EFI Live or ?

[WiggyHD]

I'm all into fartin' around with things, but, comparitivley speaking (don't get mad), how much benefit is EFI to me versus, say, Six Gun w/PDA? How will I know that I am not going to blow something up? Banks has safties built in, I don't. I know that I can buy EFI form somebody smarter than me, with a DSP5 switch, so how does that compare with the other tuners? I've been reading and playing around with the program, but it still looks quite intense to me. I would love to tune my own truck to how it is perfect for me. I'm just scared I'll screw something up. All I'll really ever do is daily drive, tow and family car type stuff. I won't race or pull with it.

Mark

 

[JoshH]

Keep the Banks unless you're unhappy with it.

Off topic, I see you're from Mena. I have some family that lives there.

 

[booxr800]

I like the idea of Banks too with safties but I want to get an exhaust get rid of the DOC,DPF and I can't with Banks unfortunately. I also like the shift on the fly power levels. So if you are already getting good mpg's and want clean safe power I would go with Banks.

 

[wes06dmax]

EFI Live vs Banks is like daylight and dark if you will get EFI Live like from Rob Coddens or McRat they will build you tunes so you wont have too. and EFI Live now makes a switch for the LLY already and I believe they have one for the LMM so you can change tunes on the fly

 

[Dozerboy]

How long are you going to keep the truck? EFI might be a better tool down the road for disgusting and such.

 

[WiggyHD]

Keep the Banks unless you're unhappy with it.

Off topic, I see you're from Mena. I have some family that lives there.

We just moved here last August. Our roof is already getting replaced from the tornado, so I figured, why not build a three car garage? How far are you from here?

 

[WiggyHD]

How long are you going to keep the truck? EFI might be a better tool down the road for disgusting and such.

My wife will makesure that I keep it for a long, long time. I'm not griping though, itls the best truck I've ever had. Sure, I made a bucket list of stuff I want to add on or upgrade. That's just to make it more comfortable for my kids on long trips, make it tow better, and get better mileage. I just put the Monster exhaust on, and I don't know whether its in my head or not, but my trip to Little Rock VA hospital (120 ish miles each way) on friday, I got 22 mpg round trip. It varies from winding mountain roads (45-55mph) to interstate for 30 miles or so. It seems that I get decent mileage until 65, thenit just starts going downhill incrementally the faster I go.

Sorry, I plan to keep it a long time. I have never gotten rid of a functional vehicle. Plus, I take very good care of them.

Mark

 

[WiggyHD]

Keep the Banks unless you're unhappy with it.

The only Banks equipment I have right now is the Monster Exhaust and the Ram Air with Superscoop. I don't have the Ram Air installed yet because they sent me an LLY setup (I do have an LLY) when I have the LBZ turbo inlet and complete LBZ factory air filter system. They are sending me an LBZ tube. The Six-Gun is $1000 with the PDA (which I would want). I know there is other stuff out there, but from what I've read, I have narrowed it down to these two. Can safties be built in using the EFI live? Which can net me better loaded and unloaded mpg's? I rely on the experts when trying to learn something. I hate being torn and confused!

Mark

 

[JustinD]

EFI and a good guy to write you the tunes and help you with getting what you want out of it. You will be very happy with it.

 

[zfuller123]

I know this is slightly in the wrong place, but if you decide you want the Banks 6-gun w/ PDA - just so happens i have one i used (and loved it for towing) for my LLY. It's sitting in the garage getting dusty. I'll sell it to you for $575 shipped along with a new pyro (instead of the old dirty one).

For me and my current setup - i have chosen EFI with the DSP5, and of course love the benefits. Regardless of what anyone says, or claims made by any 'chip' manufacturer though - know that adding power can potentially hurt things - even with the safety's built into them. It's all pretty much at your own risk

I've been 'new' to all this before so i'm hoping i don't come across condescending. I'm not trying to. Back when i started modding things, and felt like i was doing it safe, and then i had a problem - then whooooops there goes the warranty because I had the Edge (installed by a GM dealer no less).... Just know that anything you do increases risk - but my personal opinion is that out of the chips i've tried, along with EFI, Banks is the smoothest and safest power adder to an otherwise stock truck. Just know that you'll never be able to achieve the 'power potential' of your truck with just a chip... I think Edge produces more power, but the Banks was definitely smoother, especially with a heavy load.

