Diablo Power Puck - reviews please

[WOT]

Does anyone have any personal experiance with the power puck? I would like to see some reviews with some numbers.

Being able to program it to whatever time/fuel curves I want seems to make this the most flexible box out there at the moment.

Thanks!

 

[Bob Wagner]

where are the 3 floridians from this past Saturday?

Will the Real Puck Testers please step forward

 

[madams]

Whatcha mean "thread" . . its a flat out fight of words. #ad


Competition is a good thing right?

Michael

 

[WOT]

I have seen the other thread, but I am not impressed. It appears that everyone is simply shouting their opinions and I see no numbers or proof to back anything up.

I want to see data on what makes this thing good, bad, or indifferent!



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2000 QuadCab, 4x4, 2500, 6spd, Intense Blue Pearl, No mods as of yet!

 

[madams]

Yeah . . but it's still fun to read . . better than the soaps, or listening to the news to see what else the Clintons took with them on their way out!

I don't care which state the product is made in, I don't care if it is or is not the "flavor of the month" box either. I'm with Bob . . numbers please!

I've been on the fence for a long time . . just a sittin and a waitin. Waiting for the technology to catch up.

The fueling boxes, without all the other mods . . add too much heat or smoke. The latest products to address the timing too, has my attention now. And now a new player.

If I had to buy today (and I don't) . . given the numbers posted . . the ez seems to be the way to go since it addresses timing AND boost without nicking wires or setting codes in the PCM. . . or so I've read

I know it's not the red light racer's box of choice . . but it addresses my towing needs . . a little more power without all the extra heat and smoke.

But with the new players . . including some evolving old players . . seems I'll wait just a little longer . . maybe they'll get into a price war to win us over once they all do the same thing.

One can hope . . can't I??

All I want is a quality product that doesn't require a long list of supplimental "other mods". An item that safely "wakes up" the CTD without me needing a heads up display or co-pilot to watch the heat and boost when I step on the go peddle to get around a gasser tower. And just because I spent a small fortune on a truck, it doesn't mean I can shell out 6-800 clams every few months to keep up with the latest add-on either. Price it fairly . . and $600 is NOT it . . nor is $599. 99

I for one surely hopes the Puck can level the playing field . . numbers will tell though
. . exit stage left #ad


Michael

[This message has been edited by madams (edited 03-07-2001). ]

 

[Bob Riley]

Guys, I think most at the meeting Saturday were magazine subscribers only unfortunately. It will only take some time before you get more reviews back. I don't know who your local dealer is, or who you have seen it from, but I'm sure they would let you try it with a return policy. Try it and do your own review. That's my suggestion. It reqires no extra mods, just plug it in. No harm, no foul. It does modify the fuel and change the timing.

I will check back to see if I can answer any questions you may have.
Bob

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[TowPro]

Here is a thread that is still in progress
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/ubb//Forum3/HTML/002959.html


[This message has been edited by TowPro (edited 03-06-2001). ]

 

[Scrmbld4X4]

#'s what do you want???

As I posted in the "other" thread I don't have dyno figures, and personally don't see the need. What I have is towing experience.

A little back ground. With the local 4WD club we go on a monthly outing. I tow my jeep on my 18'trailer. Nothing changes in the Jeep it always weighs the same, nothing changes on the trailer, so my load is constant. 1600lb trailer + 5200lb Jeep = 6800lb load. We go to the same basic area, West of Laramie and then unload and go play. Point is I tow over the same pass on the same stretch of 1-80 on the third Sat of every month. Make Sense???

I have never repeat never since I have owned this truck (20 Jul 99) been able to pull the pass out of Laramie headed east in 5th (OD). Always 4th (1:1) @ 55 mph Max. With the Puck I now pull it at 65MPH with the cruise on.

Now is this puck better than the other boxes, i. e. VA or EZ ???? Don't know. I'm happy, you can set the cruise at 65 and steer, that's all I wanted. I'm sure the others would produce similiar results.

But, can you reprogram your VA or EZ for more or less fuel, or more or less timing??? Or any combination thereof???

Was this the best buy?? At the time yes. Can't post prices but it was significantly less than the VA and enough savings over the EZ. I saved enough $$ to buy the PS boost module (also on sale, thanks WWCD2) The 2 together cost me what a VA would have. NOTE: I have not towed with the PS BM yet. Can tell you boost will now go to 23 psi blasting around town.

Now I am ready for a set of injectors, if I decide I need more. The selling point for me
is being able to tailer the fuel curve to compliment the injectors when and if I install them.

Put this offer out, if someone in this area wants to dyno it, I'll meet you at the dyno and install it on your truck and you can have at it. Like I said before HP #'s do nothing for me. Sustained MPH under load, and MPG do the trick for me.

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TOWER: '99 3500 4X4, White, 3. 54 LSD, 5spd, CMPR&TRL package. Glass shell or 9 1/2' Shadow Cruiser slide in. Geno's combo gauge. DynoMAX, K&N RE 0880, Jacob's E-Brake. PUTCO Max Boss boards and Flaps.
TOWEE: '82 CJ-8,Lime Light, Injected 440, 727 T flite, IH Dana 300, Dana 44 frt, Dans 60 rr 4. 88's & Detroits, 38. 5 X 14. 50 TSL/SX's, 15 X 10 Eagle 589's. Full soft top and full length cage.

BIGGER IS BETTER!! MO POWER

[This message has been edited by Scrmbld4X4 (edited 03-07-2001). ]

 

[CAW440]

See my unscientific report in Product/Accessories area!

 

[WOT]

Now we are getting some of the responses I was looking for.

