Predator and a Tune, Why?????

99cobraclone

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I'm curious why do people get both a predator and a custom tune? Couldn't you just get a custom tune and forego the predator
 

nj7703

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The Predator is used to give you the custom tune. The Predator then sends the tune to your car's computer. The beauty is your tuner can send you other custom tunes. For instance i have a very conservative tune now, based on some left over winter gas. When summer gets here i will be e-mailed a custom tune for my cars mods, based on better gas. The Predator also allows you to keep the stock tune and switch back if you need to. Just nice to have the option of doing your own tunes, or uploading ones made for your mods by a tuner.
 

99cobraclone

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so why do people do both? Can you get a predator and then get a tune without a chip? Im confused sorry, I just see a whole bunch of people with a predator and a chip.
 

nj7703

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The Predator replaces the chip. You can do either, can't do both. The Predator "reflashes" your onboard computer, either by using a custom tune, one of the preloaded tunes it comes with, or by manually tweaking. The chip physically gets attatched to your onboard computer. The chip is custom tuned by a tuner. if you want to change any parameters, like if you change your mods, you need to remove the chip and send it to a tuner, or physically take it to one. The beauty of the predator is you can tweak it yourself, or have new tunes sent to you via e-mail. Makes it a bit more convenient for someone like me who really does not know enough about my car to do most of the setting myself.
 

Johnny Random

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The predator is a flashing tool. It flashes through the ODB port underneath your dash. It saves your stock so if have to get warranty work you can flash it back to stock. And its not obvious that you have been messing around with your computer. Predator is great but some of the tunes it comes with just dont fit everyone since each car reacts a little differently to modifications. Tuners with the revolutions software can tune on the dyno or create a custom tune and send it too you via email based on your dyno graphs and a/f curves and load it into your predator were you can save it.

Chips on the other hand plug into your computer and to plug it in you have to scrape some silicon off the connectors on the computer. If you have installed a chip your service dept can easily tell and most will void your warranty.
 

99cobraclone

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Originally posted by Johnny Random
The predator is a flashing tool. It flashes through the ODB port underneath your dash. It saves your stock so if have to get warranty work you can flash it back to stock. And its not obvious that you have been messing around with your computer. Predator is great but some of the tunes it comes with just dont fit everyone since each car reacts a little differently to modifications. Tuners with the revolutions software can tune on the dyno or create a custom tune and send it too you via email based on your dyno graphs and a/f curves and load it into your predator were you can save it.

Chips on the other hand plug into your computer and to plug it in you have to scrape some silicon off the connectors on the computer. If you have installed a chip your service dept can easily tell and most will void your warranty.

Thanks guys, predator here I come, any prices guys?

I had a hypertech on my old car, how is the hypertech for the terminator?
 

nj7703

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fusion_ta66

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Since search is down :cuss: , I am going to ask this here. Is there ANY possible way for the dealer to tell you've flashed the computer, as long as you flash it back to stock? Like with checksums or something in the code? I'm just wondering if this is 100% foolproof (assuming you flash back to stock before warranty work)
 

PowerWheels

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One more question about the preditor. I have heard the preditor can only adjust at limited rpm points. Like the A/F only has 2 adjustemnt points / 2 different rpm ranges the adjustments can be done at. If you get a custome tune sent to the preditor does that adjust a/f at various points? In otherwords can a custom tune with the perditor match a custom tune with a chip? Can you adjust the A/F at say 500 RPM increments all the way up???? An once you have this tune, can you swithch ti back and forth, like when changing pulley sizes. 2.8 might have one custom tune and 3.0 another, then you have stock. Is that possible? If so the preditor is becoming more interesting.
 
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03 DSG Snake

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The computer keeps a record of when it is reflashed.

If you dump the factory program back on the ECU when you blow your shiiiiat, then tow it to the dealer 2 days later they'll know whats up.

They'll also notice if its been reflashed and theres nothing about it in the service history..
 

