Hi all. I know there have been MANY threads about the PCIII vs SERT vs HD factory download. I have read as much as I could find, probably too much, and now I have no idea what to do.

I just picked up my new Street Glide and would like to change my exhaust. Probably just some slip-ons, with a SE air cleaner. I really don't plan on extensively modifying my engine or exhaust any further, I just want the bike to sound something like my '96 Fat Boy. My understanding is that the three most common options for modifying the fuel injection system are the HD download (least desirable), the PCIII (most popular?), or the SERT (most expensive, but most flexible and precise).

I’ve pretty much eliminated the download (or should I?), so my options are narrowed down to the PCIII or the SERT. My HD dealership installs the PCIII on ALL new bikes that are delivered with new pipes and then runs a dyno to tune it. They charge approximately $650, which includes the cost of the PCIII, installation, and the dyno. Total cost, if I also buy the pipes and air cleaner from them, could easily be $1500 including labor. The HD service manager said they haven’t done a SERT in YEARS, and that it would be even more costly due to the labor involved in tuning it.

My mechanic (independent, non-HD) is trying to steer me away from the PCIII, which leaves me with the SERT. My mechanic does not have a dyno, so he would be installing the SERT and mapping it based on the set-up of my bike (make of pipes, air cleaner, etc) then test riding it to tweak the settings.

My question is this:

Is it absolutely necessary to run the bike on a dyno to properly set up the SERT? or does the SERT have some baseline mappings (like the PCIII) which will work fine for the casual rider and not cause any harm to the bike?

If the SERT has pre-mapped profiles, can I install it myself, along with some slip-ons and a SE air cleaner, and get satisfactory results? or this best left to my mechanic?

Finally, considering that I will not likely be doing any further modifications, should I at least consider the HD factory download?

Thanks guys (and gals?)

I know this has been asked many times over.

 

I've been mulling this over for weeks and I just ordered a PC III this am from Fuel Moto. Seems like a simpler,easier to use and understand system and apparently a lot of tuners use it with good success. Somehow I am just a little leery of permanently altering the factory ecm,this way I can just unplug and I'm back to factory.

I wouldn't waste money on the factory flash,just use the money toward the PCIII or SERT. I've got the SE intake, open filter and SEII pipes and stage I flash with the 25 degree injectors. Runs rough off idle and still pops on decel. I hope I can improve that.

I asked about the PCIII not using the O2 sensor and it was explained to me that it won't effect runability without it,that it's just used as an part of the emissions device to make the bike run as lean as possible.

Good Luck

Tom

 

You can buy a new PCIII for $268 on ebay. It takes maybe 1/2 hour to install. You will do well to have a floor jack for your bike, but you can probably get by without it. You have to drop the mud guard on any softail model and install the pcIII on the front side of the mud guard. You will want to put a basic map in the unit before you do this, one that is recommended by DynoJet for your application.

So far, you're still only out $268. Buy the slip ons from Chicago Harley and get 20% off or buy them on ebay. Put them on yourself.

The manufacturer's map will be rich just so you don't cook your engine. If you want great gas mileage and hp at the same time, then you will want to have the bike dyno'd or you will need to tweak the settings, check the plugs, check the pipes, ride the bike, tweak the map, ride the bike, check the plugs, check the pipes... etc.

You should be able to get this, including an SE State I aircleaner, done, installed, and dyno'd for about a grand, give or take. I bought my pipes and my PCIII used on ebay. I will have $770 in it if I get it dyno'd. My pipes are more expensive than slip ons. There are a lot of slip ons that people didn't like on ebay for sale. Check some out on a bike like yours before you buy... go to a rally, or whatever. Take your time, anyway.

C#

P. S. An 02 sensor is so that the ECM can dynamically tune the bike based upon conditions... not just keep it lean for epa. If you want total performance, you may want to eliminate it if you have one. If you just want a nice sound, nice running bike, and be able to climb mountains and ride by the sea without tweaking the little dials on your PCIII, then you might want to keep the O2 senson, in my opinion. I don't remember if Street Glides have them...

 

Tech2 I have been hanging around this site since January and reading everything I can on SERT vs PCIII. Both have pros and cons in my opinion. My street glide is still completely stock because I cant make up my mind which one to install either. I'm kind of leaning towards the PCIII only because it can be removed easily and everything returned to stock should a warranty issue arise. Also here in NY we have yearly emission inspections / testing on our cars so its only a matter of time before that includes bikes as well, so once a year I may have to make my bike stock to get past emissions testing. My son had the factory flash done on his 2005 EG standard after he installed the SE aircleaner and now he has popping and backfiring on deceleration so I'm not going to waste my money on that. I believe the SERT and the PCIII both have canned maps that can get your bike close to optimal performance but a dyno can get your bike exactly where it will run its best.....................BG
PS to cwsharp, street glides dont have 02 sensors, well not yet anyway.

 

Thanks guys.

About the back-firing: What exactly causes that? Is it un-burned fuel in the exhaust gas igniting in your pipes? If so, doesn't that indicate a too-rich condition? I'm asking because I keep reading about how the new bikes run lean, and how the factory flash is also on the lean side to meet EPA regulations.

It seems contradictory.

 

If you are not installing the SERT and going with the PCIII, then I recommend you do the Flash (Stage 1 race if you're changing the pipes). This way, if your PCIII goes bad, you can still ride the bike without it running like crap. It's cheap insurance until you replace the PCIII.

 

I have an '06 Heritage Classic with the SE II slip ons, the Stage I air cleaner kit and the stage I race download when I changed the pipes. Had the SERT installed this week, dyno,and the before A/F looked good as explained by the HD service manager. (Flat with the reference line) I did have a little popping before the install but not bad. I think, according to the graph, I would have been fine without the SERT if I could have lived with the popping. Try to get it on a dyno after the pipe/ac install to check the ratio. The popping has stopped so there must have been adjustments made in the lower RPM ranges to get rid if it. I did gain 10 HP and 10 ft. lbs of torque which was a positive by product of the SERT. Runs better than before. Runs cooler than before.