PCV Installation

No big deal, ladies and gentlemen.

Total time including monkeying with the software: under 1 hr.

A quick note about the software: you MUST update the firmware. It comes with v2 and you need v3 (as of today’s date, anyway). The PCV software on your PC will ask you where the new firmware is – point it to the file you download from the PCV site (here) … but then the program will fail.  It looks for “bootloader” and installs that*, then fails before actually installing the firmware.  Just close it, restart it, and try again.  Make sure you see the “firmware installed’ message, and the little loading bar climbing across (on even a very fast computer, it still crawls along in about a 15-second trip).

There’s a stock map loaded in the 2010 PCV, and it’s the 2010 Harley Touring map.  It’s roughly based off the Electra, I think.  Doesn’t really matter. It claims to offer 80% optimization of the bike’s resources (96″ stock cams/air cleaner/pipes), and DynoJet claims that the factory download/flash of the ECU will only offer 50-60% optimization (THANKS, EPA!).

To review, my 2010 Road King Classic is a 103″ with the Stage II kit: that’s SE-255 cams and a Stage I air cleaner. Further, we have those ridiculous SuperTrapp SE slip-on mufflers capping the stock 2-into-2 header pipe (with a fractional catalytic converter therein).

I am starting out with a manufacturer-provided  map for a 103″ ElectraGlide Limited with Stage I air cleaner and V&H Power Duals w/ V&H Monster Ovals.  Oh well, it might balance out.  If it runs like hell, I’ll remove the PCV until I can get to a dynotuner or find a proper map online.  Then I’ll do my baffle mod and deal with the consequences similiarly.

Pop the seat off, pop the right saddlebag & side cover off (to disable the O2 sensors – yes, really), plug it in and go.

Fun note: Harley’s factory-installed ECU is a solid state drive.  For the non-geeks in the audience, that means it’s a fancy version of what the original Nintendo was.  Instead of processing up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-[start] and giving you 99 lives, it’s processing the throttle control and the O2 temps and the like.  Same difference.

I wanted to leave my USB port from the PCV danging out with my battery charging dongle.  Not permanently – just until I’m confident my tuning trim isn’t causing any damage (no pinging, no “struggling” sound, no “gugling” sound … that’s about it).   But I can’t, it’s too snug a fit to have a wire popping out.  DynoJet asks you to fasten down the PCV and there’s no room for the wire.  I’ll check the engine temps (which must be enabled in the software – stock, the PCV will not demand engine temp from the stock ECU) against the service manual and use that as my validation, though I’ll collect those temps from running with the seat off (or maybe I can get it crammed in?).

Now … I haven’t run the engine at all.  This isn’t complete and I’ll come back and edit this post so it can be the one-and-only calibration/installation post.  I understand the bike ought to be let idle for just a few moments, then run very gently for maybe 15 minutes, then run normally for about 15 minutes.  That should let the system perform its micro-trim and “break in” the map.  After that, I’ll see what needs to be done.

* I have no idea where it “found” the program, but I expect it was on the hardware, if that isn’t a nutty thing to say. The hardware contains the hard-resetting software.  Weird.

EDIT: Put up a video. This is without ANY trim to the manufacturer’s 103″-based map.  She sounds alright after a little break-in and I will edit again when I’ve trimmed / tuned. ~

Power Commander V MINE!

Hot shit! I found the 2010 Touring Harley PCV for only $245 brand new.
I should say that again.  Remember when I made that post yesterday about how I felt I might end up buying direct from the manufacturer (Dynojet) for $380? Then I updated my post with “hey, it’s only $300 from FuelMotoUSA!” ??

Well! I stumbled upon Eastern Performance Cycles out of Maryland.  Spoke with a fella named John (err, might have been James?) who told me they accidentally ordered somewhere around a hundred of these things and had to move ’em.  I thought maybe he’d throw in the brooklyn bridge too, but he wanted $319 for the AutoTune so I figured his tale of how too many powercommanders spoil the profit might just be true.  I said, “one please” and he said it’d be shipped out today.

I passed on the AutoTune.  I have to follow that dream I had last night.  What can I say …

I’m amazed I got such a good price.  Let’s hope it all pans out.

That’s Eastern Performance Cycles: (410) 451-5181.

Coming to a bike near you: MINE!

Oh, and while I’m at it – I bought a $20 battery tender because the volusia wouldn’t turn over.  I’ll let it go overnight and see if I can’t get a pulse.

DIY Baffles. Part 1 (of what should be many)…

I suppose the necessary disclaimer   (LONG WINDED) is that that baffles are very large piece of the equation.  The “equation” is what settings need to be on your bike (the jet/carb or the binary in the EFI) that provide safe, pleasing, performance-providing exhaust:  if you change the air filter, the header, the slip on, the cat, or the settings themselves, you risk throwing the whole thing out of balance.  In other words (QUICK-N-DIRTY), the system needs balance and harmony, so when you change one thing you may be required to change others.  If you swap pipes, you probably need to alter the settings, and for the 2010 Road King Classic that means adjusting the EFI.

I know nothing of such things but will probably get a PowerCommander since they’ve won out over all others on the DIY crowd.  But anyway …

As far as baffles go, there are free-flowing and chambered, short and long, swiss-cheese and slashed, and all have different properties.  I know nothing of these properties or their translation to performance/sound.  But I’m going to find out!

