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SCT vs. Predator - Some SVT tuning fun

2K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  1turbofocus 
#1 ·
Last night, I headed to the dyno to get my car retuned. First, we did a pull to see what 7k feet will do to a JRSC BBK on SVT.....

Dyno'd at 600ft - 210whp 167tq @ 10psi
Dyno'd at 6,035ft - 163whp !! @ 8psi (thats all you'll get)

Just goes to show you...altitude is no joke.




Anyways, these guys dont do SCT, so I had to switch to diablo predator....

Got the car flashed back to stock via the Xcal2 and then plugged in the Predator. It loaded up my stock tune fine and we then proceeded to flash it with a performance tune....car went dead and showed - - - - on the odo.

I have read of this happening before and I know that the Predator is fickle when it comes to voltage fluctuations. Nothing was turned on or anything, battery is less than a year old, and the fuses were pulled. What could it have been?

So the car sat in the shop overnight till we could get a hold of Mike @ Diablo and force the stock tune back onto the car. According to him, SVTs and Predators are a bit wierd...some like it, some dont. After multiple attempts to get the predator to work with my car, no dice. Same result.

It is believed that it may have something to do with the fact that I was using SCT on the car to begin with. Either way, once back to stock, my SCT flashed the BBK tune back on with no issue.

My deductions are - if your tuner gives you the option of SCT vs Predator, I would seriously consider going SCT. It's just seems like a better option. Not only is it not so fickle, but you can use the LiveLink software to watch your data logging in real time, you can also load more than one custom tune on the device and it will stay there till you delete it.

Predators, to the best of my knowledge will only hold one custom tune and you have to reload it back to the device if you flash back to stock (?) Also, data logging is done directly to the handheld, then viewed either on that tiny screen or you load it to you computer later and watch it. That's just ghey-sauce.

Just wanted to share this experience with anyone who might find themselves trying to decide which platform to go with. Granted, as stated in other posts, it is going to depend on what your tuner uses but if you are given the choice - SCT just seems like a better way to go. I never got the Predator to work with my car and it was brand new out of the box. Also, its nice to use a regular old USB cable to interface between my PC and the SCT vs. having to dick with a serial cable and drivers. SCT just seems more intuitive.



So, in conclusion.....

My end solution - SCT Proracer Tuning Software. Since the shop I want to tune my car doesn't have SCT, I'm looking into buying the proracer package for roughly the same amount as a diablo predator (349 as listed on SCT's site) Apparently, they have been wanting to get the SCT stuff, so they are willing to use my computer w/proracer software, to tweak my car and get a feel for the software.
 
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#2 ·
You MAY want to recheck that price, last time I looked the Xcal was $350 and the ProRacer was another $600.

Did you pull the fuses before trying to use the Predator??
 
#3 ·
I dont agree , I like the Diablo Predator , because this one case isnt working well for you to say "if your tuner gives you the option of SCT vs Predator, I would seriously consider going SCT " wouldnt be a fair statement at all

If you go the Predator from ebay then there is a good chance that is your problem even if it is new , I have NEVER had a SVT Focus that I couldnt load with the Predator

Tom
 
#4 ·
Orange - Yeah, we pulled fuses, everything was turned off in the car, doors shut, etc. My car and the predator just didn't get along.

Here's the link to SCTs site: http://www.sctflash.com/PRPFord.php I called to confirm and it is $349usd for the software. It doesnt include the flasher though, obviously. I already have that, the usb, as well as LiveLink, LiveLoad, and ExtremeTune...so this should make a nice addition. I wanna get some books to read and have these guys (and whoever else would like to contribute) help out with fine tuning it. It already runs fairly good, but there are a few driveability quirks I would like to work out still. Might as well use this as an opportunity to learn something beyond the wrench.


Tom - Yes, this statement is a bit charged by my bad experience, but according to Mike at Diablo...almost half of the Predators they send out for SVTFs come back to them. Some play nice and other don't, mine falls into the realm of the latter.

Also, remember when you were out here in CO Springs, tuning BlkThunders procharger? The Diablo went all wonky on you guys and I had to drive my SCT out so you could get the car tuned. Another bad experience.

