I would go with the recommendations of Diablo Sport. It wouldn't hurt to program it in the 45 HP tow mode.
I would get an egt gage. A long, very steep grade could make an empty truck run warm.

 

I'm also running my truck in the 65 HP Range.. Need some extra MPG (although not bad).. I called Motorhaven, and talked to them prior to the purchase, and explained to them that I wasn't going to add anyhthing on till Ford got my problems resolved.. Question was,, would my EGT's be safe enough with an empty truck/light towing.. Although,, the Diablo Predator manual suggests gauges on all their tunes, and pipes/gauges "for sure" in 100 HP mode, they said that you should/would be OK in "stock" configuration.. After driving this truck with the extra ponies WOW!! EGT is something that I want to know.. I also read Choctaw Bob's results that backup what Motorhaven had said, but a gauge is just cheap insurance.. I'd hate to "roast" anything after all the work Ford put into it!! It's not that I don't want to add one. it's just that I'm not sure where I want to put it!! Looks like Ford got my rear main to stop leaking, so if they get the Turbo/Drone squared away, it may be a keeper!!!

The Predator is VERY impressive, but I probably won't see any MPG increases if I don't stop playing!!

 

The only really "safe" EGT is the one you can measure. I tested my truck so I would know the limits. Each truck has the potential to be slightly different because of manufacturing tollerances. No one can responsibly tell you...go ahead do it. The risk is, in the end, always your own.

 

True..CB...

The operative word there was "should"... Have you ever gotten yours close to "CRITICAL MASS" running in 65HP tune? Running empty/flat ground? 70-80 out.temp/70-75 MPH? May put it back to stock till the gauge is installed if so, but wanted to test it for (MPG) to see if I want to keep it or not..I wouldn't need gauges otherwise, and didn't want to have to return anything, and of course, my frequent visits to Ford/Service for warranty.. But with summer coming, and the towing season as well, and no more Ford visits, the gauge is a given!! Thanks for the imput...

 

Let me just say...Motor Haven is top notch! They were super friendly when I called. I called to order about 8:30 am PST yesterday. It arrived at 8:45 am PST today. That was a 24 hr. turnaround from FL to OR....not too shabby. Thanks Motor Haven

As for the Predator.....I don't think any one has mentioned this. But the thing that I am most impressed about in my five minutes that I've had to test it out, is that under normal driving conditions, you really cannot tell that anything has been changed. I really like that.

Install was cake. Power is great. Shifting was a little harsh at first but quickly mellowed out a little. Now I just hope that the quest for better fuel economy becomes a reality. I'll find out tonight If not....I've got lots of power

 

The test run where I saw 3300 RPM and about 26 lb boost for 20 seconds or so. I saw a max of 800 deg. It appears that on my truck this is the maximum EGT at 40deg air temp and no load. I expect that an air temperature of a hundred or so like we see every day in the summer will raise the EGT. I will report a new test at that time. I love a reason to bury the speedo!
Get an Auto Meter Pyrometer and clamp it on your down pipe with the clamp that is included. There is plenty of room to drill the 1/4" hole. The hardest part of the job is pealing away the heat shield material.

 

Truck really started acting up after work today so I limped it on over to the ford dealer a mile away. It was the worst it's run yet. Wouldn't shift out of each gear unless I let off the gas and then it did this weird double hit deal. No power in any gear, either. Knocking noises from the motor at idle.

Tech threw his computer on there and said the turbo was gone. Here we go again. They replaced one of the FICM's, an egr and the turbo actuator last time, about 50 miles ago. I get to drive another nice ford tortise, er, taurus again for a few days. Sucks.

8300 miles, latest flash, 05/03 engine build date

 

ok predator experts.... here's my question... does the predator turn on the pilot injection if the dealer did the latest flash which turned off the pilot injection?

 

NO ---
it just makes it so you don't idle as much any more because you want to have fun with the new found power !

 

NO....It doesn't

 

Welcome home!

 

Choctaw bob please dont take this the wrong way I mean no disrespect but your EGT's are running about 400 degrees low due to you running your purometer post turbo. I don't want you to get a false sense of security since your are only seeing 800 degrees on the gage just about everyone I've talked to running pre turbo is seeing 1200 degrees F. It will come up to 1200 degrees really fast when you go to pass going up a slight hill. I would really hate to read a post where someone burned up thier turbo.

 

No offense taken.

The reason I run the probe post turbo is the fact the probes come off from time to time. The 6.0 has variable vanes in the housing that controls the throttle. If the probe were to go through this turbo...yikes!
The 800 degree maximum numbers are the same with the predator at 65 hp and the stock program which is my base line. I disagree that there is a 400 deg difference between the inlet side of the turbo and my probe location which is less than 1" from the outlet flange. The 1200 degree readings can be obtained at the exhaust port in the manifold. Since there are variations from cylinder to cylinder and right side to left, the only reliable points to place a probe are pre turbo and post turbo. I chose post turbo for the reason stated above.
Gages of any kind are only as good as the brains of the people who read them. That is why Fords oil pressure gages are simply idiot lights that signal low oil pressure when the pressure drops below 7 psi. This eliminated lots of "low oil pressure" complaints.
Each of has to make informed decisions in order to take the risk of performance modifications. If we are to believe everything published on the web without testing it ourselves, we would be better off leaving our trucks stock.

 

Bob is right on here about the pre turbo probe...I talked with several people who do performance upgrading with diesel trucks and all of the say after the turbo...Same reasoning, with the vibration and the high heat of the diesel, if that probe were to break; any part of it and go through your turbo...it's over and your screwed...Not worth it...Thats why you see all these aftermarket downpipes predrilled after the turbo, cause thats where they want you to put it......This might not be as accurate but I'll take that over replacing my turbo any day!!!

 

0-60 in 8 sec.My brother inlaw and I went out to time my truck.All we had was a regular wrist watch no stop watch.The truck was programmed on 100hp setting from the predator.I took off from a dead stop and we got 8 sec time for 0-60.On a f350 long bed dually you know I was happy.