Just got my RDP tuned Predator for my 300C!

[Icarus]

Hi there forum-goers!

After reading a bunch of posts and raves on the virtues of the Predator and the custom tunes from Steve @ RDP I shelled out and ordered one on Monday. One day later, I had my Predator delivered and in my hot little hands. After a shortwhile on the phone with Steve helping me with the Predator and update of the tune on my 300C, I took her out for a spin.

WOW! I was smiling all afternoon after that.

Of all the mods and changes that I've done to my 300C, this has to be the best bang for buck and the most exciting. I love it. Its like I've been driving my dad's old Ford for a few weeks and just got back into my 300C. Its way more responsive with my foot on the pedal, feels quicker and sounds great. I've got the Mopar CAI and a HiTech catback exhaust and the note coming from the car at full tilt is glorious.

With regards to the customer service from Steve @ RDP, I must say that I was well impressed that he took the time out to help me through the install, call back several times and then follow up to make sure everything went ok.
Thanks Steve for the great service!

I highly recommend you talking to him if you want to make your 300C drive the way it should.

Cheers,
Paulo

[CUEBALL]

Glad to see you enjoying some awesome results!

I don't have the predator, but when I got the Superchips, what a difference! I can only imagine the difference in feel between stock, and with the predator!

[MR 225]

Originally Posted by Icarus

Hi there forum-goers!

After reading a bunch of posts and raves on the virtues of the Predator and the custom tunes from Steve @ RDP I shelled out and ordered one on Monday. One day later, I had my Predator delivered and in my hot little hands. After a shortwhile on the phone with Steve helping me with the Predator and update of the tune on my 300C, I took her out for a spin.

WOW! I was smiling all afternoon after that.

Of all the mods and changes that I've done to my 300C, this has to be the best bang for buck and the most exciting. I love it. Its like I've been driving my dad's old Ford for a few weeks and just got back into my 300C. Its way more responsive with my foot on the pedal, feels quicker and sounds great. I've got the Mopar CAI and a HiTech catback exhaust and the note coming from the car at full tilt is glorious.

With regards to the customer service from Steve @ RDP, I must say that I was well impressed that he took the time out to help me through the install, call back several times and then follow up to make sure everything went ok.
Thanks Steve for the great service!

I highly recommend you talking to him if you want to make your 300C drive the way it should.

Cheers,
Paulo

Well done Paulo. It seems the Predator (and RDP's tuning) is a revelation for the 300c. When you say you have a "HiTech" exhaust, is this a brand or was this a custom exhaust from Hitech mufflers in darlinghurst? Any Drone?

Cheers,
Marc.

[DESIREE]

Icarus:

Glad to hear that the Predator really impressed you, along with the help from Steve at RDP. My Predator should be in my hands tomorrow or Friday. I am very much looking forward to it.

What tune did you start with? What shift points did you install? What rev limit did you go with? Have you installed a lower temperature thermostat? What fan-on temperatures did you go with?

[Pusbum]

Welcome to the very happy Predator + RDP club. It is always good to hear when someone gets to enjoy their ride a little bit more :-)

[Icarus]

MR 225 -

When you say you have a "HiTech" exhaust, is this a brand or was this a custom exhaust from Hitech mufflers in darlinghurst? Any Drone?

Yeah I got the exhasut from Lambros HiTech in Darlinghurst...Chrysler Muffler, Chrysler Exhaust - HiTech Mufflers It has a nice note when you accelerate hard, but I guess the sound is down to personal taste...it can sound a bit funny at mid range rpm's but it was one of the first changes I made to the car along with the CAI and wheels, so I'm pretty used to it now.

DESIREE -

What tune did you start with? What shift points did you install? What rev limit did you go with? Have you installed a lower temperature thermostat? What fan-on temperatures did you go with?

I started out with the predator tune that was on the unit when I got it, but then after about half an hour on the phone with Steve we moved the rev limiter all the way up and turned off the MDS etc...I sent the unit back up to Steve and then today he sent it back down with a custom tune with a few tweaks...I haven't installed a new thermostat, so the fan runs pretty much full-on. I think I'll be getting one though shortly...

