[mannytranny]

Here is a short summary of my history with Diablo Sport and the Predator...


Summer: Bought Banks exhaust, gauges, and Predator (V1.04)


Day after install of Predator: SES light on first freeway trip. Turbo overboost. I deal with this for a while.


Later on: Discover that V1.08 is coming out, and should be better with SES lights. Pay 22 bucks for shipping, wait 3 weeks, and have a updated programmer that has a HORRIBLE surge at 2200 rpm, regardless of throttle position or acceleration. Totally sucks. No SES lights in the 2 days I had it.


Later on: See that V1.10 has come out. Pay another 22 bucks to get it shipped, same thing. No SES lights, but a nasty surge.


More recent: I get on the phone with James at runninwith the devil. He tells me to send him the info to make a custom tune. I do that, wait 2 weeks for someone at Diablo Sport to send me an old version tune...


2 weeks ago: Got a 65 hp tune. Surge seems to be disguised. More gradual surge from 2100 rpm to the end. Regardless of throttle position, and acceleration. NOT turbo surge. Still not happy with that. Feels EXACTLY like the V1.04 tune. I think the tech just slopped the same version out to me to get me and James off of his back...Becase the first freeway trip I took, I got SES and turbo overboost within 3 miles.

Just yesterday, I got MAF failure or something. Cleared them both, waiting for them to come on again.


The bottom line is that I have not been happy with this since day 1. I am lucky to have James help. My complaint is not with James, but with Diablo Sport. I have called them several times, only to be put on hold, or never have my calls returned. Never seen such incompetent customer service. I just receltly discovered that this predator is mated to my truck, so I cant even sell the damn thing.


Just thought I would tell my story, so that no one else might fall into the same trap...


Any advice/comments appreciated...

 

[fredw]

<DIV>that really sucks:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>that would make very disapointed as well, seams to me you have treid all that i would as well with a product, i guess i would see if james can send you a new unit, and then see if you can get rid of it, not to sure if i would add more time to a sad storry like that, good luck.........FRED</DIV>

 

[Mackin]

mannytranny

UM ...... E-bay .....

I'm guessing you wish you dumped it in 30 days huh ??

Best you can do is petition James for a resolve or your money back .... Ask him to go to bat with Diablo Sport for you ....
Let them know you have "Internet" and you know how to use it ....

Mac

 

[sdaver]

Johan Mangs
E-mail Address(es):
[email protected]

try this one

 

[GassedRacing]

I've been in direct contact with Johan for a couple of weeks. Still throwing SES (overboost) on v1.10b. Tuner smokes like crazy on the higher tunes and it has the infamous surge...can'[t even drive it on the highway.


To make it worse, Johan sends me a custom tune that basically screws up my computer during download and I had to restore to stock to cure it. Now, I have no working tunes, no way to correct for tires.


Luckily, I broke down and bought a Quad. Everything works perfectly except I am unable to get the 110 tune installed. Some kind of flash error during the download. Quad is resolving that for me. The seat of the pants dyno feels like the predator is stronger, but it is probably because of that crazy surge. I'm so pleased with the 90hp tune on the Quad. I get better mileage than stock.

 

[DMAX Daddy]

I swapped my Predator for a Quad 110 from JK.

Best thing I ever did, except for getting the Attitude!

 

[DavesDmax]

You guys with the Quad, do you notice any more engine noise from the tune?


I've read that the Quad tune results in a little more engine noise. But define what a little more is?


One of the reasons I bought the DMAX was it's quietness in the CAB. I don't care about external noise per se, but quiet and no drone is nice for long trips.

 

[Ray403Dmax]

That sucks! Sounds like they haven't got a handle on the problem. Wonder if Predator's problems are unique to a few Dmax trucks? Prior to release of the Predator, many Dmax owners offered to do beta testing and, IIRC, to no avail.

 

[DMAX2DAMAX]

You guys with the Quad, do you notice any more engine noise from the tune?


I've read that the Quad tune results in a little more engine noise. But define what a little more is?


One of the reasons I bought the DMAX was it's quietness in the CAB. I don't care about external noise per se, but quiet and no drone is nice for long trips.

I've run the Quad 70 and now the 110 tune all the time and I think it is a tad noisier, but if someone hadn't asked I doubt I would notice it.


A better test would be my wife, she prefers little to no cab noise cause she wants me listening to her. She hasn't mentioned any difference so I submit the difference is negligible.

 

[Kennedy]

The Predator problems seem to be associated ONLY with the CA emissions trucks. Diablo has been great to work with, and if there is a legitimate problem, they have warranteed anything that I ask, especially with a known issue like the CA emissions trucks are having.





DavesDmax,





If it is quiet that you want, then go with the Juice. There is VERY little noticeable noise increase with their programming.

 

[GMC2500HD]

Kennedy, what have you done to the transmission to make it hold that power or have you?

 

[GassedRacing]

I noticed a slightly lounder ping-type of noise with the quad.


