Diablosport Predator

Snead Hearn · #1 (**permalink**) 09-17-2009, 11:53 AM

I bought my truck about 6 weeks ago. It came with a new (still in shrink wrap) Predator Tuner. the seller told me that he never installed it since once he bought it, he heard it might cause warranty issues and the truck still has miles left to go on the engine warranty. He planned to install it after hitting 100k.

So, there it sits on my workbench, I have debated what to do about it. I have read on this forum that if I install it, it will either blow my heads or break my tranny or shrink my testicles or something else terrible.

I might just sell it - the truck seems to run very nicely without any tuning, but I would love a little more power.

I guess I just wonder how this thing works differently than other tuners - why for instance, the SCT (seems to be the hot one on this forum) wouldn't cause the same problems. Don't they all do more or less the same thing? Unless I am missing something here, they have to increase fuel delivery to make more power, right? So to burn the fuel, they have to do something to force more air in to engine so the fuel will burn.

I guess I can see that if different programming mods are written to the computer, this could make different result from one program to another.

I really have no preference, although the fact that I have this thing just sitting there in its box tempts me.

Can someone help me understand why this thing would cause the above problems, but the others don't?

Is there anyone out there who has first hand knowledge of a Diablo blowing heads or destroying a tranny?

This is my first diesel (well, since my family's VW Rabbit way back when) and I love it and already have several thousand excellent miles on it since I bought it. I want it to go lots more.

I have seen the reactions to this product, so immediately before I press the Submit button, I will don the flame suit.

alwil · #2 (**permalink**) 09-17-2009, 03:33 PM

I ran the predator for a while....still have it actually, I didnt like the shifting seemed to be alot of shift flare.
I dont think it was the predator that caused my head gaskets to go....I think it was lack of gauges and operator error.

If you are going to leave it on either the 40hp tow or the 60hp economy you should be fine to try it out.....If you still have your EGR cooler and no gauges I would take it easy while using the 100hp tune as egt can still get up there.

Rubenk · #3 (**permalink**) 09-17-2009, 03:54 PM

I think the major difference in the power creation is how it does it. With a custom tune they know to keep the cylinder pressures reasonable to keep from blowing the headgaskets out, while adding horsepower at the same time.

As for the trans tuning, that is the key to these trans holding up to any sort of power or abuse. They are not like older trans where you just put a valvebody and shiftkit in, it is ALL electronic, the clutch pressures and everything can be manipulated via tuning.

It is probably safe to slap it on and try it out for a few miles just to see what the power is like, but I wouldnt run it for any length of time. Get a set of guages and a custom tuned SCT and you'll be set!

Lubbockguy1979 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-17-2009, 04:52 PM

i totally agree with everything above. the main reputation with the diablo predator though is cooked headgasket problems. they are very useful for code reading though.

bcoco281 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-17-2009, 06:26 PM

can a diablo be used to turn the egr off? thanks

Lubbockguy1979 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-17-2009, 06:45 PM

Not that I'm aware of. It would take some custom tuning to make it work and I don't think it is offered for the diablo. The sct is the only one I know of for sure

bcoco281 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-17-2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lubbockguy1979

Not that I'm aware of. It would take some custom tuning to make it work and I don't think it is offered for the diablo. The sct is the only one I know of for sure

yeah i didnt think they did custom tuning i was just wondering