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DiabloSports Predator - Handheld Horsepower

With DiabloSports's Predator, you can build performance into your '05 Mustang without a wrench.
From the January, 2009 issue of Popular Hot Rodding
By Geoff Stunkard
0508Phr Dyno 01 Z
0508Phr Dyno 02 Z
This is the DiabloSport Predator.... 
   
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0508Phr Dyno 02 Z
This is the DiabloSport Predator. It consists of the tool and cable going into the 2005 Mustang OBDII port, a detailed booklet with step-by-step instructions, and a decal. List price is $399.
0508Phr Dyno 03 Z
Up on the dyno for the pulls,... 
   
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0508Phr Dyno 03 Z
Up on the dyno for the pulls, we got the car to hit 285 hp stock by removing the rev-limiter from the computer. By simply removing the inlet hydro-carbon filter and adding the 93-octane tune, we peaked just below 300 hp at 298.4 at 5,900 rpm, but the car then made over 290 hp from 5,100 to 6,300 rpm, a huge 1,200-rpm power band. Torque peaked at a stump-pulling 312 lb-ft.
0508Phr Dyno 04 Z
This is the OBD-II port located... 
   
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0508Phr Dyno 04 Z
This is the OBD-II port located under the dash. Simply plug in the DiabloSport Predator and follow the instructions onthe LCD screen.
0508Phr Dyno 05 Z
Here is the tuner in action.... 
   
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0508Phr Dyno 05 Z
Here is the tuner in action. Each step will ask for a response, and upload/download progress is displayed and tracked via a horizontal bar graph on the LCD screen. The keypad can also be used to make adjustments to the DiabloSport pre-programmed tune files.
0508Phr Dyno 06 Z
Stock 285.5 hp/292.5 lb-ft... 
   
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0508Phr Dyno 06 Z
Stock
285.5 hp/292.5 lb-ft
For the most part, the stock tune was crippled by the rev limiter; at 5,700 rpm, the car went into retard mode and power fell to nothing. So for this test, we went in with the DiabloSport Predator and removed only the rev-limiter from the computer. The end result of three pulls found us with a best result of 285.5 horses at 5,500 rpm (and 280 horses or better from 5,300 to 6,100 rpm) and a max of 292.5 lb-ft of torque at 4,500.
0508Phr Dyno 07 Z
87-Octane Tune 293.8 hp/305.6... 
   
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0508Phr Dyno 07 Z
87-Octane Tune
293.8 hp/305.6 lb-ft
After a brief cool-down period, we installed the new tune and did three more pulls. Right away, the exhaust sounded crisper, and the engine pulled hard all the way to 6,400 rpm with no problems. Looking at the data, the 4.6 mill not only made more horsepower, but it also pulled much harder through the top of each gear with little fall-off as the engine topped 6,000 rpm. Our max torque was up by 13 lb-ft (305.6 at 4,500 rpm) and our horsepower hit 293.8 at 5,900 rpm, but the powerband was a lot wider. In fact, the car made 280 horses or better at the rear wheels from 4,900 rpm up, and was at 290.5 by 5,300, and stayed that high or better until the pull was almost done at 6,300. Regardless of the tune installed, engine speed this fast should only be done with high-test gas to prevent detonation issues above 6,000 rpm.

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