Predator= MPG gain?
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: GA
Predator= MPG gain?
I installed the Predator last night. The installation was simple. Unfortunately, I couldn't see an appreciable difference in the driving. Admittedly, I am not mechanically inclined. Can I realistically expect to see a fuel mileage increase running on 87 octane with the standard "out of the box" installation? Thanks.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
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I have a Predator Diablo tuner and it bumped my fuel economy about 1-1.5 mpg and I have mine set up for using regular gas. But that isn't why I bought it. I'm sorry you cannot notice the improved shifting, better throttle response, more power, etc. etc. etc. Some people just don't notice stuff like that.
Did you follow the directions and adjust the timing back in order to use regular gas? If all you did was install the tune without making any adjustments and then use regular gas, you could have problems from the timing being too far advanced.
Did you follow the directions and adjust the timing back in order to use regular gas? If all you did was install the tune without making any adjustments and then use regular gas, you could have problems from the timing being too far advanced.
Last edited by RockyJSquirrel; Jan 13, 2005 at 11:25 AM.
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Joined: Mar 1998
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From: Virginia
Hi Magster,
No, you generally cannot expect to see a significant MPG gain via tuning for low-grade 87 octane fuel - regardless of what anyone tries to claim, the reality is simply that there's just very little room for any real improvement in either power or fuel economy the 2003 & earlier F-150 V8 when tuning for the lowest grade of fuel (87 octane). Remember, on cheap/low octane fuels the motor simply cannot tolerate significantly more timing over stock, so you simply will not get a "significant" power or MPG increase using it like that. To see the real benefits on the 2003 & earlier trucks, you need to use premium fuel, which means a minimum of at least 91 octane - and from about Texas on east, premium fuels are 93 octane. Now running it on *premium* gas, then you can expect to see some nice power gains and usually a small improvement in your cruising MPG - say, 1-2 mpg usually, and that's when you are using good quality fuels - steer clear of all the off-brands & no-name fuels, as they have lower BTU content generally speaking. Also, this time of year you're running on "winterized" fuels, which have a lower energy (BTU) content and thus deliver lower fuel economy compared to "summer" fuel blends.
One thing to keep in mind is that you need to give it a few hundred miles for the PCM to adapt to the changes, as when you flash the PCM, you are also clearing out all previous adaptive strategy adjustments, so the PCM has to start those over again from scratch - and it will take a few hundred miles to get the full effects from a tuning change. Same thing happens if you disconnect the battery, by the way.
Don't expect any kind of night & day difference running a 2003 or earlier F-150 on anything less than the highest octane premium fuels when using performance tuning - and thought it does go to work right away, it will always take several hundred miles to get the full 100% effects from tuning changes - that is true no matter what device you use or who does the tuning.
Last - and you may very well already know this, but just in case - overall, don't purchase performance tuning expecting an increase in fuel economy to "justify" the purchase, as any fuel mileage gains are strictly a by-product of increased spark advance on part-throttle - and again, on 87 octane there isn't room for any significant increase in engine timing. Performance tuning products are just that - a *performance* part, so they are designed to help improve performance - and any MPG gains should be considered as icing on the cake, so to speak, rather than be "expected," and are going to be primarily happen when using higher octane fuels. Just FYI.
Good luck!
No, you generally cannot expect to see a significant MPG gain via tuning for low-grade 87 octane fuel - regardless of what anyone tries to claim, the reality is simply that there's just very little room for any real improvement in either power or fuel economy the 2003 & earlier F-150 V8 when tuning for the lowest grade of fuel (87 octane). Remember, on cheap/low octane fuels the motor simply cannot tolerate significantly more timing over stock, so you simply will not get a "significant" power or MPG increase using it like that. To see the real benefits on the 2003 & earlier trucks, you need to use premium fuel, which means a minimum of at least 91 octane - and from about Texas on east, premium fuels are 93 octane. Now running it on *premium* gas, then you can expect to see some nice power gains and usually a small improvement in your cruising MPG - say, 1-2 mpg usually, and that's when you are using good quality fuels - steer clear of all the off-brands & no-name fuels, as they have lower BTU content generally speaking. Also, this time of year you're running on "winterized" fuels, which have a lower energy (BTU) content and thus deliver lower fuel economy compared to "summer" fuel blends.
One thing to keep in mind is that you need to give it a few hundred miles for the PCM to adapt to the changes, as when you flash the PCM, you are also clearing out all previous adaptive strategy adjustments, so the PCM has to start those over again from scratch - and it will take a few hundred miles to get the full effects from a tuning change. Same thing happens if you disconnect the battery, by the way.
Don't expect any kind of night & day difference running a 2003 or earlier F-150 on anything less than the highest octane premium fuels when using performance tuning - and thought it does go to work right away, it will always take several hundred miles to get the full 100% effects from tuning changes - that is true no matter what device you use or who does the tuning.
Last - and you may very well already know this, but just in case - overall, don't purchase performance tuning expecting an increase in fuel economy to "justify" the purchase, as any fuel mileage gains are strictly a by-product of increased spark advance on part-throttle - and again, on 87 octane there isn't room for any significant increase in engine timing. Performance tuning products are just that - a *performance* part, so they are designed to help improve performance - and any MPG gains should be considered as icing on the cake, so to speak, rather than be "expected," and are going to be primarily happen when using higher octane fuels. Just FYI.
