I've onwed an Atari 2600 and I still got my Coleco head to head football. (And I've taken a couple computer classes over the years).

If I am reasonably literate in the ways of computing, can I successfully tune my Stage I in my garage? There's an "ABORT - YOU BROKE IT - LOAD STOCK MAP" button, right?

 

No, there is no way to store the stock map from your ECM and there aren't any stock MAPs in the SERT software.
BUT, if you have an A/C and exhaust you would want the stage 1 download anyway, then you can tune from there.
and if you screw it up you can always reload the stock stage 1 MAP.

 

If you can post on this forum and insert a CD into your computer you have the needed Computer skills. If you can read a manual you should have no problem with the rest. There is very little difference between stage one and stock so I wouldn't worry about not being able to go back to stock. Its damm near idiot proof...... Don't prove me wrong


There's a link to the manual under "everyone take on SERT" post. Read it and decide for yourself.

 

Take a look at this thread..... https://www.hdforums.com/m_222256/tm.htm It doesn't tell you how to tune but it does give you a good look around. This is a slightly older version but all the same principals apply.

 

Awesome, remember PONG? Nothing beats those old dashes "bleeping" across the field on the Coleco either

 

Question is do you also have a dyno to go with those computer skills?

 

The SERT has a record mode. You hook up the MC to a laptop, set the data program to record and ride. It records data that can be used to adjust the fuel, and timing cells. You do it on the road instead of a dyno.

The only thing a dyno does is allow you to run the motorcycle under load in a fixed position to get your data. And to make the dealer a ton of money.

 

To speak of the dyno in this matter is certainly words of a technicial that has never used a load control dyno for tuning. Comparing tuning by using SERT data mode to properly done load control dyno tuning is not a fair comparison. The real problem with tuning with data mode is that the information is based on ECM feedback from engine load and sensor data. This is not a test of the engines efficiencies or performance, rather feedback data based on load. This can work at times but is hit or miss at best. Dyno tuning when properly done wether you have a SERT, PC or any other device is an excellent way of tuning. There are huge advantages of load control dyno tuning, the main is being the ability to analyze data in real time when under load which the operator can control, not to mention real time wideband O2 A/F information. It is not just about runs and graphs.

 

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TOUCHDOWN!

Oh, sorry. Was playing my football game. Attached a screen shot above.

If I understand correctly, in a perfect world we'd want our own Dyno and full-time tech to dial in our bikes. But for most of us who aren't rich enough to own our own or afford the required Dyno time, for general purpose riding, we can get good results with a tuner, a laptop, and a few beers.

Is tha.........Dang! Interception! Is that accurate?

 

FWIW, I have been doing ECU cals on a dyno for the last 9 years for a living.

And it never fails, when it comes off the test bed or chassis rolls, it still ends up needing some seat of the pants tuning. Especially if something was modified.

Lingenfelter Engineering builds some of the fastest street cars in the world, but they still go out and test & tune on the road. Ask my buddy that quit because of to many tickets down there.

I think with serious mods a chassis dyno is a good starting point, but some riding and reference to where problems exist need to be learned in the real world. If that wasn't the case, I don't think Delphi would have went through all the trouble of spelling out step by step how to tune with data mode in the SERT Manual. (Also need saddlebags though to carry the laptop.)

Without the dyno owner spending huge amounts of money for a low inertia dyno capable of Road Load Simulation, you can have a hard time tuning out a surge at steady state or pop on decell. Also, if you don't have a sniffer for the exhaust or a split O2 sensor that can still supply feedback to the ECU while giving real time AFR info, you can be off on the bias tables.

Like any other tool in existance, it's only as good as the operator.. That goes for the SERT and the dyno.

If you have the money, and trust your tuner, get a dyno tune. Then if it's not right you can take it back and have it tweaked. If you can't afford it, study the SERT guide and do your best if you are confident enough. When it doubt with EFI...don't mess with it, find someone that can.