Which do you prefer? Diablo Predator or SCT?

[Seraphitia102]

I went to Super Autobacs yesterday and they had the SCT tuner for the 4.6 Mustang. I only did research on the predator with its larger screen than the SCT, but then again, that's all I know about it. I was wondering what the differences were (if any). I see that SCT only has a one line screen though the guy at Super Autobacs said that he prefers SCT because it's easier to program. Does SCT also allow for OBD-II diagnostics like the Diablo Predator?

 

[propellerhead]

I'm not sure you can get the SCT Programmer/Tuner anymore. It has been replaced with the SCT Xcalibrator, which only loads tunes. I am quite pleased with my decision to purchase a DiabloSport Predator instead of the Xcalibrator. After a month of comparing features, it came down to the Predator being more versatile and more inline with my current needs. The Predator comes with a semi-generic Performance Tune that improves performance and allows the user to make adjustments to many different settings. The Predator can also be used to log real-time data and it can read and clear diagnostic fault codes.

The Xcalibrator is a similar unit for $375 but is nothing more than a tune file loader with a few LEDs to tell you what is going on. It holds three dealer provided custom tunes in addition to your factory tune. It takes another $50 to get a cable and the QuickTune software to allow you to make changes to the tune. Without that cable and software, you are at the mercy of the dealer/tuner. The Predator provides all that right out of the box, plus the ability to read and clear diagnostic codes on any OBDII Ford, plus the ability to log real-time data, plus you can still receive custom tunes from the dealer if your needs exceed the default Performance Tune.

I have some pics and more description of the Predator in my cardomain thing.

 

[Jackie Chan]

i dont have either of them, but i know a lot of people that have gone from diablo to sct and none from sct to diablo....take that fwiw. These are the faster 2v's around too

 

[propellerhead]

i dont have either of them, but i know a lot of people that have gone from diablo to sct and none from sct to diablo....take that fwiw. These are the faster 2v's around too

I would attribute that to the Predator being more of an entry level tuning tool. You get a basic tune for stock and mildly modified engines, the ability to do small tweaks, and a diagnostic tool. The Xcalibrator doesn't have the diagnostic tool features and it requires a little more interaction with a professional tuner so it caters to a slightly different market. It caters to those who need more out of a tune. Given that, I can see how some might outgrow the Predator and move to the Xcalibrator and not the other way around.

As a side note, if you outgrow the Predator, you can still get a custom tune from a Diablo tuner, or upgrade to the Chipmaster Revolution package and do it all yourself. I think this is what competes with SCT's Pro Racer Package. There is growth with either brand but the entry level products differ in many respects.

In the end, I think both products are good. My advice is to make your choice based on what you need from a tune.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

All the blower guys I know swear by the SCT software and that will be what I use on my Cat this spring, when dyno tune time comes around.

 

[Jackie Chan]

every thing i have seen is that sct has the best programs available....

 

[Cen10nialKid]

got the SCT tuner tuned at jdm i love it i got 2 tunes on it a warm and a cold you and ill prob get a race tune when i get a mid-pipe and gear. the sct 9100 tuner can hold 3 tunes along with the stock tune. you can also read dtc's