I recently bought the Predator on a group purchase, and I am a little disapointed in it. I have a A4, and after a recent install of a Yank PT 4500 and some slicks, I got a 12.17 with a 1.60 60. What was the biggest issue once the verter and slicks where added into the mix? Yep...TM! Bad! So bad, that as the suspension loaded from launch I had to steer into it for most if the track. Between each shift, but alot more noticable to me the 2-3 shift, the car would actually nose dive from the power loss, that I actually would have to correct the steering wheel to compensate till it would let the car pull again, and then it would come on so strong, that I had to steer back into it.

Obviously not doing anything possitive for the ET, I decided to try the Predator since it had more to offer than the HPP3, but didn't confuse as much as the LS1 Edit to a very basic computer operator let alone programmer. They advertise revised torque management. To me this say's for $400, it should be a reduction of 60-70% minimum for this function of the computer. I havn't gotten 30% difference yet. I say 30% only because it did help it on the street between shifts some, but at the track today, it didn't do jack.

My slip from today on 315/35/17 Nitto DR..75 deg weather..and nightmare style TM:
60:........1.63
330:.......4.86
1/8:.......7.60
MPH:......88.47
1/4:......11.9603
1/4 MPH...112.16

I guess I'll look into Ed Wright's tune and see if it will help this part of the equasion.

Also, I'm not going to pronounce the Predator worthless to me till I drive the car after the new TCI CS 4200 2.85, and another level upgrade in the tranny. The verter is scheduled to arrive Mon or Tues, and I plan to install it by the Wed or Thurs, pendind the turn around time on the tranny. I actually hope it's not the Predator, since I feel violated at the thought of Ed's locked out computer program, and having to pay to have the program reset to stock in case I have any warranty work done. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="gr_sad.gif" />

This being said, I hope to find Diablo as willing to refund my $ if the new verter and tranny refresh and upgrade don't help to fix the problem. Trying to be fair to Diablo, I am going to eliminate the possibility of a tranny problem, and also will be installing a new verter, which takes that out of the equasion. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />


Wish me luck,
Kurt

<small>[ February 02, 2003, 12:49 AM: Message edited by: 02 SOM SS ]</small>

 

Im not aware of the Predators Functions

If Predator refunds your $$$ get the car ls1edited by a professional ls1 tuner.


ls1 edit + someone that really knows that there doing with it ='s ONE BEAUTIFUL RESULT


good luck to ya...

 

DiabloSport should take care of you. Their customer support has been very good so far from what I've seen. Also keep in mind that their custom tuning has just as much capability as Edit and Ed Wright. I would have to think that would be a far better choice than to spend the extra time and money on replacing something you actually already have. It sounds like you're doing the right thing by eliminating the tranny issue first. Just give DS a chance to rectify the situation before you dish out even more money for another program. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

I gained 1 hp tonight over stock programming with the timing set at -10% on the diablo returned it back to zero. Which is plus 2 degrees and gained nothing. The only thing that it helped was the power band went up from 5450-5950.

 

Kurt: How many miles & 1/4 mi passes on your current trans. & are you running a shift kit & which one?? WJ. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

WJ: I have 10k miles on the car, and yes there are several hundred passes at the track. I installed a TransGo kit when I was running NOS at 3K miles. I wanted to spray through the shifts was the only reason I had it installed. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

I had immediate 2-3 shifting isses which I understood to be TM after installing the Yank PT4500. The car would fall flat on it's face especially on the 2-3 shift, and would recover at different rates of speed, thus affecting the ET differently. However...never did it do anything rediculous like slip noticably or not want to eventually shift into 3rd. My friend that let me borrow his verter "PT4500" drove the car it's first time at the track with his verter and slicks, and he immediately said he thought it was tranny. The reason he thought so, which later was confirmed on the video tape of his pass, you could clearly hear the car hit the limiter a few times before it would shift into 3rd. This is not that typical of the car though, as most of the passes where just limited by the what felt like I like I lifted completely off the gas and then mashed it again.

In discussing these symptoms with Trevor, his opinion is tranny related also. I am just suprised if it is, since it will run the same consistant numbers at the track over and over again, including MPH. My experience with transmissions are that if they start to slip or develop a problem, it is most likely going to show up huge in loss of performance. Something my car hasn't done.

In looking at the time slips from last Saturday,
I ran 1 11.96, 6 12.0 passes and 3 12.1 passes. All above 111.5 mph. This doesn't sound like a tranny problem to me, it is like TM is still as active at the track as it was w/o any porgramming at all.

My tranny is getting the Super Servo which has a 30% stronger engaugement, respringed for shifting with the verter, and also he is looking at the bands and clutches. He does alot of tranny work for me, and has some 10 sec F-Bodies to his credit with pretty good longevity for their applications. I asked him to call me tonight if he see's anything that would look worn out already..ie..clutches and band. We'll see.

I actually hope it is not in the programmer. Not because I am fearful that Diablo won't step up and reimburse me if it comes to that, but because I don't really want my box locked to achieve what I was under the assumption the Predator would provide...no or highly revised TM.
If it doesn't handle a big verter well enough, then I will not be interested in keeping it, since I will have now been flustrated into having the tranny rebuilt to give it all the benifit of the doubt, which I won't get nor would I expect reimbursment on.

I will know much more this weekend hopefully.

Thanks for the reply's,
Kurt

 

Kurt. Thanks and best wishes. WJ. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />