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Diablo Predator U7135 Information Source

127K views 248 replies 76 participants last post by  cruiserdan 
#1 · (Edited)
Thought I would start this thread in an attempt to have a dedicated source where anyone having information to share or questions to ask about the Diablo Predator U7135.It seems that throughout this forum there is an immense amount of scattered information that is very useful but difficult to locate at times.Perhaps if everyone can post here it will create a one stop shop where we all can access and utilize the power of the Predator more efficiently.

Kick it off with some questions about the U7135.

1.I loaded the CAI 91 Octane tune into my 09 Auto R/T.Before doing so I modified the cooling Fan setttings for a 180º T-Stat and disabled the MDS.I Then uploaded the previously mentioned tune.After doing so I noticed that the Exhaust Gas Recirculating(EGR) parameter was set to 'Off'.Does this automatically happen when disabling the MDS,changing the fan settings or loading a canned tune?Is it better from a performance standpoint to have the EGR off or will having it off put the engine at risk in any way?

2.If I later wish to change additional parameters within the 'Modify Tune' menu do I have to reload the entire tune again or can I just go in and make the changes to the already loaded tune?If I have to reload the entire tune do I have to start from scratch and reload my stock tune first then make all the parameter changes in the canned tune and reload it to the PCM?

3.What do the 'REV and Speed Limiter' changes do?What would be considered safe settings if modifying?Will these setting changes work on the R/T Automatics?

4.In the 'Quick Adjust' menu under the 'Shift Points' parameter it states that the it will raise the shift points by a set values on the 5.7L: 1-2 shifts at 5,800RPM,2-3 & 3-4 shifts at 6,000RPM,...but it does not mention anything about the 4-5 shift,:scratchhead:,...Am I missing something here?Also,do these shift points apply to the 5.7L Automatics?

5.Does the 'Auotostick Auto Upshift' when disabled still allow tthe transmission to downshift?Is it safe to change the 'REV & Speed Limiters' if the 'Autostick Auto Upshift' is disable.

6.Is it necessary to update my Predator to the latest 9r23b crom revision file?I currently have the 9r17 revision file installed.

7.After I complete my modifications I will be doing some data logging for custom tune to be created.Should I data log with the CAI 91 Octane tune that I have already loaded in the car or restore the original stock tune from the Predator to the car and then do the data logging?

8.Has anyone had success in turning off the 'ESP' under the 'Quick Adjust' menu on an Auto R/T?I have also heard this off setting referred to as 'Dyno mode',...should we be running our cars on a dyno with ESP fully off?

I know there is a lot here to answer but I'm fairly new to this modification game and want to understand what will work,how it works and if there may be any high risk in changing certain parameters.

Thanks in advance.
 
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#97 ·
Did you shut off the ESP with the Predator tuner or just maually by pressing the button once which would have diabled the ESP half-0ff.You would have had to do the 'Key Trick' after pressing the button once to fully disable the system.

The only way the ESP will stay off permanently is by using the Predator and putting the car into 'Dyno Mode' by selecting it in the menue parameters.When you do this the Mr.Squiggly,ESP and ABS lights will stay on even if you shut the car off and re-start it indicating that ESP is 100% off.
 
#101 ·
Before you use dyno mode go the the Diablo site to forums, go down a ways a find general questions i have a post there and there is an answer from one of the mikes at diablo. read this first!
 
#104 · (Edited)
Well,...I read the post at the Diablosport that Mike made in response to your question.Having driven with the ESP on and fully off in race conditions or just taking the car down the back-roads for a good run I believe the car performs better when dirving in those conditions with the ESP fully off,...thats why they use 'Dyno Mode' when doing a pull on a dyno.Mike and I will just have to agree to disagree on this point of view.

However,I do agree to leave the ESP fully on when driving in rain,snow or any other adverse road or weather conditions.

PS-CruzKing,is the striping on your car silver?If so can you post some large pictures as I am considering silver stripes for my R/T.Thanks
 
#103 ·
Yes it does,...and that is what you want when taking the car down the track so there is no interferance from the ESP when leaving the line,...or doing the occasional burn-out.
 
#105 ·
TYPony, the stripes are dark gray metalic. i will email you next week, the wife knows where the pictures files are. she will be back next week. the stripes are almost the same color as the gray boss 338 wheels.
 
#106 ·
Thanks,I look forward to seeing the pics.
 
#107 ·
Maybe I missed it in this very long thread, but where is a good website / place to buy one of these for a good price? I've seen them online but wondering if anyone could recommend where i could get the best price?
 
#109 ·
I have a question. I am looking into purchasing the Diablosport Predator for my car. With the modifications I have installed is it necessary to have the predator custom tuned to my vehicle? Eventually I plan on purchasing more upgrades but is the 91 CAI or 93 CAI tune provided through the Diablo worth the $300? The cheapest I found the Predator with the USB cable interface was at LMPerformance for $309 with free s/h. Is that the least expensive? Thanks!
 
