Predator Diablo Vs. Blackbear Tune

K20and2500HD · April 8, 2010

I have a predator for my 09' made it run really good after dialing in my ltfts, although there is no tcm yet it will be awesome to calibrate your trans just how you like it yourself and for yourself. I've heard great things about black bear but I have also heard great things about the diablew tune, but I need more info on what exactly to have lew! Had one for my 04' and could use the tcm functions and could spin the tires when raining shifting into second gear at 75 mph all the way till 87 mph when it shifted into third just awesome! Not to mention it would spin the tires like my old 96 would, spin spin spin until you let out of it, it would even shift into overdrive spinning and would even have to brake torque it.

Darkanion · April 8, 2010

When I first got my Sierra Denali, I bought a Predator. I liked what it did and I liked that I could "un-do" what it did, if I ever had to take the truck to the dealer. Prior to getting a Blackbear Tune, I even defended the Predator some in different threads on here. AFTER getting a Blackbear Tune, it was night and day difference..

I really liked my Predator until I was able to get a full Blackbear Tune on my truck. After that, I developed a good bit of disdain for the Predator and the empty promises of TCM support for the 6-speed transmissions in the half-ton trucks.

If the choice is Predator or Blackbear, don't even waste your time thinking about the Predator. The best money I sent on performance related mods for my truck was on the Blackbear Tune.

P71_CrownVic · April 8, 2010

With a custom Predator Tune, I gained 36 hp and 41 lb/ft at the wheels. I paid $275 with overnight shipping and a 30 day money back garantee...

I want to believe you...but those numbers seem extremely optimistic.

Edited April 8, 2010 by P71_CrownVic

hy_69 · January 26, 2011

NO TCM on the newer trucks, but I have TCM on my 2005. I have had my Diablo Predator for 3 months now. With my 5.3 2WD Sierra, I can lay 35 feet burnouts anytime I want. With a custom Predator Tune, I gained 36 hp and 41 lb/ft at the wheels. I paid $275 with overnight shipping and a 30 day money back garantee...

BEST $275 I HAVE EVER SPENT.... HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!

Honestly, I wanted a BB tune, but I refuse to take out my PCM, and then have to do a crank relearn... That was the breaking point for me. I couldnt find a delaership near me that would do a crank relearn procedure. They were total idots... So I said F--k it and got a Predator... I absolutely love it.

It woke up my truck. It is a total beast now. In fact, the trucks are so fast taking off, that many complain about losing traction control. EVEN WITH TRACTION CONTROL ON, my truck will break loose the tires. Its cool, but it was a death trap in the snow this winter....

GTO and G8 guys have the same problem.. We all complained on the Diablo forum about our cars actually laying rubber with the TC turned on. Other than that, I will now be buying a Predator for all my cars....

Honestly, even though I own a Predator and love it, I would not get one if I had a newer truck because you cannot control your transmission settings on newer trucks.. On my 2005, I have full control over my shift points and everything... This is NOT AVAILABLE on newer trucks...

i know this is an old post but gonna try get a reply anyway.. i have a '99 silverado... so now that there is autocal from blackbear (you don't need to take out your PCM) which costs like $560 and you have diablosport predator for $300 which comes with preset tunes (being a handheld) but with the usb thing you can get some custom tunes online! which one would yo u get? cause my truck is a '99 so i wanna know if i need to spend the $260 extra for the blackbear or if predator will do the job for my truck!

brad519 · January 26, 2011

The only reason people were taking out the PCM was to have the stock one available for warranty work. Unless you have quiet an extended warranty get the BB tune. No need for the auto cal unless you just want to switch back and forth.

You can get a data log tune. They send you out some hardware (gotta make a deposit) you log some data from your truck; email it then they make you a tune and you put it in truck then mail back the data logging hardware. Same as the autocal but you don't have to buy the autocal.

So to answer your question...I would get the data log tune from BB or wait till a tune meet comes close to your town and get an in person tune. They got one coming up in the Big Easy don't know where you live though.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Brad519

ATXSerria · January 26, 2011

Quick question, did Predator Diablo ever get TCM on 07+ trucks???

[email protected] · January 26, 2011

Haha, for the 6 speeds, I don't think so.

Matt_ · January 26, 2011

Quick question, did Predator Diablo ever get TCM on 07+ trucks???

NO.

Last I heard they're going to force you to buy a Trinity. So all those people who bought a Predator for $350+ and were promised that TCM support was coming (3 years ago?) Are SOL. I think they're offering like a $100 trade in credit..... so you're out $250+ and the expensive cost of the Trinity.

That's the last I heard anyways. .... at that point I completely wiped Diablosport from any future recommendations I would make. I'm not sure if enough people complained and they changed their minds though, but buyer beware.

brad519 · January 26, 2011

Looked at the BB web site (because I'm bored and nothing much is going on at work)

You can get the traditional tune for $200.00 which they send you out a new PCM with the tune installed. You switch out your stock PCM with the new one and send back your stock one. A deposit of $100.00 is required. (I think its $100 for a 99)

The in person tune is $250.00 where Justin comes to different towns and hooks up his stuff to your truck and you drive around and he makes a tune for you. No deposit unless you want an extra PCM.

Data Logging Tune is $300.00 plus the deposit for the equipment which I believe is $250.00 but you get that back when you send their equipment back.

So if you don't Need the extra PCM your only spending $200-300 for a BB Tune. And like I stated earlier I wouldn't think a 11 year old truck would need a spare PCM.

