I recently bought a used 2006 F-250 with the 6.0L diesel and 70,000 miles. The previous owner bought a DiabloSport Predator tuner and had it dialed up to the +100hp setting.

I've been getting about 14 MPG since I bought the truck and I just set the tuner back to stock settings in hopes that fuel mileage would improve a little bit.

I have read a little about the Diablo and some folks say that they have seen a lot of blown head gaskets caused by tuning with the Predator. Also some discussions of transmission problems caused by this tuner.

What kind of feedback do you all have on this?

Thanks!

 

The 6.0 doesn't like what is referred to as "canned" tunes. Tunes that aren't created with an individual truck in mind. It leads to sloppy ECM and TCM programming. Usually at the risk of higher cylinder pressures(which get's into your headbolt issues(not headgaskets, they are fine, I have over 500hp with my truck using stock gaskets)). The torqshift is a damn near bullit proof tranny(I say damn near because it isn't idiot proof despite how good it is).

I would start to wonder what the PO has ruined with the 100hp setting, but it would all depend on how he drove it. Which could lead into other issues such as EGR valves etc.

6.0s really don't like the cheap hp enhancers. If you are wanting to do this, then do it right and get something that does custom tuning(SCT, Spartan, PHP etc), otherwise it might be cheaper in the front end, but it'll bite you in the *** in the back end.

The one good thing I have to say about the diablo is that it tends to be a pretty good code reader, perhaps regarded as one of the better tuner/code readers that came out for the 6.0, so you might want to keep it for that alone.

I do have one question does it also have an a/m intake on the truck? If it does, I would advise taking it off, I can explain that in detail if you would like, I just don't want to get the topic too off track if you don't have to "worry" about that mod.

 

The truck seems to run and drive great. I have put about 3000 miles on it since I bought it a couple of months ago. I haven;'t noticed any problems, anyway.

I'm not all that concerned about extra power unless it turns out that the stock settings turn it into a dog. I'll be using the truck to pull a boat that weighs around 6,000#.

I have read this elsewhere and will keep the tuner around just for this purpose.

Do you mean a "Cold air" intake? It has the stock air box on it. I think the truck is "bone stock" except for the tune that was on it (now stock).

Thanks for your swift reply!

 

Well as far as the bad tuners go, the Diablo one isn't all that bad, however the shift on the fly ones are especially bad for the 6.0(Edge, BullyDog, Banks etc). Shift on the fly is mutually exclusive from properly tuning the 6.0 ECM and TCM and they tend to eat through the torqshift fairly quickly.


That's going to be relative to the next person. However, if you get used to the extra 100hp setting, it's going to be hard to go back to stock even if the stock programming doesn't make it a dog.


That's what I meant and I would highly suggest that you keep that stock airbox on it. Oddly enough, they actually that air filter right compared to the a/m ones.

 

I just took it for a test drive after the "de-programming" and a couple of posts here to discuss. I can definitely tell the difference - especially when going 60mph and trying to hit a downshift as if to pass someone. With the tune on it, the engine would seemingly "wind-up" and then take off like a rocket. Now, it's a little lackluster in that department. I don't need all of that anyway. I drive it like it's meant to be driven. Now, I hope I pick up a couple MPG - and I don't have the worry of breaking something because of too much cylinder pressure, overheated turbo, etc.

 

Do you have any gauges on the truck? I don't recall that being mentioned yes, I might have just missed it though. That happens to me sometimes.

 

No. I don't have any aftermarket gauges. Just all the stock stuff - turbo pressure, trans temp and the rest of the standard ones.

What kind of mods do you have on your King Ranch?

 

Well the only one that is decent in the stock cluster is the turbo psi one, the biggest complaint on that one is the range of display. However, the other stock gauges aren't worth crap. I would suggest ECT, EOT, TFT, and Fuel PSI if you are going to go analog gauges, if you use the OBD-II style gauges, then I would do something like the Insight and then get an analog fuel psi gauge as well since it isn't in the computer.

Did the PO not have some type of gauge in the truck? If not and he was running the 100hp tune, then I would be worried if something has been done to the truck. It might be acting fine right now, but that doesn't mean that something isn't going to rear it's ugly head eventually.

155mm^3 Injectors
64mm non-vgt turbo
headstuds
Suncoast Tranny
ITP Fuel Regulated Return
Fluidampner
Gauges out the ying yang

I'm sure I'm missing something, but that should give you an idea as far as performance related mods that I've done.

 

Tex has you covered.... he knows of what he speaks !

I'll add that I had a predator on my 03 6l ex from 5000 miles until I traded it in on my 05 @ 55k or so...
No issues for me at all, BUT some shy away from the predator since the SCT's are so much better....

I noticed I actually got better mpg WITH the tuner than without...
not much, not even enough to justify the purchase price,
but slightly more (as long as I didn't USE the extra hp too much)

in my case I really missed the power when I had to detune it