I also posted this at PSN.

I tune my own truck.

Some of you may remember me buying the Sniper Delta Force software about 8 months back so I could "roll my own" tunes. I will tell you right now that Sniper is a powerful tool and it works extremely well. Chris Stajdel is very helpful in any software needs and always helped me out when I had a file problem. I have enjoyed using Sniper because it's pretty dang easy and straightforward as far as tuning goes. I have made dozens of tunes using it and have quite a few out and about (emailed tunes to other Sniper users in the country) being used right now as well as local customers.

Many of you may also remember that I was slightly discouraged when Bill Cohron started offering his Minotaur tuning software to everyone. That's in the past and now I have both Sniper and Minotaur.

What's the difference?

Well, they are both PCMX based. Basically, that means the layout and toolbar are the same because the base program was written by the same guy. They are very similar which is really nice because the learning curve is no longer there when trying to navigate the parameters.

The differences pretty much stop there though.

Bill has really done well when taking the time to make sure that the scaling of the graphs is usable. I guess when tuning with the graphs, you need to make sure they are legible. The Sniper scaling is usually way off....where there should be a definite difference in the line's path, there is nothing but a flat line.

Sniper does not allow a "genius" menu. When looking through the scalars, tables, and functions Sniper allows, most are at the "basic" or "advanced" level which means that you have limited access to most data to change. That's probably a good thing if you have zero clue as to what you're changing...there's somewhat of a safety net. Bill allows "genius" use so the list of parameters, maps, and functions is seemingly never ending. Sniper's program also has nothing in the way of a "help" menu when making changes to certain data....Bill took the time to write them out.

I always had an issue trying to figure out how to make the automatics work in certain ways with Sniper. Well, it turns out that Sniper left out a LOT of changeable items compared to Minotaur and I instantly noticed where those changes had to be made.

Granted, the old body style trucks have a fraction of changeable data as the Super Duty trucks, but the programs are still way more refined.

Here's how I thought it out:

I have a lot of "templates" for Sniper....manual and automatic. I bought only automatic definition files from Bill. The reason for this is that the Sniper program works EXCELLENT for manual transmission trucks. Anyone can make them more powerful, responsive, and fun to drive. The real challenge is with the automatic transmission operation (and I know most will agree). I wanted to be able to "live tune". Sniper does not allow emulation with their software unless "genius" mode is selected.....and only the head honcho folks at Sniper get to use "genius" mode.

Also, I saved some coin by using my existing chips and burner. The burner that Bill sells is the exact same burner that Sniper uses. There are a few other programmming advantages to this, but I won't get into them now.

The only drawbacks to getting used to Sniper and then getting Minotaur are that the pressure data is listed as <ACRONYM title="lbs per sq inch">PSI</ACRONYM> in Sniper ( USA!!) and is listed in KPa (Kilopascals) in Minotaur. I don't read metric so well....calculations are in order. In addition, it's going to take me a while to transfer all of my existing tunes to Bill's binary from Sniper's encrypted binary....but it's only time, not a big deal. The nomenclature is slightly different too, but it's nothing that can't be figured out easily.

What's better? Well, they both cost about the same. Bill KNOWS 7.3s and I think that the Sniper guys have taken Gale Banks' advice and still offer it but don't want to get into further development. Any requests to fix some shortcomings have been ignored or put on the back burner.

I LOVE TUNING. My wife has never seen me so happy (or giddy like a Valley Girl) when I get to come home and veg out in front of the computer or test out new (to me) developments.

Bill's software (Minotaur) is better but I would have no problem whatsoever recommending Sniper to anyone who wants to use it. I still use it on manual transmission trucks.

Bill will talk to you forever on the phone too, and I like his reasoning about what is going to keep the 7.3L bandwagon merrily rolling along.


Thank you David Lott for the Sniper Delta Force program!!

Thank you Bill Cohron (and his wife, Corey) for the Minotaur!!

Screenshots will be available upon request.
Take it for what it's worth.

 

very interesting. subscribing cuz this is pretty neat

 

Quite interesting Cody. Has the cost of purchasing the software paid for itself? Or are you doing it just for fun?
I tried watching Tony when he did my live tuning and I gave up after a while, there were WAY too many numbers he was throwing around, I couldn't keep up with him and didn't want to hold him up by asking too many questions.

 

Subscribing!
I do have some interest in dabbling in this area. I have written many programs for so many different things that I am curious.

 

One word....NO.

Some folks would kill for the amount of "coin" I "dropped" on this stuff. However, it's something I wanted to do in my spare time and it's definitely a hoot. It also helps that I have a few close friends that own various PSDs.

I'm glad I did it though, because my brain is becoming stupid from doing mindless work all day. I needed something to reincarnate those dead brain cells. I do get a new call every couple of days though! It's beginning to work out.

 

What all do you need to get started and where do you get it?

 

there is a very new forum on this subject over on PSN..very interesting reading in there...a guy can learn alot in there....

 

I haven't really looked at PSN. I have limited time I can spend and prefer to spend it here since I know there are so many good people here (not that PSN doesn't, I wouldn't know).

 

Thanks for sharing Cody. That is some interesting stuff for sure. I am more than a little scared of the subject, but I would love to learn more about it. You know what they say, knowledge is king.

 

lol they are a different crowd for sure..but there very informative.. them guys are big HP guy's most all of them guy's made and tested all the mods we have on here today....there is another thread over there right now on " who was the first"..lot of big names are poping up...

 

Yeah I'm at PSN too, been there since it started. You have to have very thick skin if you want to hang out over there.

As for the DIY tuning, I've always wanted to dabble in it ever since the first time I met Jody. I'm a computer nerd like him and this stuff is interesting to me. Probably a good thing I didn't dive in a few years ago, for sure I would have blown my engine by now.

Now I just don't have the money to start it up. Maybe if I do get some extra cash I'll dabble in it a bit. I have some of my own ideas I would like to mess with when it comes to tuning.

 

There's days I can't even make my internet browser work right, so playing with the PCM is out for me, that and Tony is only 30 min. up the road.

Thanks for your comparison. If you decide to take a brake from that for a while, you're always welcome to come and write one of your well thought out and descriptive threads (like this one) any time.

 

I see you and a few others over there as well..I signed up about a year ago (only 225 post) but been reading there for some time now..that thread "Contributions To The 7.3 World " has brought up a lot of links and videos of these mods and tuning we use today in the making back in 98 for the first super duty...its cool finding out the history...

 

Glad to hear you're starting to get some calls. I don't imagine the other guys that tune were busy from day one. It definitely takes some time to learn the program and then learn how your adjustments affect performance.I think it'd be a lot of fun to do your own tuning; definitely be stimulating for the old brain!!

Have you had any chance of doing any dyno runs to see how the tunes are performing compared to "name brand"?

When you figure out the easy secret to big HP from tuning with minimal cost in mods, let us know!!!

 

Yes, actually I have run a few dyno runs against a name brand. HP levels were nearly the same....but driveability is what most people care about. I am making tunes that I love considerably more than brand X.

Making the power isn't the problem. Any tuner out there will end up at about the same power level...there's only so much a HEUI system will do. Basic mods, expect less than 330 RWHP.