Simple though it may sound, I’m going to build my own baffles from exhaust tubing available at AutoZone.  I’ll poke holes in the sides and bend the mid section down to scoop the air and change the flow.  I can install them in the SuperTrapp SE muffler shells and keep my 2010 stock mufflers untouched.  I’m going to try to document this as well as possible so that others who want to edit the sound of their bike can benefit from my notes, much as I have benefited from what others have done before me.

AND,

(following the advice in the top paragraph)

I’m going to pick up an EFI tuner so that I can prevent overheating if my baffles cause the engine to run too lean.  At risk of repeating myself, I’m trying to nail down the choices but I think I’ll go with the PowerCommander.

And of course, if I do foul it all up, I’ll buy a full aftermarket exhaust for $600 and call it a pre-emptive repair bill.  That doesn’t mean I have money to burn, it just means I’m confident that with patience and the internet I can accomplish this.

You can look at that as foolish for bravado or noble for sacrifice,  but it’s just me doing what I do and I don’t judge you so just read on and hopefully you can benefit (no matter which judgment camp you’re in).

Someday my Harley will sound like a Harley.  Presently it’s jealous of the Volusia.

COUNTDOWN: 3 Days!

Again with the countdown.  Letting myself get a little excited.

I called the service dept to check on the bike, and like always, rather than say 2 words, they took my name and xferred me to sales.  Then, talking to Eddy, I told him I wasn’t driving off without some kind of ECM fix (yes, rip me off for the $120 fuel map switch) but that I’d rather just pick up the parts they couldn’t get installed and that I’d do them myself.

Of course, I said all that after I’d confirmed that I’ll be able to drop by this saturday and ride home.  They open at 9:00.  Guess who will be there at 8:50 am?  My wife!  And me, I hope.

I’m probably going to invest in some wind protection – “rain guards” from Desert Dawgs and possibly “hippo hands” from Hippo Hands.   Both products seem like something I can make myself, and if they look ridiculous when mounted then it makes no difference if they look like hell or not, right?   So long as it doesn’t scratch the paint…

No progress yet on the EFI manager.  A tuner near the house, with a good reputation, wants to sell me a PC III for $350, then charge me $200 for the tuning.  I think I’ll ride the HD upgraded download for a bit.

3 days.  Kind of amazing.  It’s in the high 60’s today.  What I wouldn’t give for more of that …

EFI Management (Part 1)

To get any EFI (electronic fuel injection) engine to really sing, there are EFI managers available that adjust how the ECM (the engine’s brain – literally electronic control module, sometimes called ECU […”unit”]) pulls those strings and makes the EFI dance.

Of course, there are also replacement units that just know how to haul ass.  And that’s fine if that’s you.

I’m looking for a plug-in system.  It seems there are a few.  They all interface with the EFI and “trick” it into running richer, or leaner, depending on what you’re looking for (typically richer – more fuel means more power, to a point).  The ECM (or “ECU”) adjusts the engine’s idle speed and the amount of juice the EFI is allowed to burn — all based on the engine’s temperature, the amount of oxygen in the system, and maybe some other factors.  An EFI manager is like the nagging wife that tells the EFI “I know the ECM said to inject for 5 milliseconds, but if you don’t make it 7 ms you’ll be sleeping in the doghouse tonight” and so the EFI ignores the ECM.

FuelPak, by V&H, is a unit that’s earned lots of respect as far as nagging wives go, but isn’t available for 2010 bikes, according to http://www.fuelpakfi.com/harley1.html on today’s date.  The FuelPak behaves the way the ECM does, but is “better” — the ECM has a long list of how the EFI ought to respond for each scenario (RPM, temp, throttle position, O2, etc…) and simply makes that happen.  That list of instructions is called a “map” since it can most easily be understood as a topology of the fuel function.  The FuelPak has its own fuel map and borrows the ECM’s measurements (above) to tell the EFI to use its values from its fuel map.  FuelPak is the least expensive option, so it’s a shame that they’re not able to give me what I want since I’m kind of over here waving my $300 around.

In case you’re wondering, I decided to get a fuel manager based on all the glowing praises from various forums and newsgroups.  It’s like having a butler, but instead of doing your laundry, he does your fuel injection. Or, I suppose it’s like having a TV/monitor set to the wrong resolution?  Go to hell, analogies.

Next up is the ThunderMax.  It looks great – instead of a simple map, it can adjust itself and “learn” the bike and your riding habits.  Seems great, right? Problems: first, the complete system (the “autotuner”) comes out to about $700.  Hopefully I’ve misunderstood and the autotuner isn’t required, but according to my understanding of their website, that’s not the case.  Problem two? It’s not available for throttle-by-wire bikes.  Oh well! http://www.thunder-max.com/

And then, last up, is the Power Commander.  There are two, kinds, but it seems only the PC V (that’s a FIVE) will work on a 2010 TBW bike.  Cost? Just $360, and they have the autotuner for another $360 too.  Wait a minute! Again with the autotuner?

Best I can figure, the autotuner is what enables “learning” mode.  That’s got to be the way to go, right?  But for $700, couldn’t we just get on the dynojet and calibrate once and for all?