#110 ·
That's a very good price, I paid around $400 including the USB kit.

And yes I noticed the difference with the Pred, I've had to remove more burned rubber off my car.
 
#111 ·
Thanks ADH! Do you know if the custom tune is needed at this point for my vehicle? Also, which is better 91CAI or 93 CAI predator tune?
 
#112 ·
I haven't done the custom tune thing yet, just got into it myself late last season. I tried both stock CAI tunes didn't notice a lot of difference, I still spun my tires too much on launch.

I'm really a Predator newbie someone else may answer your questions better.
 
#115 ·
Here's my 1/4 mile results from my tuner:
stock - 12.9-13.0
91 tune - 12.7-12.8 launch at 2,000rpms, easy into peddle, no wheelspin
93 tune - 12.5-12.6 hard to launch above 1,500rpms without wheelspin, have to really ease into peddle for no wheelspin

All runs were on cold tires. What I have not done is go backwards on my tunes & rerun to verify. I have 5,700 miles on her now so some of the results may be due to the motor breaking in more.
 
#116 ·
I just got my Predator in the mail yesterday. I'm ready to start tuning my R/T.

Is there any good reason to NOT go with 93 tune (I have been running 93 octane anyway). I hear this mention of having trouble launching because of wheelspin. Is that in daily driving, or just when you're on it hard?
 
#119 ·
I just got my Predator in the mail yesterday. I'm ready to start tuning my R/T.

Is there any good reason to NOT go with 93 tune (I have been running 93 octane anyway). I hear this mention of having trouble launching because of wheelspin. Is that in daily driving, or just when you're on it hard?
The stock tune is pretty weak on torque in the low rpms. For me the 91 tune was a nice improvement in low end torque but the 93 tune was that & then some.

Wheel spin is all about throttle control. You learn to be easy on the peddle on takeoffs with the extra power down low so you don't spin.

I drove my SRT8 with the 93 tune in the snow/ice without issues unlike my coworker who drives the same roads to work. He wrecked his 02 4x4 Dodge truck that same day. I saw 5 wrecks that day myself.

The EVIC that comes with the SRT8 allows me to get plenty of practice time in. I have 1 "test strip" that I use for all my EVIC runs and it is comparable to what the EVIC reads when I run at the track. My EVIC reads just over .1sec slower than actual track times.

If you learn to takeoff without wheelspin you will have faster times. Alot of my practice is when the road is wet but not raining. (alot of misty rain here). I did a 1/4 mile EVIC run this morning on a wet road and ran a 12.78@110.9 (= 12.6 at the track) with no wheel spin by launching at 1,500 rpm, kept peddle steady for split second, easied to 1/2 peddle then floored it. I did not heatup the tires, tire pressure is set to 35psi & almost a full tank of gas.

You should play with the 91 tune 1st then try the 93 tune and report back. Enjoy!
 
#118 ·
Okay, strike that. I got the update.

The warning says they "strongly recommend a big exhaust and temperature gauge". Is this something I need to worry about? I'm still running everything stock, other than a K&N. Any concerns?
 
#120 ·
Thanks dude. We're getting freezing rain here at the moment so I may have to resist and hold off to do any tuning until I can get out there and take some test runs between setting changes. Maybe 91 is the best way to start, it would give me something to look forward to when going to 93! It will be hard to resist going to max power though.

Normally, when I pull out (on previous cars) I was pretty good and pulling out just above idle without over-reving much. I have a little trouble with the clutch on the Challenger, so I find myself maybe around 1500 rpm when I start to release the clutch. The roads are salty around here (aka slippery) so I haven't had a chance for any hard runs off the line. Well, at least not WOT from 1st. Because of the conditions I've been waiting until 2nd to really blast it and even then sometimes the wheels spin in this salt.

I can't wait until a good spring rain to wash this mess away. Right now I'd just be happy to have no ice on the roads!
 
#122 ·
#124 ·
If the only thing I change with the predator is the thermostat fans settings along with the 180 thermostat of course (no canned tunes installed), do I still need to return the fans back to the stock settings before going to the dealer?
 
#125 ·
No,it is not necessary.However,if the dealership intends to do a flash update to the ECM(cars computer) it would be wise to change back to stock settings to avoid the flash messing up your fan settings.

Now,if you install one of the Predator tunes in the future I would recommend reloading the cars factory/stock tune so there is no chance of the dealer detecting it when running diagnostic tests or erasing the tune if a flash is required.

It's a good idea to ask if any flash updates will be performed before taking you car in so you are prepared of what to do.

I usually arrive at the dealership a little early and reload my stock tune in a near by parking lot before handing the keys over.Then just reload the custom tune before I leave.
 
#126 ·
I got my U7135 last week and loaded the 93 Octane CAI tune. Only change I modified in this tune was the tire size, left everything else the same.

