The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > General Truck Forums > Engine & Drivetrain > LSx Swaps

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-12-2011, 05:08 PM   #1
softballnrd27
Always a work in progress
 
softballnrd27's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Harker Heights, TX
Posts: 1,599
HPTuners or EFI Live?

I want to get my own tuning software and would like to know which one you use and what you like/dislike about it. I would ask this on ls1tech but they have some issues with this type of question and problems with it turning into a company bashing thread. I know they can both support Wideband, which I will definitley use, and that HP is a little cheaper than EFI, but beyond that I don't know.
__________________
USMC Retired
Never trust a man who can't laugh at his own fart!
2010 Silverado Crew Cab
73 SWB 5.3/4l80e
Build Thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=695168
softballnrd27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2011, 10:14 PM   #2
BustedTruck
Registered User
 
BustedTruck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Braselton, GA
Posts: 245
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

I can only speak for efi live. I think its a good program and haven't even got in it deep yet. Its a bit intimidating.
BustedTruck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2011, 11:10 PM   #3
BR3W CITY
meowMEOWmeowMEOW
 
BR3W CITY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MKE WI
Posts: 7,128
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

i think youd find more community support for hpt on gm stuff. Most of the tuners in my area use hpt for their customers, so between that and the price diff I'd go (and did go) with hp tuners.
__________________
'66 Short Step / SD Tuned / Big Cam LQ4 / Backhalfed /Built 4l80e / #REBUILDEVERYTHING

MY BUILD THE H8RDCPTR //\\ MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL REV J HD
BR3W CITY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 12:24 AM   #4
softballnrd27
Always a work in progress
 
softballnrd27's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Harker Heights, TX
Posts: 1,599
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

Quote:
Originally Posted by BR3W CITY View Post
i think youd find more community support for hpt on gm stuff. Most of the tuners in my area use hpt for their customers, so between that and the price diff I'd go (and did go) with hp tuners.
I take it you did your own tuning? How was the learning curve? Did you have any knowledge prior to this?
__________________
USMC Retired
Never trust a man who can't laugh at his own fart!
2010 Silverado Crew Cab
73 SWB 5.3/4l80e
Build Thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=695168
softballnrd27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 04:13 AM   #5
matthew20061
69' Chevy Stepside
 
matthew20061's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Anchorage, Ak
Posts: 526
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

I know a lot of people that use HP Tuners, as well as myself and it seems like there is a lot of information out there about how to use it and such. I'm still learning with it but I'm getting better with it. Also if you do go with HPT get the pro version so it supports the wideband input! I made the mistake to not get the pro version and I'm kicking my self now.
__________________
-Matthew
-69' Chevy Custom/10 Shortbed Stepside 2WD "Copperhead"
- Restored, 6.0L LQ9 Built. L92 Heads and LS3 Intake with Comp Cam 223/231 .610/.617 112 LSA, 4L60E with Shift Kit and Circle-D 3200 Stall Converter ~Build Thread
-1957 Chevy BelAir 2 Door Post Sedan, Full Frame off Restoration done myself - 6.0L with T56 six speed
-1957 Chevy BelAir 2 Door Post Sedan - Nearly rust free AK car, Project in the waiting
-2003' Chevy Silverado SS AWD 6.0L! - Daily Driver
matthew20061 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 09:38 AM   #6
BR3W CITY
meowMEOWmeowMEOW
 
BR3W CITY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MKE WI
Posts: 7,128
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

Quote:
Originally Posted by softballnrd27 View Post
I take it you did your own tuning? How was the learning curve? Did you have any knowledge prior to this?
I had my tuning done for me, but I have taken an interest in it since the beginning. When my tuner said he was going to use hpt I started trying to learn what was involved. I wanted to be able to do small tweaks to my truck without having to go 1.5hr out to the tuner.

I started on http://www.hptuners.com/forum/ and read from there.
__________________
'66 Short Step / SD Tuned / Big Cam LQ4 / Backhalfed /Built 4l80e / #REBUILDEVERYTHING

MY BUILD THE H8RDCPTR //\\ MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL REV J HD
BR3W CITY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 10:47 AM   #7
Shon
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: sc
Posts: 1,203
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

they both do the same thing. HPT has a nicer look to it but you get used to EFIlive after using it.
__________________
71 Cheyenne C10 LWB cam'd 6.0/T56 Swap
Shon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 12:42 PM   #8
softballnrd27
Always a work in progress
 
softballnrd27's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Harker Heights, TX
Posts: 1,599
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

There is quite a price difference as well. I think I am going to go with HPtuners. I am also going to buy the SA design book on tuning to learn some as well, hopefully. I plan to do some upgrades later on and it would be nice to be able to tune the truck myself.
__________________
USMC Retired
Never trust a man who can't laugh at his own fart!
2010 Silverado Crew Cab
73 SWB 5.3/4l80e
Build Thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=695168
softballnrd27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 12:44 PM   #9
Shon
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: sc
Posts: 1,203
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

