RyeThomas

So what I have noticed is a lot of people don't know much about EFI Live, they are tentative to ask questions, or they hear generalizations and run with them.
I wanted to start a running thread to help people Hear what EFI is, how its different, how easy/difficult it is to get/set up, what is the difference between Autocal and a V2.
So here's your chance, no question is stupid. I will attempt to answer and if I can't I will do my best to find the answer.

So lets start, how is EFI Live different.

Well quite simply it gives the user the ability to fully maximize YOUR mods and YOUR truck. Believe it or not no 2 trucks respond the same to tuning, each will need subtle changes in peramiters to maximize its set up. The game changer is EFI Lives ability to Data Log. Your gauges are simply not near fast enough nor can you pay attention to them all while driving. With EFI you can Data Log and see exactly what is happening in real time played back on your laptop. This gives you the ability to see real time RP vs commanded RP, at what Boost level, at what RPM, etc, etc.
This gives you the end user the ability to fine tune your mods to get the best. Believe it or not setting everything to kill is a big problem in the industry, most trucks don't run there best on kill but we think they do so we run it. In reality you can be losing HP even though your butt dyno doesn't show it. Guess what Logging will show your down fall.

RyeThomas

So you don't want to tune yourself, ok no big deal there are plenty of pros that will do it for you. The best part is you don't need them to be next door. With Data logging your tuner can dial in your truck from across the country. Ill cover data logging in a bit but its easy, don't be skeert.

So a bunch of companies have come out with Autocal. Most give it a fancy name and sell it in stages, like the Spade, Jack or Ace. It is still an Autocal device. That means only the tuner you bought it from can tune it, and you cannot write any tunes should you wish.
The benefit is it ussually cost less than the other option (V2). The issue is you are married to that individual tuner, no big deal if you love your tunes and most do.


The V2. Ok the V2 is the full ride, you can tune or you can get custom tunes from anyone you want. It's a little more money up front but as stated tune away, or buy tunes from anyone. It also comes with 2 Liscences so you can tune a buddies truck, or you can buy more Liscences from EFI and tune a bunch of trucks.

Disclaimer if you have 10 friends who want EFI, no worries a V2 can tune them all. Each truck will need a Liscences from EFI they cost $125. The license does not get you a tune, only gives you the ability to write a tune for that truck. That means you will need to write a tune yourself, or pay for a custom tune.



Custom tunes range in the neighborhood of $200. Of course that is a basic estimate and subject to change per tuner.

RyeThomas

If you guys are interested let me know and I'll keep going, if not I will stop no biggie. Gotta feed the munchkins, let me know if this is helping anyone and ill post more later. Rye.

verdesardog

keep going, I'm interested....


can efi live calibrate the speedometer/odometer/computer for tire size changes?

RyeThomas

No, EFI will not. Depending on size the dealer can.

Totallyrad

Rye, I know you've invested allot of time (and money) in your truck and allot of us really appreciate you sharing what you've learned. Myself, I invested in a Smarty and while I'm in no way disappointed in the power it makes now that I've upgraded the clutch, with the exception of the air intake tube I'm stock. I rarely tow anymore but I really need a mileage boost and I'd like to see less smoke. Have you heard anything reliable from the stock or nearly stock guys on the mileage benefits of the EFI system? Does the EFI do away with the 3rd injection event?

RyeThomas

The third injection event is not all its cracked up to be, a lot of us including me a few years ago thought if it were gone mileage would go up immensely. Not the case.
Tuner dependent one of the things going on is to leave the third event down low to help with spool and remover it up top for mileage.
Another thing being worked on is a single event tune. It is still being worked on, and one of the issues with a single event is raised in cylinder pressure.
Another thing is running bigger injectors and reducing pulse width and pressure to lengthen the life of the HPCR injector.
What I can say is unlike the Chevys EFI for Cummins is still in its infancy, a lot more time and testing is needed.

I can also say the third event is not the mileage killer we all thought, and while the single event show promise it's not blowing the mileage away either. We simply will see as time and testing continues.

RyeThomas

I have seen a large reduction in smoke and gained about 2mpg mixed on non winter fuel.
The other cool thing is spool is quicker, which leads to less smoke obviously.
One of the things done is to lessen timing down low to quicken spool then add it back to aid in power and mileage.

