When it comes to tuning your diesel, EFILive is a name that is known throughout the hobby. The company’s reputation for delivering the tools needed to easily tune nearly any rig is unparalleled. However, choosing a tuning device does sometimes tend to create a little confusion.

For starters, while many people might think that EFILive creates tunes, they do not create or offer tuning. What they do is, they give you the tools you need to obtain the tuning you want. But this brings up another, frequently asked question — do I need an AutoCal or a FlashScan tool?

I dove into the subject some time ago, and you can read all about which tuning device is needed and when, but in short, the FlashScan programmer allows you to tune your own truck with complete access after YOU create the file. This does, however, require you to be fluent in creating a custom tuning file. If you are not a custom tuner and are simply looking for a device to contain a tune you have purchased, you will need the AutoCal device.

EFILive offers two tuning devices and each delivers different possibilities.

To reiterate, FlashScan, users have the ability to create, view, and modify custom tuning files. Tunes from multiple sources can be flashed with FlashScan. The AutoCal device cannot be used to create or change tune files. If you have an AutoCal, a custom tuner of your choice creates a custom tune file for your truck after you explain your needs and what upgrades have been incorporated into the engine. The newly created tune is then emailed from the custom tuner to the vehicle owner and then installed remotely onto AutoCal which is then connected to the vehicle. Another benefit to this tuning device is that you can also data log how the vehicle performs and then send that information back to the tuner for review. From that information, revisions can be made, again, remotely. Just so you know, finding a custom tuning person is as easy as clicking here.

In short, the main difference between FlashScan and AutoCal is: if you want to write your own tunes then you need a FlashScan. If you just want to purchase a single tune, or even multiple tunes from a reputable tuner, then you only need an AutoCal to install (flash) the prewritten tunes.