RYDNHI4X4
Halt Halt Or I'll Release My Dog
Written By: Unit453
The purpose of this thread is for all you 3rd generation LLY and LBZ owners to be able to compare two similar programmers side by side. I'm on a budget and running a stock tranny. I have no desire to make huge power and I'm looking for overall drivability, mileage, ease of installation, and durability. I'm not looking to fry my tranny either or shell out the cash for a built one...When this one goes; I'll know its time to upgrade.
I was lucky enough to know a great guy who sent me his PPE programmer to try out for a little while.
I walked outside today, coffee in hand, to start the process: Detune the Predator and upload the PPE tune.
Ease of installation: Quick and easy. The predator definitely loads faster but who cares about an extra minute. I loaded the 90 h.p. "towing" (yeah right) tune and went onto the tire size adjustments...Now....Having used many different programmers in the past with 2 different trucks, I know that trying to get the speedo adjusted was always like sawing your arm off with a spoon. Since I'm running 285's, I tuned for 32.8. I figured that'll be a decent place to start off incase I have to retune it later because it was off...
I don’t have gauges yet so I couldn’t tell you the differences in pyro temps...
Drivability: I opted not to reset the trans. No need to really. It was fine before the way it shifted so why ruin a good thing? Immediately upon start up, I noticed the exhaust smells a lot stronger.....Like noticeably stronger. The pedal isn’t nearly as touchy with this PPE as with the Predator. I kind of like the added throttle response and I'm a bit sad to lose it for now. I got on down the road...It feels good....Shifts good....And will break the tires loose on a freshly paved surface that I happen to be travelling on through the lower gears...It makes power at a higher rpm than the Predator does so it doesn’t feel as torquey off the line, at all.....It definitely takes more pedal to get it moving.
I think my turbo is louder but I'm probably mildly retarded and just didn’t hear it as well before. No rattle from the engine. It seems throatier for some reason but again, maybe it’s me. That 90 h.p. tune pulls well. You stab it, it goes....
The tuner I got which many of you know, list their numbers...
Level 1: 40 h.p.
Level 2: 90 h.p.
Level 3: 160 h.p.
Level 4: 225 h.p.
Level 5: 300 h.p.
Level 6: 350 h.p.
I would love to run the higher levels but I'm not risking frying my tranny. Not happening. I'm only at 11,000 miles and I don’t need an early warranty claim. I would like to know however what this programmer puts down at the wheels on an LBZ.
I keep hearing that the mileage is the cats ass with the PPE so gimme a couple tanks of regular driving and I'll tell you. I started off today with a half tank and I just had to fill it up a hous ago. My dumbass punched it like 80 times so far today. I averaged this last tank at 15.8, hand calculated of course, which isn’t too bad considering the throttle was pretty much glued open all afternoon. My normal mix between around town and stop and go gives me 18 and some change and a solid 22 mph highway keeping it at 70 mph. My speedo was surprisingly right on, to the T, when verified with my GPS. I didn’t expect that at all. Two points for PPE.
Price: For the price, the Predator really can’t be beat. $300 is too cheap to pass up considering the real time data that it gives you and internet updateable. PPE, same boat with the real-time data but thumbs down for the price tag. I would not pay $950 for this tuner. I don’t really care how many levels it’s got because 4 out of 6 are pointless to use on a stock tranny. (That is if you value your truck)
My opinion is that the PPE seems to be a great tuner. It’s got great drivability, good shifting, and it’s easy to install. I have no doubt that the 160 tune and higher will throw a code. It’s got great power on the lower levels as well. I'd like to see some egt's empty and pulling a sizeable load on this 90 h.p. tune. You can’t beat a calibrated speedo the first try, period...PPE feels like it’s got more ass up at the top of the rpm range.
The Predator is also a great tuner. Real time data, balance rates, the ability top clear DTC's, the works...Again, $300 speaks for itself. Calibrating the speedo is a pain in the ass, for me anyways, with my old LLY and this LBZ. Trial and error. I miss my touchy throttle. I got so used to it, now I want it back. I like just to be able to poke it a bit and the whole truck lurches forward. Predator definitely feels torquier down low, making power right off idle, which I like.
I will post my mileage results here in this thread so show the difference, if any.
My opinion, I like my Predator and would highly recommend it to anyone. I would also recommend the PPE to anyone who wants more bite out of their truck than the Predator can give. I'll run this PPE for a while but my Predator is going to stick with me. I think I like it better.