RyeThomas

I've had some people question data logging.

A few things, if you decide to go Autocal from a vendor make sure to question them and make sure you can data log and they will review and tweak your tunes until they are perfect. And be very clear that they will need to do so until you are 100% happy.
I say this because without Data logging you are basically getting a high end box tuner, and you will not be utilizing EFI's greatest feature and true tuning capability. The most important part is Data Logging and getting your truck to run perfect for you.
This is more of an Autocal issue, well not really issue but concern. I haven't heard it much but if someone wants to just send you an Autocal or custom tune without talking about Data Logging run away.

I'll take my experience. My tuner sent me a fuel limited base tune, I put it in the truck and Logged it. E-mailed it, he looked at it and sent me my first Street tune after he tweaked it. I drove that for a few days, made notes and Logged it again. I sent him that log and a few questions, he sent me another updated street tune and I haven't changed it since.
This tuners main concern was to make me 100% happy before he ever talked of compensation. He followed up by if I see, notice, or have a concern let him know and we will address it.

So my fear and disclaimer is don't just get EFI from anyone, lots of guys popping up as tuners these days and it scares me. You are not paying for EFI so much as you are paying for a perfect tune or tunes, EFI is just the ability to tune and its capability is only as good as the guy writing the tune.

So talk to whomever and make sure there motto is to LOG and tune until YOU are 100% happy.


Make sense???

RyeThomas

Oh and data logging is simple, I will get a little into that when I get more time.

MTC

Im looking into an autocal from Anarchy...in your opinion, good product? How about switching tunes on the fly...DS5 switch? Is there anything like that out for us?

RyeThomas

Anarchy is a proven name and a bunch of good guys, the DPS5 is still in testing.

I have one and only one tune, I use it to tow, street, play its all of the above. EFI is a different animal and you can truly set all the peramiters where you want them, keep them on the safe side but still max your components together without killing things.

That said a lot of people like multiple tunes but I am on the other side of the fence. When the DPS 5 comes out I won't buy it unless the tuning changes and say a mileage tune break thru happens, otherwise I really have no need. But that's just me, and again if tuning capabilities change I'm in but right now my one tune does it all.

DaveB.inVa

I've been watching a lot of the EFILive discussion on this forum and others. Like you mentioned above, EFILive can't correct the speedometer with larger tires. However, since I do have a Smarty, can I use the Smarty to adjust tire size?

Do you know if EFILive can enable high idle? The last I read was that they were working on it, but I've not read anything further.

Concerning the single event tune. Les Schmidt has one that he feels very confident in and provides through Anarchy. Personally I lean toward the idea that injector life can be improved by going to a larger injector with a single event. I do know that a lot of injector wear comes from the quantity of fuel flowing through the injector no matter how many pulses it takes to do it, but I believe that reducing it all to a single event can't hurt. You mentioned that cylinder pressure would be a much larger spike with a single event. Do you see any issues with this? Is the cyl pressure spike any different than what the old 24V and 12V trucks experienced (maybe due to injection pressure), would this be detremental to the engine?


Please continue with whatever info you can give. The whole EFILive process is new to me, but I've seen a few Duramax's tuned with EFILive and was very impressed. Tons of smooth power on tap with just a light haze from the exhaust is pretty sweet!

RyeThomas

It's a no go on the high idle and the tire size. The problem with using the Smarty is it all depends on what version you have and how old it is. The newer versions are VIN locked (meaning they lock your truck to the Smarty and only Smarty). In order to get EFI Live to read and tune your truck you have to get either a dealer reflash, or a generic stock OS flashed for your truck. In the later case the the OS used have stock tires and most do not have high idle enabled.

As far as Les and the single event tune see my sig . As of last I heard the single event tune is not a mileage monster. Of course it is still being tested and that may change. There has been some question to how high cylinder pressure will be with a single event, and its a concern. It has been brought up you may want to run studs with the tune. A couple more people have it so we should see some more conclusive results. In theory a single event could cut down on wear but then it is a longer larger event so how much if any is too early to tell.

MTC

So...I currently have a Smarty Jr installed. If I was to go with an Autocal from Anarchy, I would first have to go to a dealer and get it flashed?