Good luck!
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Nashua, NH
Yes, Mike - thanks for all the paragraphs and paragraphs of useful info today! I always enjoy learning a little more about my truck.
That being said...put down the keyboard and get my Xcalibrator programmed!!
That being said...put down the keyboard and get my Xcalibrator programmed!!
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Mike,
Even though I bought a Diablo instead of your product (due to simplicity) you are absolutely bang on with your comments. I will someday buy your high end package and be done with modding...
Even though I bought a Diablo instead of your product (due to simplicity) you are absolutely bang on with your comments. I will someday buy your high end package and be done with modding...
Originally Posted by Superchips_Distributor
Hi Magster,
No, you generally cannot expect to see a significant MPG gain via tuning for low-grade 87 octane fuel - regardless of what anyone tries to claim, the reality is simply that there's just very little room for any real improvement in either power or fuel economy the 2003 & earlier F-150 V8 when tuning for the lowest grade of fuel (87 octane). Remember, on cheap/low octane fuels the motor simply cannot tolerate significantly more timing over stock, so you simply will not get a "significant" power or MPG increase using it like that. To see the real benefits on the 2003 & earlier trucks, you need to use premium fuel, which means a minimum of at least 91 octane - and from about Texas on east, premium fuels are 93 octane. Now running it on *premium* gas, then you can expect to see some nice power gains and usually a small improvement in your cruising MPG - say, 1-2 mpg usually, and that's when you are using good quality fuels - steer clear of all the off-brands & no-name fuels, as they have lower BTU content generally speaking. Also, this time of year you're running on "winterized" fuels, which have a lower energy (BTU) content and thus deliver lower fuel economy compared to "summer" fuel blends.
One thing to keep in mind is that you need to give it a few hundred miles for the PCM to adapt to the changes, as when you flash the PCM, you are also clearing out all previous adaptive strategy adjustments, so the PCM has to start those over again from scratch - and it will take a few hundred miles to get the full effects from a tuning change. Same thing happens if you disconnect the battery, by the way.
Don't expect any kind of night & day difference running a 2003 or earlier F-150 on anything less than the highest octane premium fuels when using performance tuning - and thought it does go to work right away, it will always take several hundred miles to get the full 100% effects from tuning changes - that is true no matter what device you use or who does the tuning.
Last - and you may very well already know this, but just in case - overall, don't purchase performance tuning expecting an increase in fuel economy to "justify" the purchase, as any fuel mileage gains are strictly a by-product of increased spark advance on part-throttle - and again, on 87 octane there isn't room for any significant increase in engine timing. Performance tuning products are just that - a *performance* part, so they are designed to help improve performance - and any MPG gains should be considered as icing on the cake, so to speak, rather than be "expected," and are going to be primarily happen when using higher octane fuels. Just FYI.
Good luck!
No, you generally cannot expect to see a significant MPG gain via tuning for low-grade 87 octane fuel - regardless of what anyone tries to claim, the reality is simply that there's just very little room for any real improvement in either power or fuel economy the 2003 & earlier F-150 V8 when tuning for the lowest grade of fuel (87 octane). Remember, on cheap/low octane fuels the motor simply cannot tolerate significantly more timing over stock, so you simply will not get a "significant" power or MPG increase using it like that. To see the real benefits on the 2003 & earlier trucks, you need to use premium fuel, which means a minimum of at least 91 octane - and from about Texas on east, premium fuels are 93 octane. Now running it on *premium* gas, then you can expect to see some nice power gains and usually a small improvement in your cruising MPG - say, 1-2 mpg usually, and that's when you are using good quality fuels - steer clear of all the off-brands & no-name fuels, as they have lower BTU content generally speaking. Also, this time of year you're running on "winterized" fuels, which have a lower energy (BTU) content and thus deliver lower fuel economy compared to "summer" fuel blends.
One thing to keep in mind is that you need to give it a few hundred miles for the PCM to adapt to the changes, as when you flash the PCM, you are also clearing out all previous adaptive strategy adjustments, so the PCM has to start those over again from scratch - and it will take a few hundred miles to get the full effects from a tuning change. Same thing happens if you disconnect the battery, by the way.
Don't expect any kind of night & day difference running a 2003 or earlier F-150 on anything less than the highest octane premium fuels when using performance tuning - and thought it does go to work right away, it will always take several hundred miles to get the full 100% effects from tuning changes - that is true no matter what device you use or who does the tuning.
Last - and you may very well already know this, but just in case - overall, don't purchase performance tuning expecting an increase in fuel economy to "justify" the purchase, as any fuel mileage gains are strictly a by-product of increased spark advance on part-throttle - and again, on 87 octane there isn't room for any significant increase in engine timing. Performance tuning products are just that - a *performance* part, so they are designed to help improve performance - and any MPG gains should be considered as icing on the cake, so to speak, rather than be "expected," and are going to be primarily happen when using higher octane fuels. Just FYI.
Good luck!