The purpose of this thread is for all you 3rd generation LLY and LBZ owners to be able to compare two similar programmers side by side. I'm on a budget and running a stock tranny. I have no desire to make huge power and I'm looking for overall drivability, mileage, ease of installation, and durability. I'm not looking to fry my tranny either or shell out the cash for a built one...When this one goes; I'll know its time to upgrade.
I was lucky enough to know a great guy who sent me his PPE programmer to try out for a little while.
I walked outside today, coffee in hand, to start the process: Detune the Predator and upload the PPE tune.
Ease of installation: Quick and easy. The predator definitely loads faster but who cares about an extra minute. I loaded the 90 h.p. "towing" (yeah right) tune and went onto the tire size adjustments...Now....Having used many different programmers in the past with 2 different trucks, I know that trying to get the speedo adjusted was always like sawing your arm off with a spoon. Since I'm running 285's, I tuned for 32.8. I figured that'll be a decent place to start off incase I have to retune it later because it was off...
I don’t have gauges yet so I couldn’t tell you the differences in pyro temps...
Drivability: I opted not to reset the trans. No need to really. It was fine before the way it shifted so why ruin a good thing? Immediately upon start up, I noticed the exhaust smells a lot stronger.....Like noticeably stronger. The pedal isn’t nearly as touchy with this PPE as with the Predator. I kind of like the added throttle response and I'm a bit sad to lose it for now. I got on down the road...It feels good....Shifts good....And will break the tires loose on a freshly paved surface that I happen to be travelling on through the lower gears...It makes power at a higher rpm than the Predator does so it doesn’t feel as torquey off the line, at all.....It definitely takes more pedal to get it moving.
I think my turbo is louder but I'm probably mildly retarded and just didn’t hear it as well before. No rattle from the engine. It seems throatier for some reason but again, maybe it’s me. That 90 h.p. tune pulls well. You stab it, it goes....
The tuner I got which many of you know, list their numbers...
Level 1: 40 h.p.
Level 2: 90 h.p.
Level 3: 160 h.p.
Level 4: 225 h.p.
Level 5: 300 h.p.
Level 6: 350 h.p.
I would love to run the higher levels but I'm not risking frying my tranny. Not happening. I'm only at 11,000 miles and I don’t need an early warranty claim. I would like to know however what this programmer puts down at the wheels on an LBZ.
I keep hearing that the mileage is the cats ass with the PPE so gimme a couple tanks of regular driving and I'll tell you. I started off today with a half tank and I just had to fill it up a hous ago. My dumbass punched it like 80 times so far today. I averaged this last tank at 15.8, hand calculated of course, which isn’t too bad considering the throttle was pretty much glued open all afternoon. My normal mix between around town and stop and go gives me 18 and some change and a solid 22 mph highway keeping it at 70 mph. My speedo was surprisingly right on, to the T, when verified with my GPS. I didn’t expect that at all. Two points for PPE.
Price: For the price, the Predator really can’t be beat. $300 is too cheap to pass up considering the real time data that it gives you and internet updateable. PPE, same boat with the real-time data but thumbs down for the price tag. I would not pay $950 for this tuner. I don’t really care how many levels it’s got because 4 out of 6 are pointless to use on a stock tranny. (That is if you value your truck)
My opinion is that the PPE seems to be a great tuner. It’s got great drivability, good shifting, and it’s easy to install. I have no doubt that the 160 tune and higher will throw a code. It’s got great power on the lower levels as well. I'd like to see some egt's empty and pulling a sizeable load on this 90 h.p. tune. You can’t beat a calibrated speedo the first try, period...PPE feels like it’s got more ass up at the top of the rpm range.
The Predator is also a great tuner. Real time data, balance rates, the ability top clear DTC's, the works...Again, $300 speaks for itself. Calibrating the speedo is a pain in the ass, for me anyways, with my old LLY and this LBZ. Trial and error. I miss my touchy throttle. I got so used to it, now I want it back. I like just to be able to poke it a bit and the whole truck lurches forward. Predator definitely feels torquier down low, making power right off idle, which I like.
I will post my mileage results here in this thread so show the difference, if any.
My opinion, I like my Predator and would highly recommend it to anyone. I would also recommend the PPE to anyone who wants more bite out of their truck than the Predator can give. I'll run this PPE for a while but my Predator is going to stick with me. I think I like it better.
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