Anyhow, it was a bit wet today so I couldn't go all out but after a quick run up the M2 to Castle Hill from North Ryde I'm pretty happy with everything. Highly recommended!

[PHAT_HEMI]

Congrats on the purchase mate!! Steve is the tuning guru for sure. Definitely get the 180 thermostat, stops the fan running most the time.

Enjoy that "new" Hemi now

[slang]

Originally Posted by Icarus

MR 225 -

Yeah I got the exhasut from Lambros HiTech in Darlinghurst...Chrysler Muffler, Chrysler Exhaust - HiTech Mufflers It has a nice note when you accelerate hard, but I guess the sound is down to personal taste...it can sound a bit funny at mid range rpm's but it was one of the first changes I made to the car along with the CAI and wheels, so I'm pretty used to it now.

Icarus,

Any drone between 1500 and 2000 rpm?

I've put a HiTech exhaust and extractors on my Mrs's Satria GTi back in 2001 and it was a great combo.

[Jaffa]

Icarus

Steve knows his stuff & the RDP Predator tune really transforms these cars

I too am considering the 180F thermostat change but until then i've been able to "slow down" the fans by changing the engine temp turn on figure. By invoking the evic display you can see the engine water temperature. After driving around a few days and watching the temperature closely the observations were as follows.

With RDP tune the fans turn on around 80C deg and stay on until you switch the engine off. When the engine is warmed up the water temperature fluctuates between 95-100C deg with the temperature gauge on the normal (needle horizontal) position.

Instead of the fans running all the time I wanted a more normal fan operation i.e. fans are off at normal temperature but turn on when temperature rises above normal.

You can do this with the Predator - in the Modify parameters section.
Choose the Cooling Fans AC OFF - then change each of the six settings Fan on (move the cursor with right arrow) to 210F and save (esc).
Choose the Cooling Fans AC ON - then change each of the three settings Fan on (move the cursor with right arrow) to 210F and save (esc) and then write the modified tune to the car.

Remember to wait for the engine light to stop flashing and is on (constant) before you follow the next instruction displayed in the Predator window.

With this setting the fans turn on at 99 C deg and off around 95 deg.
There is no turn off fan setting - this happens automatically when the water temp is 4-5 deg cooler than the Fan ON setting.

Have fun with the Predator!

PS Word of advice - please don't disable the Knock Sensors - these keep your engine from running in the danger zone.

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by Jaffa

Icarus

Steve knows his stuff & the RDP Predator tune really transforms these cars

I too am considering the 180F thermostat change but until then i've been able to "slow down" the fans by changing the engine temp turn on figure. By invoking the evic display you can see the engine water temperature. After driving around a few days and watching the temperature closely the observations were as follows.

With RDP tune the fans turn on around 80C deg and stay on until you switch the engine off. When the engine is warmed up the water temperature fluctuates between 95-100C deg with the temperature gauge on the normal (needle horizontal) position.

Instead of the fans running all the time I wanted a more normal fan operation i.e. fans are off at normal temperature but turn on when temperature rises above normal.

You can do this with the Predator - in the Modify parameters section.
Choose the Cooling Fans AC OFF - then change each of the six settings Fan on (move the cursor with right arrow) to 210F and save (esc).
Choose the Cooling Fans AC ON - then change each of the three settings Fan on (move the cursor with right arrow) to 210F and save (esc) and then write the modified tune to the car.

Remember to wait for the engine light to stop flashing and is on (constant) before you follow the next instruction displayed in the Predator window.

With this setting the fans turn on at 99 C deg and off around 95 deg.
There is no turn off fan setting - this happens automatically when the water temp is 4-5 deg cooler than the Fan ON setting.

Have fun with the Predator!

PS Word of advice - please don't disable the Knock Sensors - these keep your engine from running in the danger zone.

Hey great headsup on this...I had a play and I've tweaked the fans like you suggested...so far so good. I still think I'll be getting the new thermostat but in the meantime this works well.

Thanks again!

Cheers,
Paulo