As of working with those with CA trucks, I would agree that they are trying (but I hate the fact that they can't seem to get it right). It also upsets me that I have to install some custom tune only to not have it be any better and I lose all of the other tunes that come on the programmer.

 

[Ray403Dmax]

Yep, there are an item of negatives.

 

[Kennedy]

Kennedy, what have you done to the transmission to make it hold that power or have you?

I have an early version of the ATS setup at present. It's a little bit unruly, but it holds pretty well. Looking to update some hardware and software to get it smoothed out.





I do have a combo that seems to overpower it when the TCC is unlocked, but haven't verified that yet. Hoping to get my dyno going soon so I can load test it. I have dual optic tachs so I can measure wheel and engine speed to monitor slippage...

 

[bubz]

I have a quad 110 tuner, it is a tad bit noiser...but it really isn't noticable in the cab. My 110 hp tune loads, but it is DOGGY compared to the 90hp tune (which rips!!

). I'll be calling Quad tomorrow to discuss that. I also have another interesting problem with the quad tuner. If I flash my truck for any tune other than stock, my factory fog lights quit working.....put it back to stock and they work like a champ. Interesting, huh??

 

[mannytranny]

My truck is not a CA truck. Bought in Colorado. No cat/egr.


That was their first excuse too.


Johan was the one that made the latest tune. Seems like a cut and paste of the V1.04. Only I got a MAF code this time.

James is doing the best he can. He is great. I really wish I could trade it in and get a quad.


It amazes me that someone (DiabloSport) could sell a product that behaves like this. The surge is really bad. It would easily spin the rears on wet pavement in the 40 hp mode. I wonder if they even tested it on any trucks before they sold it. Even the one I have now has a surge.


This is a most irritating problem...

 

[Kennedy]

I really wish I could trade it in and get a quad.


It amazes me that someone (DiabloSport) could sell a product that behaves like this. The surge is really bad. It would easily spin the rears on wet pavement in the 40 hp mode. I wonder if they even tested it on any trucks before they sold it. Even the one I have now has a surge.


This is a most irritating problem...

If it does not work, I'd suggest returning the vehicle to stock and returning the unit for a refund/exchange. As I stated before, Diablo has been GREAT about warranty issues...





Since it looks like your truck is a ZF, and they are in the minority by far, it may be a ZF related thing...


Edited by: Kennedy

 

[RV Guy]

I don't mean to sound flippant in making this next statement. But why are you fellas with problems with the Diablo, so anxious to jump to the Quad which seems to be having its own share of problems although not near to what the Diablo is having.


I am happy as a lark with my Hot Juice/Attitude and can't for the life of me figure out why you would want anything else. Lots of horsepower, lots of smoke only if you want smoke, easy to change tunes, almost every feature a person would want, can sell it when one wants AND the best customer service in the industry.


I would think for someone who has been given the runaround like this, I would want to go with someone in the industry with a proven track record in performance and top-notch customer support.

 

[ZFMax]

Since it looks like your truck is a ZF, and they are in the minority by far, it may be a ZF related thing...

Mine's a ZF and using the Predator it's never set an SES, with version 1.04, 1.07, and 1.10. Not sure about this surge he speaks of ... there is a strong surge in power as the tach crosses 1800 rpm, on any tune. But on mine at least, it's certainly controllable, and even kind of nice, makes the truck's acceleration seem effortless. I'd probably unload the tune for icy roads but not wet roads. I wonder if this issue of his is actually a problem or perhaps just a difference in perception. Sometimes something that's kind of nice to one person can be totally unacceptable to someone else, witness my distaste for the much heralded Quad.

However, as I stated before, I had a different issue with the Predator. The truck was occassionally reverting back to a stock level of power for no apparent reason, necessitating a reload of the tune to restore it. Seemed to be cold weather/block heater usage related, it never did this until the weather got cold. Per James' instructions, I sent it back to Diablo for an upgrade to 1.10. James offered to help me solve the issue if it persisted after the upgrade.

But in the meantime I got a Juice + Attitude, which I like better. The Attitude's on-the-fly adjustability is handy and it's fueling curves are more refined and if you turn up the low boost fueling control it's almost as responsive as the Predator. So the Predator has been relegated to diagnostic tool & speedo recal/speed limiter removal device. Which is fine, I'm not into it a whole lot and it's worth what I paid for it for those functions. It does annoy me, though, how it's married to my VIN.

Manny, if I were you I'd consider doing the same, just moving to the Juice+Atittude and using the Predator for other things. You can adjust the thing to drive however you want it to drive, and you can turn the extra power down or off when the roads are bad by just touching a button. Be advised that the performance measurement features of the Attitude do NOT work with the 6-speed. But overall, it's a very nicely engineered piece.

 

[Mackin]

[/QUOTE]

However, as I stated before, I had a different issue with the Predator. The truck was occassionally reverting back to a stock level of power for no apparent reason, necessitating a reload of the tune to restore it. .

[/QUOTE]


HMmmmmmmmmm





Mac Edited by: Mackin