If you want to know about tuning, sit down with the Greg Banish vidz.
__________________
71 Cheyenne C10 LWB cam'd 6.0/T56 Swap
Shon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 12:48 PM   #10
raic65
Registered User
 
raic65's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Bonita, Ca
Posts: 156
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

I decided and use EFILive, but the main reason was that there is a local dealer/tuner for it. The credits thing with HPTuners also confused me. Wasn't sure if I needed to keep purchasing credits everytime I wanted to make a change to the tune on my truck.
raic65 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 12:49 PM   #11
Shon
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: sc
Posts: 1,203
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

Quote:
Originally Posted by raic65 View Post
I decided and use EFILive, but the main reason was that there is a local dealer/tuner for it. The credits thing with HPTuners also confused me. Wasn't sure if I needed to keep purchasing credits everytime I wanted to make a change to the tune on my truck.
u purchase credits for each VIN, once you 'own' the VIN there are no more purchases for the VIN. unless you do custom stuff.
__________________
71 Cheyenne C10 LWB cam'd 6.0/T56 Swap
Shon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 01:55 PM   #12
softballnrd27
Always a work in progress
 
softballnrd27's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Harker Heights, TX
Posts: 1,599
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shon View Post
If you want to know about tuning, sit down with the Greg Banish vidz.
I would love to but damn it's expensive. I am getting the book on tuning that he wrote and if I don't get it after that I might try the dvd.
__________________
USMC Retired
Never trust a man who can't laugh at his own fart!
2010 Silverado Crew Cab
73 SWB 5.3/4l80e
Build Thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=695168
softballnrd27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 11:39 PM   #13
Jim_PA
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 2,696
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

EFI live hands down.

Digital wideband input, the licensing scheme, the free custom OS upgrades, black box tuning and logging, the list is endless.
Jim_PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 11:47 PM   #14
Jim_PA
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 2,696
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

And for the record, I started with HPTuners, but after realizing they are basically selling you a service that you need to keep paying for additional features or abilities to modify your operating system, I realized I had bought the wrong thing from the start. I sold it and found a great deal from a place that sells EFI live for the same retail price as HPTuners with the MPVI pro.

If you have a stock car with bolt ons that is pretty plug and play, HPTuners will do you just fine. If you want to start playing around with swapping OS segments, trying different operating sytems, etc, EFILive is the only way to go.

You will pay a lot more money in the end if you start messing around with HPtuners.
Jim_PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 11:54 PM   #15
Jim_PA
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 2,696
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

Quote:
Originally Posted by raic65 View Post
I decided and use EFILive, but the main reason was that there is a local dealer/tuner for it. The credits thing with HPTuners also confused me. Wasn't sure if I needed to keep purchasing credits everytime I wanted to make a change to the tune on my truck.
With HPtuners, you need to license both the tune in the computer, and the computer itself.... it's a matched combo. Once you licence a PCM/tune combo, if you should decide that OS doesn't work right with your swapped parts, you need to buy additional credits to write another OS to that PCM you already paid $100 to license.

With EFI live, you licence the PCM hardware itself. After you license that hardware, you can flash whatever compatible OS you want on top of it.

I know I'm seeming a little biased towards EFI live, but in the end, HPTuners is a PPV service like your cable box, EFI live is like having a descrambler. Even if you pay full retail for the EFI live, it's totally worth the extra $150.
Jim_PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2011, 12:07 AM   #16
Super73
Registered User
 
Super73's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, Ca
Posts: 2,841
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

I have HPtuners and never used EFIlive.

I have done segment swaps and custom SD tunes with it. It works great for me, not to say EFI live won't get the job done too, but I personally see no need to change. Plus I used an old A-tap and LS1edit cable as trade in. I have 99-02 f-body completely unlocked along with many other vins unlocked for customers. It would be too costly for me to switch.
__________________
------Motor---------------Bottle
60'---1.53---------------1.41
1/8---6.58 @ 105.92----5.87 @ 118.41
1/4---10.38 @ 126.97----9.24 @ 142.49
Super73 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2011, 09:57 AM   #17
BR3W CITY
meowMEOWmeowMEOW
 
BR3W CITY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MKE WI
Posts: 7,128
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

Im pretty sure HPT also has an unlimited credit option for shops.
__________________
'66 Short Step / SD Tuned / Big Cam LQ4 / Backhalfed /Built 4l80e / #REBUILDEVERYTHING

MY BUILD THE H8RDCPTR //\\ MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL REV J HD
BR3W CITY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2011, 10:57 AM   #18
Shon
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: sc
Posts: 1,203
Re: HPTuners or EFI Live?

they do.
its the same arguement you did not want from LS1tech, each person likes what they like and they all get the job done.
__________________
71 Cheyenne C10 LWB cam'd 6.0/T56 Swap
Shon is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:31 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com