
Install Lower Airflow Panels
Repair/Replace steering rack end and ball joint damaged in accident
Install Windscreen / Camera / Mirror / Rain Sensor.
Fluids
Wheel Alignment
New Wheels
Drive.
Code keys to the car as only 1 of the three keys I hav ork ith the immo

I sent a lot of time today cleaning the workshop as I just couldn't stand it any longer. Put all the spare evoke parts in bins and set aside all the parts for the GTS

I can see the floor now

Should get the rest buttoned up tomorrow and hopefully get the ecm thing sorted.

Cheers

Cobalt

Chad that looks amazing :thumbsup: Nice wiring & very neat too. Disappointed to hear the anomalies you're finding from the Delco site in mismatched wiring connectors. Ive spent a huge amount of time & $$ accessing the site for pages on the VE & now VF cars. I have a few of the previous models Infomedia manuals & found them very accurate. Guessing being a US site is very difficult to verify the differences in model variants!