I didn't buy my flasher from eBay, it was brand new direct from Diablo. Another part of my statement was based on the way logging takes place, the ability to store more tunes, etc. It just seems like the overall useability of the SCT is nicer than the diablo. I know it's your preferred platform for tuning and I won't knock that, you do good work. But for me...the end user, I would rather use the SCT. Seems less buggy from my experience as well as a few others that I have read on the boards.
 
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#6 ·
Tom - Yes, this statement is a bit charged by my bad experience, but according to Mike at Diablo...almost half of the Predators they send out for SVTFs come back to them. Some play nice and other don't, mine falls into the realm of the latter. .
I will contact Mike about this at Diablo sence I buy 90% of the SVT Focus Predators they sell and have had to send 1 back so far this year I dont see why he would be saying that

Also, remember when you were out here in CO Springs, tuning BlkThunders procharger? The Diablo went all wonky on you guys and I had to drive my SCT out so you could get the car tuned. Another bad experience.
Yes I remember that and seem to recall the issue with his Predator was something he had done to it or tryed to do that made it where we could not use it , not that it was a diablo issue

Like I said out of hundreds of Predators to customers I have never had one that I couldnt get to load , yes there have been a few over time I have sent back but there has also been some issues with the SCT as well

As for storing more then one tune there is no need for that if the tuner does his job only one tune at a time can be run so only one tune is needed

I also agree that the Predator needs some updating and they are working on some things point being 1 predator issue does not make all predators bad

Tom
 
#8 ·
I use many different companies for tuning (SCT, Diablo, Autologic, HP Tuners). I've had a LOT of issues with Diablo software and hardware over the years, which is why I mainly use SCT. I have no problem tuning someone's vehicle if they have a Diablo chip or Predator, but if someone has to buy a new device from me for tuning, it's always SCT.

And for the record, my SVTF came with a tuned Predator (with Tom's tune on it), and the first time I tried to make a simple change the Predator bugged out and left me stranded. Luckily, my friends at Diablo helped me out (as this was on a weekend) so I was able to restore a stock tune back in, but I had lost the custom tune and had to buy it again from Tom. And it's not like I'm a novice, I've been using Predators since they came out.

Both brands of tool have their pros and cons, but I prefer SCT.
 
#11 ·
I use many different companies for tuning (SCT, Diablo, Autologic, HP Tuners). I've had a LOT of issues with Diablo software and hardware over the years, which is why I mainly use SCT. I have no problem tuning someone's vehicle if they have a Diablo chip or Predator, but if someone has to buy a new device from me for tuning, it's always SCT. .
You guys can crack on Diablo all you want , Its what I choose to tune with for a reason , I can tune with Diablo , SCT , autologic and many more as well , Diablo tunes the most powerfull Foci around and will keep doing so , Its a Customers choise with me as to what to use , If it is up to me I go with Diablosport

And for the record, my SVTF came with a tuned Predator (with Tom's tune on it), and the first time I tried to make a simple change the Predator bugged out and left me stranded. Luckily, my friends at Diablo helped me out (as this was on a weekend) so I was able to restore a stock tune back in, but I had lost the custom tune and had to buy it again from Tom. And it's not like I'm a novice, I've been using Predators since they came out..
That is EXACTLY how my tune is suppose to work that wasent an issue with the Predator or Diablo thats how I protect my tunes , if you try to mess with them or try to go back to stock they will not work , If you buy the Predator second hand and try to mess with the tune sent to you it will lock your ECU and or Predator , that is all things I do to protect my tune from being passed around , I have warned about this many times on here

Tom
 
#9 ·
I sold Chris (BlkThunder) that Diablo. It was less than two months old & never gave me any issues even though I didn't have it that long, but didn't feel comfortable using it, that's why I took a loss on the sale & bought the PRP from Tom. Haven't heard from Blkthunder for a while or seen any of his posts lately. Where you at Chris?
 
#10 ·
I just saw him the other night....he picked me up from the shop when the Diablo nuked my car and rendered it immobile. His car is still having issues that he hasn't figured out. It's running like poop and has been parked for a while now. He drives a loud ass mustang around right now.
 
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