Folks, I've got about 3100 miles on my FLSTC now, did stage 1 at 1000 miles.

Thought I'd pull the plugs to see how things are doing in there. Here are the pics - what do you think?

 

Pic on the left is perfect. Pic on the right is slightly rich (probably rear). Perfect tune, no. Perfectly safe, absolutely.

 

Thanks, RKK - the tune was a "3 hour" dealer job for the stage 1, I've always suspected that they don't do a good job with tunes, and I probably got 1 hour with a base map which included time to get the bike on and off the dyno.

It runs fine enough I suppose, there's a fair amount of decel popping, I suspect that's a function of the rich condition.

One day I'll plunk down the ~~$700 a local dyno wizard of some fame wants to tune it.

 

This is going to start a battle in an otherwise friendly post, but at least you will get several opinions.

If you are willing to spend $700.00, then get yourself at Thundermax with Auto Tune. They retail fo $900, but you can get them on ebay for $700. You will never need to pay for another tune, no matter how many future mods you make. The decel popping will vanish and your bike will run great.

There are gonna be guys that will say you need to get a TTS, or a PC V with AutoTune or this or that. Thundermax may or may not get you the best dyno numbers, but it will get you the big smiles. I was sold when I found out that I never needed another dyno tune, no matter how many future mods I make. This leaves me free to change cams, exhaust, etc. without worrying about 400 - 500 for a tune.

 

No worries, RKK, I've thought about it. So how does this work, they give you a base map for your setup (a/c, pipes, etc combo), and it autotunes from there?

 

It is quite an intricate system. You do download a basemap based on your basic mods (Displacement, Injector Size and exhaust type I believe). Your set up is then assigned a Target AFR (air fuel mixture) which is measured by the wide band O2 sensors that come with the Thundermax.

The Autotune makes and tracks changes that it makes to air/fuel mixture at all different RPMs and throttle positions in order to get the get the bike to the prescribed AFR. You hook up your laptop every couple of hundred miles so that these changes can be analyzed and then used create your custom base map. (you only have to do this 3 or 4 times). This custom base map is now used to help your AFR stay on its target. The Auto Tune continues to make small adjustments for ambient tempuratures, altitudes, etc. etc.

The only thing I dont really understand is how it is that the target AFR is determined and who is to say that it is optimal.

Hope this helps and that anyone who understands this thing better than me will chime in.

 

Here is a link to a video that probably does a better job of explaining what I tried to do earlier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHWp3...eature=related

 

Yeah, I saw that, its interesting. I wonder if you set 1 target AFR or if you can set a leaner AFR in certain spots. I also wonder if a system that targets an AFR can optimize volumetric efficiency, in other words does a system like this get as close to max power and tq to a hand tune (presumably by someone who knows what they are doing)?

 

I don't know crap about engines like you guys do, but I wouldn't stand for the "Fair amount of decel poping"...Thats shouldnt be....

That in and of itself would make me beeline straight into the hands of a good tuner cause that would drive me nuts.

 

The system is very dynamic. You can set different AFR targets for different RPM / Throttle position ranges. For example, I plan to increase my AFR targets in the freeway cruising RPM/Throttle positions. This should help to improve my fuel economy while cruising.

As far as optimizing volumetric efficiency goes, the answer is probably not without putting it on a dyno. And to be honest, I dont know of a lot of tuners that specialize in tuning the Thundermax; probably because of its sheer nature. And you will probably have a tough time finding a shop or tuner to endorse the product as it doesnt help them to put food on their table. It is kind of like a dentist endorsing a toothpaste that claims you wont ever need to go to the dentist again.

If what you are after is a peak HP / Tourque number that you can brag about, then spendng the extra $$$ on a Thundermax is not for you. Then again, those numbers dont mean much of anything to 80% of the riders out there. And they don't mean anything to ANYONE when the temperature, barometric pressure, elevation, changes, cause now your bike isnt going to be optimally tuned for those conditions. Peak HP/Tourque numbers are for the drag strip and the 20% of guys who ride from stop light to stop light at wide open throttle. I get the feeling that you dont fall into that category. I know one thing for sure. My bike pulls like a mother&^%$#% when I ask it to, and runs like a dream down the freeway with no popping, spitting, pinging or any of that annoying crap.

Like I said earlier, the Thundermax with Autotune is great if you want a great running, well tuned, consistent motorcycle. It is easy to use and install, and the very best part is that you don't have to pay some dude $85 per hour to tune your bike everytime you upgrade your motor.