silverfbody1998

I have a 1998 trans am. i am looking at buying a programmer but i dont know much about it. i know i need the specific year of the 98 but i am not sure what to get. im looking for the best one. any advice?

macca_779

For your car mate EFI LIVE would be a great option. As its a 98, EFI LIVE offers a free stream included with the base hardware. This means you can tune an unlimited amount of 98 Cars and still have 2 licences spare to tune 2 later model cars too.

Check it out and download the software demo to poke around in.
www.efilive.com

koolaid_kid

iTrader: (21)

My advice would be to bypass a handheld, they are very limited. Get a PC-based solution, such as EFILive or HPTuners. And avoid LS1Edit like the plague.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

Our tuning suite starts at only $499+shipping and will allow you to tune your 98 and you'll still have enough credits to tune up to an additional 3 vehicles.

If you have any questions feel free to email us at sales at hptuners.com or check out our site & user help forum at www.hptuners.com



Bill

silverfbody1998

it seems really cool. but im still lost on how it works. do i download it to a laptop and then hook it up to my car? im confused

macca_779

Yes that's how it essentially works. Laptop-V2-Car.
The V2 by itself can log clear codes and display real time data on its screen too. Eventually the software will be upgraded so that you can read and flash files in with just the handheld unit.

Downloading the software now without purchase puts it in Demo mode. You can see everything in a tune but you can't save it or obviously load it as you don't have a V2 yet.

WLDWS6

Not to still your thread but witch is better EFILive or HPTuners I have a 2002 T/A WS6 and looking for the same thing ???

macca_779

There is a sticky up the top but the data is severely out of date with what EFI LIVE supports so I'll say my bit rather that just referring you to the sticky.

Both can essentially do the same thing and will have the same outcome. Feature wise EFI LIVE is far superior but you do pay a little more for the luxuries.

Things like the V2 being able to perform as a standalone are very desirable features. Its display can read anything you want including external sensors. Also Serial Hookup of WB o2 sensors has many advantages like ease of connectivity and more accurate readings. Plus the extra inputs for things like thermocouples are great too. These are things that HPT currently don't support on their MPVI PRO

HPTuners one great trick is that it can real time tune some tables but only on some controllers. This feature is looking likely to be brought back in EFI LIVE's next major software upgrade (which is a free upgrade BTW). EFI LIVE had it years ago in V5 but it was omitted when RoadRunner came out. It works differently to HPT's method but will function in the same way and on EVERY controller but it will only be for Fuel and Spark. Plus EFI LIVE has another real time tuning option being the Road Runner PCM for 99+ LS1 models. It allows real time changes of EVERY parameter and for things like VE tuning it will literally tune itself via direct feedback updates from the Scan Software to the Tune software. It also has a wireless Blutooth option.

EFI LIVE's custom OS's are also Free, so keep that in mind when looking at purchasing. OS5 for example has provision for 3 bar Boost, NOS hook-up to alter timing and fuel, TPS VE, Valet Modes, VE IAT correction (very handy for SD tuning) and Semi Open loop main fuel tables (ie you command an AFR at any MAP/RPM and it will do it). Also the cost to tune later model cars like those with E38 controllers is far more attractive with EFI LIVE.

HPTuners will soon support Ford controllers. This is attractive to someone like me but if you never plan on doing anything but GM products EFI LIVE is the tool to have.

WLDWS6

!!! Thanks !!!

silverfbody1998

thanks, but one more question. is it easy enough for the average joe to install or do you recomend taking it somewhere? i mean, i can download it to my laptop but using it on my car is what is troubling me. i dont want to screw something up in my car and have to spend more money fixing it.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

You could give a valid argument for either

Our product will allow you to tune roughly 20 tables in real time, things like:
Primary VE table
High octane spark table
Power enrichement fuel table
Idle speed
Idle airflow
idle spark advance
idle overspeed advance
idle underspeed advance
etc.

Our real time tuning comes free with our 99+ Gen 3 custom operating systems that offer it and don't require any pricey 3rd party hardware unlike Efi's system.

As for our MPVI Pro it DOES support analog inputs from external sensors such as a wideband o2 sensor, fuel pressure sensor, egt sensor, etc.

Our price point is also about 15% less than EFILive's and allows you to tune up to 4 vehicles as compared to two.

Also as stated we ALREADY offer tuning for several late model Fords & will be beta testing our Dodge software very shortly.

As for the cost of tuning E38 controllers I completely dispute macca_779's claim as its highly inaccurate and our single vcm licenses are the same price as theirs.

-Bill

macca_779

How is it inaccurate Bill. From reading the HPT site I'll use an 08 L98 Holden as an example. Its 4 credits to access a single E38 controller (o BTW EFI LIVE doesn't require any licensing/credits to READ a tune). So Its $49.99 per credit $49.99x4= $199.96.

Also I'm not 100% sure here but does 4 credits used to licence 1 E38 also include provision to tune a T43 Trans controller.. Or is that an extra cost too?

EFI LIVE on the other hand charges $99. And that goes for any model car. You also get a Transmission Licence included for that price.

As far as RTT goes.
The VE tuning is not automatic. You have to physically change the values yourself making it pretty useless for street tuning where with EFI LIVE you just drive around logging BEN's and apply them when you have enough data..

Commanded AFR. Yep that's a good one to have but EFI LIVE has it too in the Real Time DVT controls and it supports later models too. It is a fixed value in EFI LIVE unless your real quick on the slide bar, but for power runs its quite usable.

