are the hand held programmerss like hypertech or diablo any good? i read about people going slower at the drags with the programmer and fast after they return to stock mode or there cars lean out to much, is this true? what programmer is the best.

 

Full on tuning is the way to go. I'm sure someone will tell you to get Hptuners or Efi live.

 

The handhelds generally have tunes designed for stock/bolt on cars.
Those tunes will run lean if you modify heavily (heads/cam).

Some like the Predator can accept custom tunes or allow you to modify an existing tune on the PCM.

 

We can make you a custom handheld set up to your mods, Or tuning software is a way to go.

 

I've been playing with the EFI Live scan tool for about a week. I've had a Predator for years.

The Predator is good if you can find someone that will work with you with custom tunes. Unless you have a basibally stock motor then the Predator will allow you to make minor changes to your engine parameters, read and reset DTCs, change your gear ratios, fan on and off temps...and a few other things. The negative of the Predator is it has no logging capability.

EFI Live Scan tool only ($250) has tremendous logging capability, will read and reset all diagnostics on mulitple platforms. Has mulitple great user customisable virtual dashboards. With the $250 unit you can not change any tuning parameters.

EFI Live tuning license is another $250 and will allow you to tune to an infinite number of mods (some learning required)

If you buy a tune with support from one of the EFI Live resellers (wait4me) and buy the EFI LIve scan tool you're still in the $350 range and you have much more capability then the Predator, but you need to mail the PCM back and forth to make tuning changes. This is the route I've gone (although I bought a new PCM with the tune for $157), and I intend to buy the upgrade for the tuning license.

It seems to me that Predator support for GM product is fading. I couldn't find anybody to perform an email Predator tune so I went to waite4me and bought a new PCM tuned fo rmy mods, it cost me a little more, but I can mail a PCM back and forth and still have a driveable (albeit tune challenged) car.

So...
Predator tune capability = 3
Predator Display capability=3
Predator logging capability=0
Predator community support=2
Predator upgrade path = 0

EFI Live V1 tune capability =0
EFI Live Display capability = 10*
EFI Live logging capability = 10
EFI Live community support = 10
EFILive upgrade path = 10

Predator score =08/50
EFI live V1 score =40/50


That's my opinion as an owner/user of both.
The downside of EFI Live is it has so much functionality I can't stop playing with it. I sometimes wonder if Jesse sold me the V1 just to keep me so busy I'd quit calling him?


*you need a laptop to display EFILive. You can use the blackbox logging and use a PC, but a laptop is the way to go.

 

I had a Hypertech and it worked OK for an A4 to stiffen up the shifts and change tire sizes and install a 160 thermstat. I sold it years ago and bought EFILive. That is the way to go if you are going to make many mods. I still have Version 1 but V2 might not need a Notebook. I also have a custom OS which has many features. Go to www.efilive.com. They have a great forumn.

Good luck.
Bill