Diablo Predator
 

I got offered a Diablo Predator U7146 unmarried tuner for $200. Worth it or not?

Re: Diablo Predator
 

That's more than I would pay for a flasher that old, especially a predator. Are you going to do a real tune sometime? If so, get whichever flasher that your tuner has the software for and prefers to use. Most times it is sct for these cars.

Re: Diablo Predator
 

I most likely won't ever be dealing with a real tune shop mostly because I can't find one anywhere near me that's any good and the expense is rough as well.

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Your Mach still has the factory tune on it? Or did the previous owner return it to stock to keep his tuner?

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It is still stock as far as I know when I comes to the tune. I am hoping to get a little more bang out of it. Headers are a no options for a kalifornian and I've heard a throttle body won't do much. Thought a tuner might help

Re: Diablo Predator
 

I ran a canned diablo tune and preferred my stock tune over it. I wouldn't waste my money and run a more aggressive tune without verifying it on a dyno.

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I had guessed as much. I'll just have to leave her as is. Thanks for the info tho!

Re: Diablo Predator
 

Not sure what you'll gain with the canned tune that comes on the Predator, but I gained 15rwhp @ 15rwtq with a dynotune using the 1st gen. Predator with the few mods you have. Your only bigger gainers are gonna be long tube headers, cams or FI.

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I would love to do longtubes but with smog it's a massive problem. And I'm not gonna drop money if the Predator won't help much

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Something that's being over looked here is you own an automatic Mach1, the original software that comes on the Predator did not work. I was the reason for the first update to this programmer when it was released in April of 2004. I did save all of the updates for this programmer and could email them if anyone needed them. I didn't notice much difference maybe a little by the Butt-O-Meter. What I liked was being able to adjust shift points and the rev limiter. $200. is too much for the age. I don't think any of the newer tuners have a canned tune that's anything to get too excited about. I did also like the shift firmness adjustments I could make.

Re: Diablo Predator
 

I didn't know that thanks for the info! Well since a canned tuner is out I guess I need to find a bribe-able smog shop so longtubes can happen lol

Are you going to be doing the work? The labor on a header swap can be expensive. Personally I'd look into other things like gears first.

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I wouldn't be doing the work which is why I haven't pulled the trigger on the headers. The gears I have now are fine although I wouldn't mind doing 4.30s

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One of my favorite bolt ons is an aluminum driveshaft. It was right up there near the top of most noticeable mods I did.

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Really. I've done a bit of research into them. Do you know what the install for an auto is like or if it's much different then the manual.

Re: Diablo Predator
 

One other question. I've read and read the information on here about UDPs. I gather they are pretty rough on the manuals. What about autos? Will I be facing similar dangerous and catastrophic failure or is it not much of an issue? My Mach is a daily and I do occasionally take it to the high RPMs. Thanks guys

Re: Diablo Predator
 

What are UDP's?
Did you know that the automatic does not have the forged steel crank like the stick shifts? Our autos are a cast crank and limited to 1,000 rpms less then the stick shift.


Edit: Is that under drive pulley?

Re: Diablo Predator
 

Yes I knew about our transmission differences. And yes underdrive pullies. I know ringing them up is somewhat of a stupid question but I'm just looking into all the performance increases that I can and still pass our ridiculous smog

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The forged steel crank is in the motor. I have moved my rev limiter up a few rpm's just because it would hit it occasionally.

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Sounds like a good idea lol. I'll prolly just go with a driveshaft eventually.

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I don't know why it would be any different

if you've read the threads here then you have the same information to make that decision as anyone here does. I skipped those and glad I did for a number of reasons. Udps suck for a street car imo. Had them on my 94 and the alternator did not like it. Plus the damper issues with these high rpm engines isn't worth the risk to me, plenty of other ways to get faster if that's what you want.

that lower rev limit is because of a piece in the auto transmission, not the cast steel crank. Can't remember what the piece is but that information is around here somewhere.

Re: Diablo Predator
 

I have never heard of limiting the rpms because of an issue with the automatic transmission. But hey, I don't know everything. What you say does make sense, I do recall talk of the AODE not being a very strong transmission.
It was annoying to know that the autos did not get the forged crank but can't say it's made any difference to me.

I'd like to know what the issue is, I am debating getting the transmission rebuilt, is there a fix??

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Good point. I'll do what you mentioned and save for the driveshaft

Re: Diablo Predator
 

Found the following info, anyone know who Darrin is??

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You can safely rev them as high as the Converter and auto tranny can hold,
It's the trans in the auto cars that limits rpm, not the crank. The torque converters "balloon" over 6000 rpm. Ford, in it's infinite wisdom, put a cast crank in auto cars to save a few $'s. They figured they can't spin that fast anyway why put a forged crank in..
There is also a nifty little c-clip that displaces itself around 6000 rpm on the stock transmission.

Re: Diablo Predator
 

I'd also like to learn about this