LS6Vette

Hi guys, 1st post, go easy. Yes mods I did the search & read the threads & what do you know, still have a question.

Stock LS6 engine, going to stay stock, just want a bit more grunt in 1 & 2 1500 to 5000 rpm.

I called Vinci & they spent some time talking with me about what I wanted & how their handheld could be used (1st or 2nd pgm & play with the +/- 5% a bit) Sounded good.

I called Diablo Predator & got a phone menu and then went on hold for about 6 minutes & I hung up.

So buy the Vinci, right?

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

yep. but, i'm biased. here's a webpage i made about the vinci tuner i used to have. http://www.stealthram.com/vhptuner.htm

LS6Vette

Thanks mrr, nice writeup on the tool.

Do you think I should put a K&N in the stock filter housing (I am restricted by rules from changing to CAI) so it'll breath a tiny bit better? Stock cat back on z06 Vette is pretty good & lightweight I think.

Thanks.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

http://vincihighperformance.com/CORV...20MAINPAGE.htm then click induction. think you could get away with that? if not, then you can at least get the filter.

sprayjunkie

What time did you call Diablosport? They close at 5:00PM est.
Sometimes the phones get real busy, if you do not get through right away, try again later.
Diablosport has an excellent warranty, and there are tons of guys using them.
The Predator has a bunch of user adjustable parameters, in addition to the diagnostic and live data capabilities. It can also accept custom tunes from any CMR dealer either in person or via email.
Have you seen the 'favorite handheld tuner' poll running here....looks like the Predator is running away with the win!

LS6Vette

Hi Spray,

Thanks for the post. I called about 1 pm Calif which is 4 pm East Coast. Maybe I'll give it one more shot.

Do you know if the Diablo has some standard tunes for stock ls6? Does it have the plus/minus % built in like Vinci.

I'd just like to know the basics of how it tunes & what is available. I am staying totally stock.

06MonteSS

yes, it comes preloaded with some tunes (93, 91, 87 octane on mine), and when making adjustments, it goes by %.

navyblueSS

iTrader: (1)

My vote goes to Vinci. Great product, that works.

LS6Vette

Have you (stock) guys used the feature where you set it back to stock for a visit to the dealer for warranty work? Works ok?

Question for both Vinci & Diablo.

LS6Vette

Anyone?

Thanks.

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

I know it is annoying to get an answer to a question you didn't ask, but honestly in your boat the money would be better spent in other ways. Take it or leave it, but this is my advice:

- Handhelds make the most sense for guys that must have them, to take care of a gear ratio change or something simple like that. In this case you can try to pick up a used one for well under $200.

- If you plan on buying new, all of a sudden you are in the $400 range and at that point (IF you have a laptop to work with) it is almost silly not to get a tuning software package. For an extra $100 you gain a ridiculous amount of functionality, and the ability to do some bi-directional tasks (stuff that otherwise requires a tech 2) that will save you trips to the dealer. If you are like me a single trip saved to the dealer is worth $100, no question. They just don't know how to work on these cars anymore (sorry my car...), and if it is the least bit modded, forget it.

- I may take some flak for this, but a handheld tuner won't give you a noticeable improvement in low end torque. It just won't. There is some merit (particularly with automatic cars) because you can tinker with shift feel and shift points, also being able to work with fan temps can help. But power, you just won't get a noticeable boost.

My point is for a mostly stock guy (as you clearly intend to be) a handheld is just a bad deal. It will end up costing you good money up front, be a risk (pcm problems I guess are rare, but I had them, and didn't enjoy them), and get you rather limited functionality to boot. On a stock car, the money is better spent on functional upgrades, intake, exhaust, suspension upgrades to hook better, appearence, stuff you can enjoy like that. There are many options.

Take it from a Predator owner that has hptuners on the way. I've been through this already, and I picked up the Predator well under new cost just to handle a gear ratio change. There are only very specific times handhelds make sense.

Oh, and the Corvette functionality may be different, but I have had absolutely terrible luck with the Predator's ability to return the stock tune and go back and forth. Diablosport has been pretty good to work with, but in the end it has been dismissed to "quirks" on my particular car. I question the possibility of that, but it is what it is.