Disclaimer: Brad519 is not an employee of BlackBear Tune nor is he very mechanically inclined

Email BlackBear Performance with any questions

Perk · January 26, 2011

Tuned my 08 Yukon Denali with a Diablo. I was not even convinced it did anything. Had Justin tune it and I still cannot believe that you can get that much out of a tune. Stock 1/4 mi was 15.3 (best). After the tune, first pass was 13.9.

I don't know about any other rigs, but if you have a 6.2l with the 6 speed you have to get Justin to flip the switch on it. Driveability is 100x better as well.

hy_69 · January 28, 2011

The only reason people were taking out the PCM was to have the stock one available for warranty work. Unless you have quiet an extended warranty get the BB tune. No need for the auto cal unless you just want to switch back and forth.

You can get a data log tune. They send you out some hardware (gotta make a deposit) you log some data from your truck; email it then they make you a tune and you put it in truck then mail back the data logging hardware. Same as the autocal but you don't have to buy the autocal.

So to answer your question...I would get the data log tune from BB or wait till a tune meet comes close to your town and get an in person tune. They got one coming up in the Big Easy don't know where you live though.

so if i live in mexico so there's no way bb is coming near here to get a custom tune... and i use my truck in different ways (city will be performance, highway to get better mileage, and towing) so i want to be able to switch between different tunes (like with a handheld) thats why i'm considering autocal cause you have the handheld with tunes stored in it and you can switch between them whenever you want to, don't know if the handheld functions as a scanner tool to read SES codes like the predator which is a nice feature.... my truck is a 99 silverado so predator does tune my transmission i think!! but not sure if it will erase my o2 sensor cause i don't have cats and thats something i need... so considering all that.... which one should i get? i mean! 2-4hp more with one or another ain't that big of a deal if one costs $300 and the other $560... but if for my truck! it is also day and night difference between predator and bb... then who cares about the $260 difference in price....

topdj · January 28, 2011

I wonder if I can swap 2011 2500HD PCM boxes if I can even find a spare

renegadeking · January 28, 2011

you can't compare a predator or trinity with a black bear. completely different the predator is a handheld programmer with no custom tunes just preset ones. its like comparing the black bear with a super chip or hyper tech. the only way you can compare black bear and the predator if Diablew custom tuned it for your vehicle cause only then is it a custom tune like the black bear.

I have heard nothing but great news and reviews of black bear, they are a great tune. I can speak for Diablew because i have one, of course it kicked the stock predator tune's butt. my diablew tune is unreal. i never imaged what the results where. But the diablew tune and the BB will probably be similar performance gains because they is only so much you can tune.

the only difference IMO is the prices. i already had he predator so for 100 bucks i had it custom tuned. if i didn't have the predator i would have got the BB because it would have been cheaper.

why would someone buy a product that isn't even capable with your truck, but promised the updates. You are just asking for trouble. IMO

hy_69 · January 28, 2011

you can't compare a predator or trinity with a black bear. completely different the predator is a handheld programmer with no custom tunes just preset ones. its like comparing the black bear with a super chip or hyper tech. the only way you can compare black bear and the predator if Diablew custom tuned it for your vehicle cause only then is it a custom tune like the black bear.

I have heard nothing but great news and reviews of black bear, they are a great tune. I can speak for Diablew because i have one, of course it kicked the stock predator tune's butt. my diablew tune is unreal. i never imaged what the results where. But the diablew tune and the BB will probably be similar performance gains because they is only so much you can tune.

the only difference IMO is the prices. i already had he predator so for 100 bucks i had it custom tuned. if i didn't have the predator i would have got the BB because it would have been cheaper.

why would someone buy a product that isn't even capable with your truck, but promised the updates. You are just asking for trouble. IMO

yeah the $300 price for the predator plus the usb pc interface so you can log your driving then have a custom tune made for you (email it and then receive an email just like bb i think)... thats why i'm asking what would be the difference between blackbear ($560) vs predator ($300) for my '99 truck?? i know that for +07 its a huge difference because of the transmission programming... but for me? would it be? is it worth spending the extra bucks?

kdixer · January 28, 2011

My ratings from personal experience on a scale from 1-100

Black Bear Autocal = 98.5

Excellent customer service. Will provide any level of customization to your tuning. Convincing performance and driveability gains. Can read trouble codessame as many handhelds. All the benifits of a handheld and a custom tune combined.

Only thing keeping the score below 100 is the price. I feel it is worth the price, but it is the priciest of the bunch.

Superchips Cortex = 80

Decent adjustability, but you will have to settle with the adjustments they allow you to make. Noticeable performance increase but not as much as the autocal. One of the best things about the Cortex is the fact that it is compatible with virtually any vehicle within a brand. The 2950 will tune any gm vehicle for example.

Diablo Predator = 60

Can read codes and make tweaks to PCM. That is about it. You can also get a custom tune using the predator also but I have no experience with that aspect. It had no TCM support for my vehicle, but it does for the older GM's. The predator was hardly noticeable on my truck.

I had an issue where the diablo tunes did not have as much ignition timing as my truck did with the stock tune. All everyone from diablo kept saying was you have to run 93. But I never saw the point because the timing was less than stock with no spark knock. If I was seeing spark knock I could see their point but I had many data logs without spark knock.

Another downside to the diablo is you have to buy the accesories to connect to a computer seperately. The autocal and the cortex come with everything already.