Commanded Timing. At present this can be either a fixed value via DVT or a Delta Value. Not as good as RTT here but Delta is quite effective on the street I've found. The word on the street is that V8 of EFI LIVE may bring back a table in the scan tool that can be populated with a set of timing values. ie copy the high spark table out of the tune. This will then work as a look up table for the DVT fixed timing value essentially giving a RTT type of interface but with more flexibility than what is currently available in DVT's as it stands now.

Idle speed airflow and timing. Desired air only requires one RAFIG log to be carried out in EFI LIVE and its 100% complete. So RTT is really not required for this. Timing.. Use the Real Time DVT's and then put it in the tune once your happy. Idle Speed.. DVT's can do that too.

So really I see little advantage in RTT to what EFI LIVE can do with its DVT's. The bonus of EFI LIVE's method is that you don't need to load a Custom OS to do it and it works on alot more models. It can be used as a troubleshooting application too and since its all Scan Tool related functions.. It doesn't cost anything to use it.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

If you are referring to overseas vehicles yes the single vcm licenses are $199, our US E38 vehicles are $99

o BTW HP Tuners doesn't require any licensing/credits to READ a tune EITHER

Nope, no extra cost.

Although I believe efi charges extra for tunershops that want to tune the separate TCM's which makes our unlimited Gen 4 V8 licenses far less expensive

We also offer our exclusive year/model licenses for Holden vehicles

Like stated you can make an argument for both.

WLDWS6

Looks like a debate going on here like silverfbody said witch is easier to use for a every day joe not a prof. tech. I plan on doing a head/cam and then going with nos. or a maggie and looking to do the tunning at home & at the dyno to save some money. Then paying someone to tune it and to keep the codes from poping back up again. Most tunners just want to send you a safe tune to get you bye . I like to go a little bit futher and do it my self if I can.

macca_779

Sorry Bill I was unaware that the US controllers were priced differently. Why is that for an identical controller?

Exclusive year/model still doesn't automatically make it cheaper.. Add all your E38 supported vehicles up and include T43 too if you want and I'm positive it will equate to more than $3744. EFI LIVE supported shops wont necessarily bother with a T43 Stream though as you can use all the spare Trans Licences that were never needed on LS1's.

For something like an E40 controller in Aus HPT has a better scheme I believe. This is due to only one HSV model carrying an E40 so therefore they don't come up all that often and really wouldn't warrant a Stream purchase here.

But these examples are mainly aimed at shops that do a lot of tuning and will of course claim the cost as Tax Deductible anyway.


For the Home user (which is what most people on here are) who may only do half a dozen mates cars here or there I think the EFI LIVE scheme is alot better. There is no confusing credit system, just a $99 cost to tune each car no matter what it is or what your doing. Plus the majority of Cars tuned here are SD so there is no extra $100 fee on top of the $100 to tune the car to use a Custom OS.

For someone like me who started off doing the odd car here or there and purchasing licences to do each one of them, EFI LIVE's scheme then rewarded me when I decided to get an LS1 Stream. It allowed me to convert 80% of the price of 15 used licences into a 50% discount on a stream. Hence I got support for every single LS1 model ever made for $1250.
You could also look at that and say that when someone buys a stream they effectively get back $160 of the initial EFI LIVE purchase. This is because a stream discount will include all licences.. Not just the extra ones you had to pay for. Effectively That $160 now brings EFI LIVE under the RRP of HPTuners.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

I think you'll hear from both sides that theirs is more user friendly.

One of the great advantages of our software is the Real Time tuning functionality where you can alter dozen's of your pcm's tables in real time so you can see the affects, this will really help with idle tuning all the way through wot tuning and can not only be a great tool for speeding up the tuning process but also great for new users so you can understand the effects of your changes right there and then.

You can view how simple it is to apply & use RTT here http://www.thetuningdoctor.com/HPTun...stomsized.html

macca_779

Mate tuning in general is a steep learning curve. Understanding the software is the least of your troubles if you have no idea on how to tune an engine. There are of course tutorials made for both products and we all started from nowhere once too. Navigating the software is similar but different. EFI LIVE is Tree Based where as HPT is Tab Based. Neither are hard to understand and navigate and both give good description on what everything does. Ask a user of either and they will tell you theres is better. We are creatures of habbit. I like EFI LIVE as I'm used to it. Others like HPT as they are used to it.

All I can suggest is that you download EFI LIVE and have a look around in it. I'd say to do the same in HPT, but they don't offer a Demo version for some reason.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

We've also had Upgrade credits which do the same for 3 years now.

macca_779

Yep and its quite a confusing process too.

I'll give an example of exactly how much it cost me up until I got an LS1 stream quite a while ago.

V2 Scan and Tune $799
16 Licences $1600 14 used on LS1's 10 of which were SD based COS tunes. 1 on E40 HSV. 1 on E38 Holden.
TOTAL $2399



For HPT $649 for MPVI PRO
56 Credits to perform the tasks above if I calculated correctly including custom OS's for SD cars. 56x50=$2800
TOTAL $3449

Over $1000 difference right there and I don't think my situation is really all that unusual.. Especially in Australia where SD is the norm.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

Since our software does all of the work for you it really can't be that confusing

You can view how to license a file here http://www.thetuningdoctor.com/HPTun...censeafile.swf

Our software automatically calculates your discount for the year/model or tunershop license path & gives you the available options. Then its just a matter of choosing the path you'd like & clicking commit. Thats as simple a process as it could possibly get.