2xLS1

iTrader: (25)

You are probably at 75% of the cost of HP Tuners buying the Vinci. With that, you will have a really good scanner too that you can use on most all GM OBD2 cars to read codes and troubleshoot problems to boot. You have a Vette so money cant be an object deciding what to buy. Get a full tuning suite with a scanner. You might some day be disapoint with what a hand held can and can't do. With a full tuning suite, you'll never be.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

vinci yes. i've done it many times.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

a full tuning suite may not be for everyone as well. just because it costs a little more to have, doesn't make it better to have. and if you do not have a laptop, then it gets more costly.

take this from a guy that went from a handheld to hptuners.
there is a steep learning curve when it comes to using one. handhelds make it easy, because it does the changes for you. most stuff is easy to do. when it comes to the VE tuning aspect, it can takes days of logging, making changes, logging, making more changes, until it's done.

using editing software is a learn it yourself deal. you can get limited help on the internet. but you'll have to have an ability to learn this stuff yourself. hptuners gives some help when you mouse over a table, it gives a description of what it does.

here's some screenshots i've taken to help some people out.

idle tables


pe tables


pe table specifically for WOT


and the hard one VE and MAF tables

Sneakyws6

The newer generation Predator will do anything you need it to and then some. Some of you handheld basher need to go and read what the new Predator handheld can do before you call them junk and say they cant do anything or offer a performance gain.

I was on the dyno this weekend at a local dyno day. Some changes had been made to my car over the last two years. In Jan I sent the unit in for the new firmware update to give me the new Predator functionality.

My base line on the dyno was 335rwhp and 348rwtq. By the time I was done adjusting the neer parameters I ended up at 345rwhp and 359rwtq. Even the dyno guy here who is a huge Hptuners guy and this shop turns out some wicked LSx based cars said he was surprised at what the newer Predator could do.

When I bought my Predator HPTuners was not even out or was so new to the market that no one in my area had experience with it. The other thing is in order to realize the full use of HPT you need some dyno time, and if you dont own a laptop then you are unable to even use the program. Then you have to pay someone to do your tuning and then for re edits later on down the road.

Before you knock on the handhelds do some research on them to be able to offer a more unbiased opinion.

I have spoke to Johan and Mike from Diablo, both have taken all sorts of their time to assist me in the past as well as jumped thru some huge hops for me in order to reflash my Predator while I was on vacation and next day air it back to me so I could reload the program and drive the car when I got back from vacation.

Both of them are members on this web board and may of have posted in this thread already as well. That gives you another avenue to use in case of needing help or some of the many members like me that have one of the units and use it still.

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

Sneaky, I figure that lenghty post above was addressed towards me.

I have a predator. I didn't call it junk. I explained the differences between the two and when and where they make a good fit. It is, in fact, an unbiased opinion. I simply can't stand it when selective arguements are made to accuse someone of bashing. To my point:

1.) You admit in your own post that you got your handheld when HPtuners wasn't an option.

2.) You are using dyno numbers giving the benefit of a tune aligning to your intake and exhaust mods. Not stock as the original poster noted he wanted to stay.

3.) Those benefits were obtained using dyno tuning. Was that free?

4.) I acknowledged you needed a laptop. It's silly to point that out as if it was ignored.

5.) Are you better off pricewise buying the Predator AND paying for dyno time? Or is it possible paying a tuner might be cheaper and yield similar or better results, with more flexibility?

6.) I acknowledge as well, that Diablosport in particular has been ok to work with.

If you take those points as biased knocks on handhelds, so be it. There is no point in arguing with you.

I still stand my ground that for a stock guy, a handheld tuner just isn't a good value. Sorry if that insulted you.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

i did some track testing with the vinci tuner. only mods at the time was SLP airlid and 3" electric cutout. back to back. about 10 minutes between the runs. .2 and 1.4 mph quicker.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

mods, or not, tuning with a handheld can and will make a difference.

when you get your hptuners in the mail, is it going to come with free dyno time?

it was ignored and isn't silly to point it out when someone claims it's not much more to just buy tuning software. it has to be included in the overall price. the software is nothing more than a disc. you can't slide it into the CD player and get it to work.

paying a tuner will net you flexibility? will the dyno tuner go to the track with you and make changes anytime you want due to varying conditions? will the tuner retune your car after you've made changes at no cost to you?

you're the one who made this statement:

just because you've some serious bad luck with your handheld, doesn't mean they don't work. advancements have been made since you bought yours.

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

...continuing to ignore the overall logic and points made in my original post...

Recommending a handheld as a good bang for the buck first upgrade - I just don't agree with it. Handhelds have thier place, I just don't think that is one of them.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

i don't know, i thought i understood your logic in your first post. handhelds are a bad deal. maybe i misread that.

i guess you are ignoring our overall logic and points in our posts as well.