Predator still a good choice?

I just recently purchased an 08 Chevy 1500 with the 5.3. I had an 08 Dodge 1500 with the 5.7 a while back and used the Superchips Flashpaq with the trans tune and was pleased with it, but research I have done lately points me to Diablo as being my best option now. I have a dealer here in town that has a brand new Predator that he said is up to date (did it himself) and he's giving me his bottom dollar since they are being discontinued and replaced by the inTune. My question is, if I pull the trigger on the Predator and pass on going for the inTune, am I giving up any new options or are these basically the same tuners, one just in newer "packaging" than the other? I noticed on the product details for the Predator I can disable the AFM and on the inTune details it does not say I can. Is that just an adjustable parameter that didn't get listed? Along with waking up the truck, I want to disable the AFM so I can change the exhaust and I don't hear the truck go from a good throaty sound to an overpowered Subaru when it kicks down to 4 cylinders. Thanks for any help!

[mikel]

you'd be passing up TCM control by using the Predator over an inTune...

I'm not looking to get crazy with the adjustable parameters. It took me long enough to figure a decent shift schedule on my old programmer and I really don't want to learn a whole laundry list of new parameters and spend a ton of time figuring them out. I've also been seeing that with the inTune, that the canned tunes don't always work properly with the engine and you end up having to send files to a guy named Lew and pay him for a new custom tune. How much does that cost? The inTune is already $400, but the way I understand it, you're spending $400 on a product that doesn't technically work from the explanation of "not every truck is the same". Do these same problems happen with the Predator?

Anybody at all........any insight to my last questions?

[06MonteSS]

with the predator, #1 - they were all discontinued about 10 months ago now... and # 2, they do not have tcm/tranny support, so you would not be able to make any adjustments to the tcm/transmission, like shift quickness, shift pressure, shift points, torque managment, etc...

you'd definitely be better off getting the inTune... and yes I sell them and also offer a package deal with my custom tuning at a reduced rate so you'd save some $$. http://intune.diablewtune.com

yes the intune and predator will work for your truck... the preset canned tunes that come on them are general tunes meant to work across all trucks everywhere... the point of "not every truck is the same" comes into play when getting a custom tune done for your truck.. because no, not every vehicle is the same - which is why you'd get a custom tune done for it, so that data logs can be done and gone through, and the tune gets adjusted/tweaked specifically for how YOUR truck is running and what your truck likes as far as fueling, timing adjustments, torque, torque managment, etc etc... yes it's the same with the predator, with the intune, with the trinity... the tunes that come on them are only general basic tunes designed to give you some basic improvements/gains. BUT, the predator can not adjust anything with the tcm/transmission like the inTune or Trinity can.

Alright. Thank you for your help! Looks like may be holding off on this for a little bit, until my wife is ok with me spending $485 on this.

Until then I have a few questions about the custom tuning:
1. To get you the data logs necessary to see what needs to be adjusted, am I just tuning my truck with the canned Diablo Tune, logging for a week or so, and then going to a custom tune from there?
2. Would I be better off leveling my truck and changing to a slightly larger tire before I get the tuner, so all changes I plan to make on the truck have been made?

Thanks again for your help!

[06MonteSS]

the tune can always be updated later on if you change tire sizes, add a CAI, exhaust, etc... I offer 1 year of free updates....

and here's how the process works:

You'd purchase the package deal... I receive the order and payment... I submit the order to my supplier and the programmer ships from them directly to you - if I receive the order before 4pm Eastern Time, it would ship out the same day and you would usually receive it in a couple days - depending on where you live, heh.

You receive the tool... the first thing you would need to do is register it and update it to all of the latest updates... You do need to have a Windows PC in order to run diablo's software apps that are needed...since diablosport's auto-update and registration app is all Windows-only software - so if you don't have access to a Windows PC or laptop, my suggestion would be to run bootcamp or parallels desktop on your mac so that you can run Windows.

so, you'd get the tool registered and all updated to the latest updates (could take a little while)... once all the updates are done and complete, then you are ready to connect it to your car and select one of the preset tunes - either the 87 Octane Tune (if you use good 87 or 89 octane gas) or the Diablo Tune (if you use good 91 octane gas or higher)... and then select Install Tune...

the tool will first save the copies of your original backup stock tune files in itself, and then it will continue and install the performance tunes you selected.

once the install is done, then you're good to go with the preset tune.

then, you'd connect the tool back up to your computer... get copies of the original backup and last tune written files copied from the programmer to your PC, then you email me the tune files, with your vehicle info - year, model, engine, any mods done to it, etc... I create you a custom tune file and then email it back to you...

you import the custom tune file into the tool... then connect the tool to your truck and select the custom tune to install, then install the tune...

you drive however you normally do for a couple/few days until you've put on at least about 150 miles so that the fuel trims and such have been relearned by the ECM and have settled in.. then you are ready to record a steady driving data log for me...

you do that, then send me the log file... I make fine-tuning adjustments to the custom tune, and make you an updated custom tune file, send it to you, you import it to the tool, install to the vehicle, put on the miles, get me a new steady driving data log, send it to me to check, I make adjustments if needed, send you updated tune file, you import it to the tool, install to the vehicle etc etc... and once the part-throttle normal driving stuff is all dialed in and looks like it should, then we move on to the WOT fun! haha.. I have you do a WOT data log for me, I go through it, make any needed adjustments to WOT fueling/timing, send you an updated tune, you install it.. get me a new WOT data log to check, etc... once everything all looks good, you're good to go.


so that's the scoop...

Sounds good! Sounds like it makes it worth the price. Now just have to sweet-talk the wife

Do you do anything for the trade in credit on your package deal for the intune? Or do I have to go through diablosport directly to take advantage of the credit?

[06MonteSS]

no... the trade-in credit is only directly through diablosport themselves...

In theory though, I should be able to buy the custum tune using my predator and be able to basically set it and forget it once it gets dialed in right? So the upgrade to the intune really wouldn't be that important right? That would be the least expensive route as well. Other than chasing ghosts trying to use the redux software to get the performance i want, i haven't really changed to many settings in quite awhile. The redux software is awesome, but not being able to log afr with the 7193 makes it really frustrating to try to get the low rpm performance dialed in.

[06MonteSS]

right...