VS


Hey Folks. Seems this is becoming a hot topic conversation, so I've decided to create this thread to shed some light on the Pro's and Con's of each. I want this thread to be as informative as possible with as little bias as possible. Anyone is welcome to post on this thread. You don't have to be a Double R Diesel customer to post up useful information here. All I ask is for folks try not to bash either product, just try to keep it to the facts...

So I'll start this off by telling my observations. My observations are based off having made EFI Live tuning and having sold many RaceME Ultras and seeing the results.

RaceME Ultra...

The Ultra is truly a innovative high tech piece of equipment. It consist of a monitor, secondary processing unit, and all associated wiring as well as an optional EGT sensor unit. It tunes and serves as a secondary set of gauges with the ability to monitor anything broadcasted on the trucks CANBUS. It is operated by a touch screen interface and powers on/off automatically with operation of the vehicle. The Ultra uses a flash tune to reprogram the truck's PCM. The process takes a little as 7 minutes. The unit can return the truck back to stock at any time and be removed for resale or used on another truck. The Ultra can removed as well leaving a truck tuned but OTF tuning or PID monitoring will not be possible at this point. RaceME has even talked about offering multiple VIN licensing which would allow the Ultra to tune multiple trucks with one unit, but this is just talk at this point.

As far as tuning, the 2013-15 trucks enjoy the most options at this point. User selectable power, timing, rail pressure, 68RFE trans line pressure, and turbo mapping are available at this time. Most of these features are on the fly adjustable not requiring a full flash tune change. The Ultra does require a special unlock cable to plugged into a 3 prong data port connector located at the back of the PCM in the wiring harness on the 2013 and up trucks. This is so because the Ultra uses a revolutionary process to communicate with the 2350 PCM through the back door and allows the RSA signature to stay in place which means no special unlock of the 2350 PCM is required. 2010-2012 trucks are about to receive the same tuning options as the 2013-15 trucks have now. The update is coming within the next few weeks. The 2007.5-2009 trucks will receive the same options in a update after the 2010-12 trucks options are complete. As of this moment though, the 2007.5- 2012 trucks use the same tuning options as were available with the old Smarty ME tuning options...the SW0-SW9 tuning selection.

No complete "box" transmission tuning options (shift point changes and torque converter lockup strategy changes) are available for the Ultra at this time. Full custom tuning of the engine and transmission is not available via the RaceME Ultra yet. RaceME is promising to release software in the next few months that will allow professional custom tuners like us to make custom tuning for use with the Ultra for all year model 6.7 pickups and Cab and Chassis models. Cab and Chassis box tuning is limited to the non SCR equipped trucks at this time. All C&C models are soon to be included according to RaceME. Also the Ultra does not offer data logging just yet, but the unit is capable of it and RaceME is set to release software to enable it. Also worth noting, the Ultra is capable of doing non flash tune functions like recalibrating your speedometer. Finally it should be noted that all RaceME tuning up to this point is strictly OFF Road/Race tuning...no emissions present tuning so far.

EFI Live...

This is mainly just a tuning platform, albeit a very good one! The EFI Live platform is extensive and well tested. EFI Live public tuning options have been available for some time now for the later 5.9CR trucks and the 2007.5 -2009 6.7 Cummins trucks. Only just this year has EFI Live released public software that allows tuning of the 4th Gen 2010-15 model trucks. All EFI Live tuning is only focused on what can be accomplished in the PCM/ECM via the OBD port. EFI Live does not tune the 68 RFE TCMs found on the 2007.5-2009 68RFE automatic trans trucks. These TCM units have to be removed and benched flashed for transmission tuning with EFI Live. EFI Live does not turn off TPMS or calibrate speedometers and that kinda stuff. Trucks equipped with EFI Live tuning will need a monitoring device like an the Edge CTS or other gauges to monitor extra functions beyond what Ram provides.

Tuning wise, EFI Live offers complete control of the ECM with the older trucks. Some of the hottest trucks at the pulls and races have an EFI Live tuned ECM. Its simply that good with the CM 849 and CM 2100 ECMs. With the CM 2200 (2010-2012 year model) and CM 2350 (2013-2015 year model) PCMs, things are not so complete publicly with EFI Live. This is where things get tricky. See EFI Live has not fully mapped out all the parameters needed to do some things with the 4th Gen trucks. Delete parameters and 68RFE parameters have not been mapped out by EFI Live yet. EFI Live is set to continue mapping out these big functions out later this year. This void in complete tuning control by EFI Live publicly has forced some very talented custom tuners to go in and do what EFI Live hasn't done already...mapping out the parameters needed to allow delete and transmission tuning (68RFE) for the 4th Gen trucks. So it must be noted that if a person buys delete tuning and also transmission tuning via EFI Live for a 2010-15 truck, they are buying tuning that is created by someone that is outside of EFI Live... this means that not all tuning is created equal. Some shops do have a better approach on these two issues better than others, so beware. EFI Live 4th Gen tuning can be truly spectacular in the hands of a capable person! Just always remember that EFI Live is no better than the person writing the tuning.

A few more things about EFI Live...Data logging is here already and is very valuable in perfecting tuning. The data logging is a function of the CSP (Cummins Switchable Programming) and CSP does allow for true OTF tuning at the turn of a switch or button for all year models and trucks. EFI Live can tune all Cab and Chassis models already. You can certainly have emissions present tuning made via EFI Live. Also 2013-2015 trucks do require the PCM to unlocked by a Bully Dog tuner or removed and bench unlocked prior to tuning via EFI Live.
EFI Live does need to update their hardware sometime soon. The autocal and V2 tuners are just simply getting out of date and lack the memory to handle the storage of just a few of the larger tune files the newer trucks use. You can get around the storage issues by using the autocal and V2 in pass thru mode with your PC but some sort of new interface is going to have to come forth to make EFI Live a more simple all in one tuning package.

Please feel free to add to this discussion. There is sooo much to compare and I certainly probably have missed some points.

Ray

www.doublerdiesel.com
email: info@doublerdiesel.com