Predator -- yes... when I take my car in for service, I flash mine back to stock right in the dealer's parking lot.

then when their work is done, I flash my tune/adjustments back in before I leave the lot... takes about 30 seconds and couldn't be any easier...

 

Stock or not, the Predator kicks ***.
We have 05-up Stangs using custom tunes that are flashed to their vehicle with a Predator making over 1000rwhp. Still waiting on the GM camp to catch up on that one.
We've got H/C/I LS1/2 cars making 450-500rwhp and some hot TT GTOs at 700+ right now.
Not to mention, we work with most of the major supercharger companies to provide plug-n-play tuning solutions for their kits. They seem to have plenty of confidence in our product.
I hope the OP is able to make a good decision based on this thread.

 

Let me explain a bit more how I would use the tool & what I would want to gain.

I'm not interested in dyno days & getting all geeked over using a suite on my laptop.

I will stay TOTALLY STOCK including stock airbox (maybe an oiled air filter).

I just want to be able to, from time to time, fill up with some 100 octane unleaded (available in my area) bump the timing & whatever else I need to change, and go have fun on the track.

End of day reload the stock tune, fill up with crap 91 unleaded, & drive home.

I know the gains are not huge (what do you guess?) but they should be noticable.

So you can see, it makes no sense to pay a tuning shop 8 or 10 times a year to do this for me, right?

I don't have the time/interest to learn another piece of software & I would also need to learn what the heck I was doing with it.

My fun is in the driving, not tapping at my keyboard.

The tool has to fit the job. And I want it to be as reliable as is possible, like a wrench. I don't want some junk that works every so often, and when it does not work you call tech support.

Which one is more reliable? Vinci or Diablo? Which has been around longer & has proven to be dead on reliable, not quirky & hit/miss.

Seems like either one would do what I want.

Thanks.

 

post #17 shows what i did at the track. there are plenty of people with vettes that use the vinci tuner. the vinci tuner has 8 different programs you can use. the predator has one. the predator does offer a little more flexibility in the changing of fueling and timing based on rpms and shift points per gear.

here's a write up i did on the vinci tuner
http://www.stealthram.com/vhptuner.htm

 

There is not a tuning suite or a handheld on the market that is going to do anything if you are wanting to run 100 octane gas in a stock car.

Not to get off base here, but you are throwing money out the window and actually make less hp running 100 octane than if you just ran 91/93 octane. A stock compression car in no way needs that high of a octane.

I dont know if you hvae ever read about octane and what it is actually needed for more octane does not equal more power.

The higher the octane the slower the burn. Octane is the fuels ability to resist detonation. As timing is added into the combustion cycle and the fuel air mixture is compressed and then ignited it can sometimes cause hot spots inside of the combustion chamber causing self detonation. Higher octane fuels slow the flame burn speed keeping the detonation at bay.

 

Go with the Predator. It has the simple flexibility built right in to it. I can't imagine you needing 8(!) tunes to choose from, as you plan to keep the car stock.
The tunes in the Predator are designed around a stock/mildly modified car. You can even start with the stock tune and modify it how you like.

 

he doesn't need 8 tunes to choose from... he's talking about switching from stock to "tuned" and back, when he goes to the track - which is 8 or 10 times a year...

 

Hi Sneaky,

Thanks for the post. Yes, I understand some about octane requirements. Do you realize that the car I am running (LS6VETTE) has a pretty high stock compression ratio? 10.5:1. Has a pretty good cam & breathes ok. With crap 91 octane Cali gas on a really hot day the computer in my car retards spark to prevent damage. That is my understanding. Correct me if I have that wrong.

So I think I have a plan (100 octane & handheld programmer) that will give me a benefit on my (high performance) stock motor.

Then go back to normal tune & 91 octane in between events.

This is pretty simple, yes? It'll either work or not. That's what I am trying to determine by posting.

Thank you.

Not interested in replies like "You'll be sorry you didn't get the suite when you put LT headers on & a supercharger". I am not asking that question, OK?

 

I have the predator and have since it came out, you will be happy with it.

I have a 01 Formula from my understanding the stock spark tables are very close between these two cars.

If you cant to make the most power and take advantage of teh handheld tuner my only suggestion then would be if you plan on running higher octane go with a lower one first then move up if need be.

I live in Oklahoma, it is just as if not hotter here than in some parts of Cali. My car has 10.5 to 1 as well and I dont have any issues running 91, but like you said you real problem is the reformulated crap that the Cali CARB board requires.

The predator wont let you down and I think it can do what you want it to do as well.

 

Thanks guys,

Talked to Mike @ Diablo today & ordered one thru autoanything.com. Mike also said try the 93 octane tune (without the 100 octane race gas) and see what happens. I guess even though they call it 93 it's designed to run good with 91 octane? OK i'll bite. Should call it 91plus or something imho.

To be honest I went with Diablo thru autoanything.com because they have a 30 day return deal w/ no restock. So I'll give it a good test go from stock to tune a few times, maybe borrow a gtech & try to quantify the results. SOTP usually is not a good way to evaluate.

I think the Vinci is probably good for my purpose also, but did not see one with a return offer, so there it is.

Will post in a few days when I have it in hand.

 

Glad we could help you make an informed decision. let us know if you have any further questions once you get the tool.

Thanks
Mike

 

if you only have 91 octane gas available to you (besides the 100), then I would load the 91 Octane tune, not the 93.

Otherwise, you'll probably get KR due to having more timing/spark advance in the 93 tune and only running 91 octane gas.

Mike was probably assuming that you had 93 octance available to you when he said that.

 

The U7198 does not offer multiple octane tunes in the F/Y bodies, only in the trucks. The Predator tune in the U7198 is designed for minimum of 91 octane fuel.
FWIW, I have run 87 octane in my 99 Z28 with no KR at WOT. (Don't ask me why!)

 

aaaah, ok.... sorry.... I'll just take my toys and go home then...

 

That is correct. All I have is 100 octane or 91 octane. Both Calif formulation.

When I race I would run about 8 gallons of gas in the tank. Blended 100 & 91, I was thinking 6 gal of 91 and 2 of 100. Open to suggestions.

In between events it would be straight 91 octane.

Mike? Should I use the 93 tune for racing & 91 (or even back to stock) for the rest of the time? I thought you said the 93 tune is OK for 91 octane, but maybe I misunderstood. Would like to double check this.

Thanks.

 

Honestly, I would suggest installing the Performance tune and leaving it in all the time.
The tune provides a slight increase in mileage as well, so it will only help.
Use a minimum of 91 octane with this tune, and as I mentioned, there would be no real benefit to using the 100 octane fuel unless you are seeing KR while at WOT. If so, pull a bit of timing for use with 91 octane, or add a bit of timing for use with 100.

 

i kinda like my pred... gained .2 in the 1/4... lowerd the fan temp settings..also did a 160 stat....deleted my rear o2 monitor codes,now no 420 codes..adjusting for different tire size.. the best part was the shift kit in a tune!! man that car sucked shifting gears before the tune!! also dropping timing at the track for a nos run. all this for 325.00 not bad!! very easy to do and did it my self .

 

yep, stiiiiiiill waiting for our tranny support... man, that's gonna be nice, when it's available....