I like to see numbers like 65 MPH in o/d. I pull a 30' camper (about 7000#) and have a few mountains in WV & VA that cause me to drop to 5th gear. Sounds like I would have no problem cruising at 65 with the Power Puck.

Please let me know what you find when you hook up the boost module. I was also thinking about purchasing it.

Bob

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2000 QuadCab, 4x4, 2500, 6spd, Intense Blue Pearl, No mods as of yet!

 

[Jim Nunn]

I've been driving my diesel for about two months, and that is my total experience. I did put in the puck about two weeks afterwards, and last week put in the injectors, 4" exhaust, and gauges for EGT, transmission temp and turbo pressure.

I am very pleased with the performance of this truck. All I do is street race, with no loads at all. I'm already planning to install the DD torque converter and valve body... . and that should about do it TIL next truck and upgrade, whatever.

My dealer gave me a month to try out the puck. I asked him how many came back, and he said none. I'll keep my Diablo power puck until I get something else to test for free and find out it's better. #ad


Thanks to everyone for teaching me a lot about diesels and allowing me to have a new and wonderfull hobby .

Jim



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James L Nunn
2001 Flame Red Quadcab 2500 2wd, Diablo Power Puck, K&N, planning on 4" exhaust, injector upgrade, brite lite, Viper Remote start, Turbo life saver timer

 

[Scrmbld4X4]

Mr. Krug, any relation to Bruce Krug here in Cheyenne??

Anyway the Summit is a good test of equipment. Loaded big rigs are often down in the 20-30 MPH range. Sure is nice to run it at 65 in OD. Mind you this was with a dead lift pump, just came out of the dealer yesterday. I de-pucked it before I took it in and asked the tech if there where any codes in the ECM. He said no, why?? Just wondering it hasn't been running that good. They changed the lift pump, a stuck open t-stat, and reflashed it with 18-15-00.

Put the puck and the PS Boost Mod/elbow in tonight, mind you just running around empty, but now you can really feel the puck is there. WOT in third from 12-1300 RPM to 3000 is a hoot. Hit 24 lbs of boost to boot. Will be towing same route / load next weekend will let you know.

 

[Justbeamn]

Originally posted by Jim Nunn:




My dealer gave me a month to try out the puck.

Wow, how come "I" can't find someone to let me try out their produsts before I buy.

 

[Bob Riley]

I think he means you can try it a month on a return policy. Most dealers offer this. You have a month to decide if you want to keep it.
Bob

 

[JAlford]

Bob,
I tested a Power Puck in late December against the PE-EZ for towing purposes only. I posted results on the board, but they were in favor of the PE-EZ. I found that on my truck the PE-EZ had more power with the "boost elbow" that PE includes with their unit. I could obtain the same acceleration times with just the "boost elbow" installed on my stock truck without the PE-EZ as I could with the Power Puck installed without the "boost elbow". But my primary reason for returning the Diablo was the EGT's and the vibration I picked up in the engine/drivetrain. I originally thought the Diablo would be the best option, with the ability to change the programming, but could not find the software. I would be interested to test the "new" Diablo, as I do not like the over-advanced timing of the PE-EZ in cold weather. I was only able to run the PE-EZ on setting 1 due to a similar(to the Diablo), but not as damaging, vibration with the settings on 2 and 3. My towing EGT's were 100-150F higher with the Diablo and the boost elbow, compared to the EZ, under similar conditions, and I had less power. I did the testing with my truck, at the same time, while towing in the North Georgia Mountains. I am not complaining, only relaying my personal experiences. The Diablo did make a large difference in acceleration compared to stock without the "boost elbow" to modify the wastegate, and would have been fine except for the towing.
Jeff

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'99 3500 4x4 QC 5spd. 3. 55 LSD K&N filter 18-11-99reflash,D-celerator E-brake, Geno's combo gauge w/dual pre-post turbo thermocouples
'99 26ft Gulfstream SeaHawk 5er 8000#'s Goose conversion(Colbert)

 

[TowPro]

Mine (and others) do this in 4th gear, low RMP. (only in 4th with a 5 speede) It makes a growing sound under load. I have heard "this is normal"

 

[CAW440]

Thats what I think the vibration is also, I only feel it at low or no speed when I tromp down on it. Had the same vibe on my drag car under hard acceleration with the slicks,I think the truck is trying to turn the tires over but its a little short of power to do it unless the boost is up ,or maybe I'm just an idiot,I don't know.

------------------
2001 2WD Quad Cab SLT 3. 54 Tow and Camper package, short bed

 

[WOT]

Originally posted by Scrmbld4X4:
Mr. Krug, any relation to Bruce Krug here in Cheyenne??

Not that I know of... There is some relation to the Charles Krug winery, but that's about all I know.

Also, I talked to Diable about 3 weeks ago. The guy I talked to told me that you had to pay more (he was unable to tell me how much) to "unlock" the software used to custom program the timing/fuel curves. I really hope that the decide not to charge more, that would SUCK!

 

[Bob Riley]

Originally, I think there were plans of a extra charge for tunability. But as of this last Sat, I was told there were no extra charges for this. Not sure if plans had changed since your last conversation, or you got ahold of an uninformed person. Or I'm uninformed. #ad
I'll check again tommorrow morn.
Bob

 

[Bob Riley]

Jeff,
I hadn't heard of any complaints of driveline vibrations with any co's units. You say you can even make the EZ do it? Maybe the source of this vibration is not allowing either unit to work right? Just hypothetical at this point. You would have tried the most current Puck out, so don't know that it would work any better this time around for you, except unless you bump it up with the tuning.
Does this vibration feel like it's in the engine or transmission? Or I guess that's kinda hard to tell.
Bob