With all the programmers out there for the '01-'07 Duramaxes, perhaps one of the most exciting and least understood is the EFI Live FlashScan tuning tool. What makes the EFI Live setup different from other programmers or downloaders is its ability to log and then custom-tune an application for your truck. That way, whether you tow, race, sled pull, or do any combination thereof, a custom tune can be created for each activity to maximize performance potential.
With many programmers, five or six performance levels (or tunes) are available to choose from when the programmer is installed. With EFI Live, five custom tunes are available for storage. However, within these five tunes, there are more than 200 different engine and transmission parameters that can be changed, making EFI Live less of a programmer and more of an infinitely adjustable tuning tool. Also, EFI Live will allow you to lock the truck into one gear (such as Fourth) for dyno or diagnostic testing, log up to three hours of real-time driving data, display trouble codes, set rpm limits and shift points, and be used to control nitrous-oxide systems.
A programmer-like box is used to interface between a laptop and the vehicle's computer system. This is what uploads the program that was entered on the laptop into the truck's actual computer. Even if you don't have a laptop handy, custom tunes can be transferred to and stored in this handheld device, which can also be used as a scan tool for diagnostic work. | 
A bench harness can be set up by using a stock computer, a laptop, and the EFI Live scanner. That way, you can make changes in the comfort of your own home rather than having to sit in your truck for hours to program. | 
At this point, the laptop was in monitoring mode, recording boost, engine speed, throttle position, and more. |
One of the main advantages of EFI Live is the ability to write and adjust custom programs. For example, lets say you have a basically stock Duramax with an upgraded transmission and are pushing out around 500 rear-wheel horsepower on the dyno with a custom tune, but when you go to the dragstrip, the truck's EGTs get too high. With EFI Live, you can record the runs and then change the fuel mapping so the truck can make a full pass at the dragstrip. If you enjoy impressing your friends with 500hp dyno pulls, you can keep that tune as a dyno tune and keep the other one as a drag tune. Also, you can customize economy tunes that can give your truck a big advantage at the pump.
Most people would rather call and get a tune over the phone than read an instruction manual, but if you really want to become a good EFI Live user, this is the first step. Read all 100 pages of the instruction book-twice, if necessary. It won't hurt. In fact, it'll probably help quite a bit. | 
Once you have all your vehicle information plugged in, this is the welcome screen you'll see. In this case, our test vehicle was an LB7 Duramax. | 
To get here, we single-clicked on the speedometer icon (A) on the left side of the screen, then double-clicked on parameters, which opened up the screen you see in the middle. Note that the vehicle speed limiter is set at 98 mph (B) and will let you have power back once you drop below 95 mph. |
If it sounds like EFI Live is one of the more powerful tools out there for Duramax-powered vehicles, that's probably right. We say vehicles and not trucks because EFI Live can also be used in conjunction with a stock ECM for use on Duramax-powered race trucks, land-speed vehicles, or boats. The good news is EFI Live has been successfully used on many different Duramaxes at many different power levels, so EFI Live distributors are more than happy to start you out with tunes that have already proved effective with the modifications you may have.
We're just showing you the basics here. Think of this story as the first five pages of a 500-page book, and you'll be on the right track as far as what EFI Live can actually do. For more on this powerful tuning tool, visit www.efilive.com.