The car used to have a wierd surge around 1800 - 1900 RPM when the engine was cold. It's a 6-speed so at low speed leaving my house on cool mornings I'd hit this just before upshifting and there was a very noticiable dead spot in the throttle. After loading the 93 Oct CAI tune, that is now smooth. I left the house this morning, cool around 50 degrees, and no surge or dead spot that I noticed. That's annoyed me for a long time.

Awesome!

Other than that, I didn't really feel any WOT difference. Smoother acceleration for sure but not sure that it feels like any SOTP power change.
 
#128 ·
No, I haven't done any yet. I did notice that it seemed to have some lower end power increase. The challenger's are so heavy that usually low speed reversing or something like pulling up into your driveway (slight uphill) seemed to be a pain before because you really have to try and keep the RPM's up and ease the clutch to not stall it. This vs my nephew's C6 Vette which is much lighter and just pulls in the driveway with ease (also a 6-speed manual).

Now my Challenger seems to not want to stall so much....drives easier and just smoother. Love it! I was a bit skeptical about buying a programmer but it's worth the money.

I tossed the idea of going with the Predator vs the Trinity....decided on just the Predator but I suppose the Trinity tunes are the same, just gives you some bells and whistles. Definitely worth it.
 
#129 ·
Thats what i noticed Mo. It was kind of a lag/dead spot when you floored it. I used the 91cai tune first, definitely felt the difference, but didnt do anything about that dead spot.
When i installed the 93 tune, smoothed out throttle and lost the dead spot.
 
#131 ·
Pardon me if this is a dumb question but I currently have a 93 CAI tune loaded. I'm about to put in a 180 T-Stat. Do I adjust the fan settings prior to installing the tstat or after or does it matter? Also will I have to reload the 93 CAI tune after changing the fan settings? Thanks guys!
 
#132 · (Edited)
Pardon me if this is a dumb question but I currently have a 93 CAI tune loaded. I'm about to put in a 180 T-Stat. Do I adjust the fan settings prior to installing the tstat or after or does it matter? Also will I have to reload the 93 CAI tune after changing the fan settings? Thanks guys!
No questions are dumb,...especially around here.

1.You can adjust the fan settings either before or after you install the 180 degree thermostat.

2.This is what I found in the 'DCX Predator Parameters Explained' literature that may answer your second question.

Once you access the 'Modify Tune' menu and adjust the 'Fan Settings' the directions are as follows.

"You can now press ESC to go back to the main modify parameter menu and if no more adjustments are desired press ESC again and you will be asked to install modified tune,press yes and let the Predator upload new adjusted tune to your vehicle."

What is not clear is if they are talking about a tune that is already uploaded in your car or if this being done to one of the 'Performance Tune' options before it is loaded into a vehicle for the first time.

I would like some clarification on this also and will ask the question on the 'Diablosport Forums' site.
 
#134 ·
Thanks for the info! Yeah that's exactly what I wasn't clear on. I assume that when I make the fan adjustments I will be modifying the performance 93oct tune and everything else will stay the same. Will check the diablo forum too.
Thanks again!
After reading a couple posts on 'Modify Tune' at Diablosport it appears that you can go to the tune that is currently loaded in the car,modify the parameters you want, press ESC once which will bring you back to the main modify parameter menu,press ESC once again and you are asked if you want to install the modified tune then press yes and the Predator will install the newly adjusted tune.
 
#135 ·
Roger that, thank you sir. Yeah I think I would just be modifying the canned Perf93Oct tune so shouldn't have to reload it. Last night I modified the MDS on/off and kicked up the throttle boost and it did modify the canned tune. BTW, not sure if this is normal but it appears that the Predator does indeed turn off MDS but the "ECO ON" indication still shows up on the gauge. Working with Mikel on that on the Diablo forum. Thanks again for the help, my t-stat should be here today so will get those fan settings modified.
 
#136 ·
BTW, not sure if this is normal but it appears that the Predator does indeed turn off MDS but the "ECO ON" indication still shows up on the gauge. .
FYI: I have MDS off and have never seen the "eco on" appear on my gauges. I'm sure Mike will work it out for you. I would start by reloading the modified tune (maybe it didnt take- just a guess).

Wait to you see the how well the car runs when its cool. You will be happy!!!
 
#137 ·
Hmmm, that is curious then. I am sure I am using the predator correctly as it shows MDS as off. I did reload the tune several times and ECO ON still comes up. My car's name is Christine for a reason, she has a mind of her own and usually she decides she wants to go FAST and loves Autostick mode! :) Btw, my MDS is correctly disabled in Autostick mode.
 
#140 ·
Hmmm, well Mike from Diablo really didn't help at all or seem interested. According to him he has seen this happen alot? Sure sounds like a bug to me but whatever. I am sure now that the MDS is actually off, for whatever reason the ECO ON indicator still comes on. BTW, installed the 180 t-stat last night and adjusted fan settings so between that, the MOPAR fender mount CAI, CAI93OCT tune, and throttle boost, she is running like a raped ape! :)
 
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