So...

I'm fiddle with my diablosport predator tuner. I converted everything back to the original tune... Started to read the whole manual to see what's up. make sure I didn't screw anything up. I see where it warns about the 91 Octane. and to retard the timing 10% in each field.(2-4kand 4-7k) to avoid knocking sense the program is for 93. Done.

And then...

I go for a spin. Going easy slowly workin up the revs to about 4k. Looking forward to the onramp cause it feels a lil bit stronger.

Onramp.

Light goes green.

Two turn lanes. Wait until things straighten out and...

Hit it!

WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH- BOOM


gaararrrrarrrr....


Pretty sure I threw a rod. No visible hole in the oil pan and oil all over the driver side inner fender...

I'll get pics as soon as I can get the Stang in the Garage. We live on a hill and I'm gonna wait till the guys get here...


I'll decide which route to take when I tear her down.

 

That sucks bro. Hope its not as bad as it sounds.

 

See I was worried about it cause we live in Cali now at half the altitude...

I probably tarded the way it was supposed to be done. I've been itchin' for a new long block anyway...

 

Diablo performance tunes suck.

 

To add a lil' fuel to the fire. I was on DS.com and according to the website RPMOUTLET.COM sold me a dealer only with no programming (u7000) instead of the U7146 they were supposed to. So I downloaded the program (.crom file) into the Predator and you see the result. But the stang has been running with whatever was in there before the download and I retard the timing...

who knows...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-...QQcmdZViewItem


problem solved

 

Wait, are you saying they sold you the wrong Predator and thats why your engine blew?

 

wow. thats expensive. ive seen cheaper 03/04 long block w/ everything included (accessories, computer, harness, ect.).

 

Not so bad, right?



Wrong!!!

 

No I'm saying I think they sold me the wrong Predator and when the retard in charge of the timing retard got on it like a retard the engine blew... see the pics.

I can't blame Predator. Besides it was a 92k mile engine...

 

I have a hard time beliving that a tune with the wrong timing could do this, but what the hell do I know.

I cna tell you that for my 2000 Stang, I have owned 4 different tuning devices:

1 - Diablo Chip: Never could get it to work right. They sent it with the wrong tune for a different car and then could never get is right. I waited for 6 weeks for a retuned chip before I told them to shove up. I decided to never own a Diablo product after that.

2 - Then, I got a Superchips. The mail order tune knocked like a SOB, so I returned it.

3 - Then I got an SCT FlashTuner tuned by MD. Worked fine, but i ditched it for a ....

4 - SCT 4 Position Switch Chip. Got is dyno tuned when I had the blower installed. Never looked back.

Mail order tunes have some risk associated with them. To avoid risk, they make them real conservative. Then, the programmers can make misstakes. Then, companies like Diablo sell a tuner where the owner can make adjustments....owners who are not trained. Always sounded dangerous to me. Seriously, you should only need to tune the car once well, and that's it except for making adjustments for octane or turning traction control on or off.

Sorry for your misshap, but you seem to have the right attitude. Speed pays and if you mess with it, there is always a chance it could break. ****, I am on my second motor and it only took me 65k miles.

 

ouch

 

I see what you're saying, but all I did was retard the timing as recommended by Diablo in the manual...

But like I said...93k miles+ lead foot+ plus iffy tuning(?) = BOOM...

guess I'm not getting my gears put in Thursday...

 

RETARD THE TIMING!!??!

wow... I've never thought anyone would use that...

usually you advance it and run higher octane

 

There has got to be somethng missing here. Can having the timeing retarded too far blow a motor? Was the motor already hurt and it just happened to go?

Anyway, focus on the future. So, stock block? Built motor? What direction are you leaning?

When I blew my motor, I jumped on a slightly used stock block out of a Saleen. I wanted a built motor, but did not have the time to wait for one. Paif $700 for the motor and strapped on a Novi.

 

Ok...

The predator manual said to take 10% of the timing out of their tune. So I went to the spark advance option on the tool and pulled it back. Now where I may have messed up is that when I retarded the damn thing from where it was it started with 0 (I'm assuming) which is the point it was set at, not 0 degrees. I then moved it back to the -10 from the point it was set at... Probably misread the damn thing and screwed it up...

So I'm VERY MUCH considering a stock 5.4 with Patriot stage II's and comp 262AH's. Moderate HP and killer TQ...

 

Things could only get better from here on.

 

That's the way I'm looking at it...

 

You got that right! They are freaking horrible. I had a Diablo Performance Tune in my 03 GT and I didn't have any knocking running 91 octane in Cali and I didn't retard the timing by 10%...but every car is different.

Sorry to hear about this!

 

I'll do a write up as soon as I can but for two hours work this is what I'm down to as of now...

The End of Day One

 

same here. No change to the tune at all. Running 91 octane gas from either Chevron or 76.

 

ouch man sorry to hear that

 

so are u gonna be putting in a 5.4?

 

95% sure that's the route I'm gonna take... Taking out the 4.6 over the weekend to get a full assessment of the carnage...

Then I'll probably head to Riverbank and look for a 5.4 and the truck salvage and tow...

 

well i'll buy the heads off of ya, if your going to sell them?

 

PM Sent...

 

Ok so...

The engine is out. It was WAY Easier than I thought it would be. It just sucked this week because I didn't have a lot of time at one time. so most of the updates will be sunday night things...

The starter was a little difficult because one of the three bolts is hard as hell to see. H pipe was easy. That thing is HUGE...

I didn't have to take out the radiator and never even came close to it once.
The overflow tank was in the way but that was easy to fix...

With an engine hoist and leveler and the simplest set of tools this removal is easily done in a day if you have a free one.

Supplies needed so far

3/8 drive ratchet socket set with deep and shallow metric sockets up to 19mm.

combination end wrenches of the same sizes


floor jack and at least one pair of jack stands

engine hoist and leveler or chains.

2 or 3 drainage basins or buckets

some dry sweep

shop rags or towels

rubber gloves if you have a "clean hands neede" job like me (Medical field) or hand cleaner...

so far that's it. Just be patient and take your time...