99cobraclone

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Originally posted by 03 DSG Snake
The computer keeps a record of when it is reflashed.

If you dump the factory program back on the ECU when you blow your shiiiiat, then tow it to the dealer 2 days later they'll know whats up.

They'll also notice if its been reflashed and theres nothing about it in the service history..

How the hell do people get away with it then?
 

bassin247

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Originally posted by johnsonl
One more question about the preditor. I have heard the preditor can only adjust at limited rpm points. Like the A/F only has 2 adjustemnt points / 2 different rpm ranges the adjustments can be done at. If you get a custome tune sent to the preditor does that adjust a/f at various points? In otherwords can a custom tune with the perditor match a custom tune with a chip?


With the predator a "tuner" can tune the a/f at any RPM. So the predator performs the same functionality.


Can you adjust the A/F at say 500 RPM increments all the way up????


With r12 the user can adjust the fuel and timing curves in 2 intervals; from 2000-4000 and from 4000-7000.


An once you have this tune, can you swithch ti back and forth, like when changing pulley sizes. 2.8 might have one custom tune and 3.0 another, then you have stock. Is that possible?


r12 allows you to store 3 programs I believe. You can switch between them. The previous version only held one, but you could upload the new programs 1 at a time so it i possible to do it with the previous versions as well.


If so the preditor is becoming more interesting.

The predator is a great tool. It does everything a chip does and more like..

Remains undetectable to the naked eye.
Fast turn around times on custom tunes.
Provides the user with limited A/F and timing adjustments.
Allows the user to disable/enable tractioncontrol.
Allows the user to raise/lower the rev limiter.
The predator is a OBDII scan tool.
Allows the user to change gear sizes.
Has the ability to be upgraded.
Has datalogging capability.
 
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PowerWheels

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i also have heard something about the preditor using some a/f setting during open loop/WOT. Does R12 work the same way? Please expalin.
 

bassin247

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Originally posted by johnsonl
i also have heard something about the preditor using some a/f setting during open loop/WOT. Does R12 work the same way? Please expalin.

R12 is just the new firmware. It added a few new features, but other than that it operates the same way.
 

black10th vert

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I talked to a tuner today and he told me 419 for a predator and 200 for dyno time and a custom tune. Isn't that high? I know James and Rick can send a program when the predator is bought but will it still need to be fine tuned after it is installed?
 

nj7703

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Originally posted by black10th vert
I talked to a tuner today and he told me 419 for a predator and 200 for dyno time and a custom tune. Isn't that high? I know James and Rick can send a program when the predator is bought but will it still need to be fine tuned after it is installed?

That's about right. Once you get a custom tune, especially if it is done in conjunction with a dyno tune, you should not need to tweak a thing. That is what the dyno tune will do for you. Any additional tweaks you can do yourself, to compensate for any additional mods you do. You may want a track tune, vs an every day tune, really it depends on what you want. I for one just need 2 tunes, winter/summer.
 

DSG03Snake

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Originally posted by 03 DSG Snake
The computer keeps a record of when it is reflashed.

If you dump the factory program back on the ECU when you blow your shiiiiat, then tow it to the dealer 2 days later they'll know whats up.

They'll also notice if its been reflashed and theres nothing about it in the service history..
Where are you getting this info? Is it from a reliable source or just something you have read, because I keep getting conflicting info. Some ford techs have told me there is no way they could tell if you used the predator or not, but tons of people on the net keep saying it keeps records of when its reflashed.

Dont know who to believe -_-.
 

99cobraclone

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Originally posted by nj7703
That's about right. Once you get a custom tune, especially if it is done in conjunction with a dyno tune, you should not need to tweak a thing. That is what the dyno tune will do for you. Any additional tweaks you can do yourself, to compensate for any additional mods you do. You may want a track tune, vs an every day tune, really it depends on what you want. I for one just need 2 tunes, winter/summer.

Damn I live around here too, why do we need two tunes? Is it because of the quality of the gas?
 

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