I am looking at a 96 electra with 40k on the clock with the older fuel injection and race tuner-kinda concerned about the FI as I have heard horror stories! Any feedback on the FI and personal experiences with it would be helpful-thanks!

 

Being the short time they were in production, and how long they have been out , you couldn't give me a mmfi system. Seems they were just the first experiment in fi for Harley. And they were only used in limited numbers, then replaced after a very short run for a more tunable and dependable version. Every fi Harley since '03 has had the delphi fi, so right there are more units in use then the mmfi. If you happen to have one that works fine for you consider yourself lucky. But whats your option when it goes belly up and Harley can't or won't help you out?.,,

 

Sensors will start going out on them as the miles start adding up.The Delphi system is not immune to sensors dropping out either though.The only problem you typically have is that the cold idle setting has to be readjusted periodically. Parts are not any harder to find than than any other models.

 

MM efi is good when it is good and bad when it is bad, not much of a gray area but very repairable. Engine temperature sensor is the common failure, engine position sensor can fail shutting the engine down, hot/cold idle settings can need attention.
Many,many high mileage MM systems out there and just the horror stories posted and probaly due to lack of MM techs, the 96 MM has limitations in tuner systems because of the ECM, the 97-98 ECM installed on the 96 will open it up to a Powercomanader or a race tuner.
I installed a carb on mine last off riding season due to performance reasons, not because the efi is junk, the MM starts needing some fuel pressure and plenom runners mods for HP and didn't want to pursue the fuel pressure change and go thru the tuning process plus the aftermarket tuners are limited to timing removal.
If it fires up quickly, idles up to 1300-1400 rpm's and falls back to 1000 or so at idle with no pops thru the intake while riding and returns to idle quickly when coming to a stop, it is a sound system. Excessive black smoke out the exhaust when warmed up is a engine temperature sensor problem, it overfuels the engine thinking it is cold. Good luck and the CV installation is not a bad thing when all else fails or age starts taking it's toll on the MM system.
PS, the 96 also has HD and aftermarket limitations because of the frame change in 97, but backyard technology can get around some of the differences

 

My 96 has the EFI, and as it has been mentioned, I had to adjust the idle speeds. Also mentioned above, the 96 ECM is "non flashable" and must be upgraded to a 97 module to be Power Commander friendly or HD upload friendly. I bought a 97 ECM off ebay just in case something were to happen but I have not installed it. All that said, I have a RevTech DFO (digital fuel optimizer) on mine which allows adjustments to fuel mixture much like a carburetor ( but easier). Any "Dobeck" style fuel tuner will work. I'm curious as to what kind of tuner is on the bike you're looking at. M&M EFI was used from 1995 to 2003 or 4, if I'm not mistaken, so there's a ton of them still on the road. I've only had mine for a year so I cannot speak to the longevity of them.

 

I was told it had a power commander that failed (I also had one fail) According to the stealership it was installed in 1996(maybe some models had the newer module?) when that failed in 2008 they installed a race tuner.

 

It sounds like it must have the upgraded ECM then. You will want to verify that somehow. It should be under the right side cover and should have a part number on it. The 97 ECM I bought looks different than the 96 on my scoot, even has a different connector. THat's why I haven't tried the install, like the old saying, "don't fix it if it ain't broke". I have the 95-96 parts book if you can get the number I can look it up, though I'd wager that the last 2 numbers would be higher than "96" if it was upgraded.

 

BFT, I just reread your post and saw that the PC was installed in 1996 (?) Is the guy that has it the original owner? Can you find out who the original owner was? Maybe there was an attempt made by the manufacturer of PC to modify the fuel delivery that didn't work? Reason I say that is because I talked to Jamie at Fuel Moto about my options when I got my bike and was told that a PC would not work unless the ECM was upgraded.

 

Is it a 97 model made late 96?

 

My '96 had a -97a ECM and like previously stated, when it's good, it's good. When it was bad, it was a nightmare. I swapped the whole works out and went with an S&S Super E and a Crane Hi-4 single fire. PM me if you'd like the leftovers.