PM me if you have any specific questions about the Banks... I had EXACTLY the stuff you have (exhaust, intake) when i put the banks PDA on.

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

Its tough to beat the scan tool EFI Live has. It may not be a Tech II but it seems to be the next best thing

 

[JoshH]

The only Banks equipment I have right now is the Monster Exhaust and the Ram Air with Superscoop. I don't have the Ram Air installed yet because they sent me an LLY setup (I do have an LLY) when I have the LBZ turbo inlet and complete LBZ factory air filter system. They are sending me an LBZ tube. The Six-Gun is $1000 with the PDA (which I would want). I know there is other stuff out there, but from what I've read, I have narrowed it down to these two. Can safties be built in using the EFI live? Which can net me better loaded and unloaded mpg's? I rely on the experts when trying to learn something. I hate being torn and confused!

Mark

Yeah, I misunderstood your post earlier.

Since you don't have anything, the choice is tough. What safeties are you really concerned with? The only one that is important, IMO, is the EGT monitoring and safety/warning system (I haven't really looked at the Banks literature that closely, but I assume it does something similar to the Edge Juice/Attitude).

I like EFILive because you can make a tune from a mild tow tune, to a full out race tune, and the tuning can grow with your mods, unlike Banks. I don't know if you are the type that will ever upgrade your turbo, install bigger injectors, or build your motor, but if so, the Banks will be useless to you. I think the tunes you can get with EFILive are just as good or better than anything Banks has to offer.

If you already have a laptop, I think EFI is a good option, but you really need to think about what you will eventually do with the truck. If there is a chance you will ever do more than just intake/exhaust/tune type mods, I think you should go with EFI.

If you don't plan on going any farther than that, Banks would probably work very well for you. From what I understand, the Banks speedloader has some stuff you can play with to feed your tinkering bug.

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

Yeah, I misunderstood your post earlier.

Since you don't have anything, the choice is tough. What safeties are you really concerned with? The only one that is important, IMO, is the EGT monitoring and safety/warning system (I haven't really looked at the Banks literature that closely, but I assume it does something similar to the Edge Juice/Attitude).

I like EFILive because you can make a tune from a mild tow tune, to a full out race tune, and the tuning can grow with your mods, unlike Banks. I don't know if you are the type that will ever upgrade your turbo, install bigger injectors, or build your motor, but if so, the Banks will be useless to you. I think the tunes you can get with EFILive are just as good or better than anything Banks has to offer.

If you already have a laptop, I think EFI is a good option, but you really need to think about what you will eventually do with the truck. If there is a chance you will ever do more than just intake/exhaust/tune type mods, I think you should go with EFI.

If you don't plan on going any farther than that, Banks would probably work very well for you. From what I understand, the Banks speedloader has some stuff you can play with to feed your tinkering bug.

Well put

 

[WiggyHD]

So now I have a decision to make. Eventually, either way, I will be wrong. I like fiddling around with stuff. I have my bike, but since it was only made from 83-86, it is a pain to find parts for. I would LOVE to build a car (hotrod), but will not be able to put much per month toward it. I have my wife's car ('04 Cavalier). It's a tuner, but I don't know what she will let me do to it. I want my truck to last a long time, and I take pride in how well I maintain my vehicles. I guess I am just scared that I wil screw something up, and wind up having to spend $4000 getting my transmission rebuilt with a Suncoast IV, and converter. My wife would be PI$$ED! No, I'm not scared of my wife. I just "want" to do the upgrades, not "have" to do them.

Sorry for the ramble
Mark

 

[Dozerboy]

I could never justify spending $1K on banks and then being limited by there tuning. When EFI is IIRC $700 and have just about limitless possibilities especially since you like to tinker. You don't have to have a laptop I don't use ours. I just got a 50' eithnet cable and run it out the door to my truck.

 

[maxxflip]

If you want to improve unladen MPG EFI is definatly the way to go
i didnt see very much improvement with the banks
now getting 20mpg+ rolling on 33's @ 70 mph with a low boost efi tune banks best was 16mpg on the same setup:happy2:

 

[Big Block 88]

I beleive the EFI V2 is now 799.00 it went up since I got mine. I am just not a fan of naks in the least, I don't even know why (oh yeah there ad campaign). But EFI is the way to go for longevity and MPG and HP gains. I would just get EFI from on of the vendors here they can set you up with a DSP switch and some good tunes and you just sit back and enjoy the new power and efficency.