I see a lot of talk on these forums about what tuner to get, which is best, etc. But I don't see much discussion on actual tuning. It seems like everyone wants to either slap a Power Commander or FuelPak on their bikes or else they just say "get a dyno" and the conversations end. I get that most people want to get their bikes set and get riding (me, too!). But surely there are others out there that like to tweak their tunes on their own? Where do those discussions take place? Is there a group on HDF or is there another forum someplace where these topics are discussed?

If you read the SERT manual, or the SEPT manual, there are a few examples of how to interpret the behavior of a test ride and how to interpret the data read from a tuner logging session. They show some basic "things to try" if your bike is knocking, for example. That's the sort of discussion I'm asking about. Any thoughts on where I can look for that?

And no, I'm NOT asking "where can I download a SERT map for my bike?"

Thanks

 

The stickies section has how to threads on each of the various tuners

 

Well, on an injected bike you need a tuner to be able to adjust your fuel, and the tuning discussions are all specific to tuners.

You will find the best tuning info listed under either the Powervision Tuner or the TTS Mastertune Stickys:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/ignit...-by-admin.html

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/ignit...formation.html

There is 600 or700 pages of tuning and product information under each heading. I suggest you start reading in these sections...they are some of the best available.

I would tend to ignore the earlier posts as both products have evolved considerably and tuning methods have changed.

Both these tuners have auto tune and tune editing capabilities and the type of discussions you are looking for.

 

I actually have a 2007 and the original SERT, so I suppose reading the TTS thread is the closest thing. But I bet both can help. It's more the discussion of concepts, approaches and techniques I'm looking anyway, not operation of my specific tuner.

Thanks!

 

The basic concept to tuning is going to be the same with all the flash tuners. They basically have all the same tables in the useful area. They are just named differently.


The thing that dictates how these tuners work is still the Delphi ECM. Knock control is in the ECM. Doesn't matter the tuner. Best way is still to look at the data. Find the area of the spark event, and address it.


What topics do you want to discuss?

 

I don't know what I'm looking for. Knowledge, I guess. Without the feedback from a dyno you truly don't have anything to compare the data you read from the ECU to. So I think I'm going to just hook up the SERT and do some very controlled adjusting of the low MAP ranges of the AFR, to see if I can get rid of some of the decel popping. Other than that, I'll just play with the Data Mode of the SERT and ride some known routes, just to see what the engine is doing. There's nothing actually wrong with my engine (although I'm sure I have a newer Stage 1 map to download than is currently in there).

And in the meantime, I'll check out those other threads...

 

Tts is going to be the closet to the original SERT. actually you can send your SERT to TTS and they can update it to the TTS which will give you ask the benefits of the TTS and use the same software as the TTS. well worth it

 

So here's my dilemma. OK, not a real dilemma. But my situation:

I bought my RK 3 years ago. It has Python slip-ons and a K&N air cleaner. Also, it came with a Screamin Eagle Race Tuner. So I've got a simple Stage 1 upgrade with an ECU remap.

But I don't know what was actually programmed into the ECU. It's possible that the prior owner got it dyno tuned when he did the Stage 1. If so, I wouldn't want to mess with that. Or would I, since it's been 3 years? How long does a tune "last"?

But if it was dyno'ed, would he have needed to buy a SERT? Seems to me he could have gotten a dyno tune and the dyno could have directly remapped his ECU. Does a dyno have the ability to remap an ECU or do you still need something like the SERT to talk to the ECU?

If it wasn't dyno'ed, then it probably has an older Harley Stage 1 map. The SERT software I got with the bike wasn't the most recent so it didn't have the most recent map for a simple Stage 1. I have since acquired the newest Stage 1 map.

So my dilemma: I want to try and get rid of some decel popping. I could leave well enough alone, because it does run really well (the popping is an annoyance, but not really affecting the ride). But that means overwriting the ECU and potentially losing a dyno tuned ECU, right?

I wouldn't load anything without first checking to see the file name of the map that's in there (SERT can't read the map values loaded in the ECU but it can read what the name of the file is). If it's the same name as the older map, I'll know it's an older Harley Stage 1 map and I can overwrite it. If it's not the older file name (or the newer one), then I suppose I'll know it's something altogether different - like a dyno load.

Doing another dyno isn't going to happen at this point (unless I truly mess something up).

I've heard this, but I think TTS stopped doing the SERT upgrades a few years ago. If I'm wrong, let me know, as updating it would be a great idea, if possible?

 

Ok. The SERT (or another device) is needed to write a calibration to the ECM on the bike. If the bike was dyno tuned the tuner would have had to use a tuning device to load his tune into the bike. In your case he would have used the SERT. so it is possible that it has been dyno tuned. The problem you're going to run into with the old style SERT you have is you can not pull the current MAP that is in your bike out and make changes to it. That's why I recommended the TTS upgrade not sure if they still offer it or not). You might want to email Steve Cole at TTS and see if he can help you out. The SERT also does not have the features to Vtune or data collect like the newer tuners do. If you can't update to TTS you might be better off buying a new more modern tuner like the Vision that will allow you to extract the current MAP from your bike and make changes to it.

 

That's a good idea. From other threads, I've heard they don't do the upgrade anymore. But it never hurts to ask, right?

And yeah, having the ability to read out the mapping would be really helpful in this case! At some point I may upgrade and get a new tuner (perhaps one that I could use on multiple bikes!) but there are other claims on my disposable income at the moment! Damn kids...

Thanks!