I have the EITMS turned on (with engine off, rolled throttle off until green light flashed). But how do I know when it actually activates? I've sat idling in some rather how weather, with the engine also hot. I haven't noticed anything "different" that would indicate that the rear cylinder is shutting off. So how would I know when the EITMS kicks in?

BTW - 2009 RKC

 

You will know it. There is a definite change in the cadence of the engine idle...it almost has a "pop pop" sound to it. It will also idle rougher and you might catch a weird odor..I do when mine kicks in. No way miss it. You have to meet a set of parameters for the system to kick in..engine temp is just one of them.

 

You'll be able to pick up on it pretty easily. It will have a distinctively different idle sound. Idle RPM will not change, but it will definitely sound different. It'll kick in @ 300* as measured by the temp sensor on the front head.

 

what they said above. i hated it. i actually felt embaressed sitting at a light sounding all bad *** and the thing kicked in and it made it sound and idle bad.

 

Are you talking about the "parade mode"? If so I would deactivate that unless you do a lot of rush hour driving without splitting lanes and are over-heating above 325 degrees F. When it kicks in, you can tell as in the prior posts esp. an odor. If it's the "normal-mode" ESPFI-HM, it operates in three phases: Phase I=at temps above 300 degrees F, stationary, it will decrease idle engine speed thereby lower combustion (heat) events. Phase II= if temp is still drifting higher, moving or stationary, the ECM will richen up the fuel mixture cooling the cylinders. Phase III: if the temps are still climbing, then the ECM will skip injector pulses when stationary which limit combustion (heat) events. Arguably, a better way would be to richen it to allow more cooling as in phase II and cut the ignition but I'm not an engineer. All three phases should transition seemlessly from one phase to the next without the rider noticing (theoretically).

 

If you've ever heard a single cylinder Triumph or BSA, you'll recognize the system is on. You can "blip" the throttle and turn it off. But, I wouldn't recommend it. Doing so only increases the heat.
But, as soon as you rool on the throttle and start moving again, you'll be back to normal.

 

Alot of different answers. The EITMS you will notice a slight difference at idle and have a unique odor above 320 degrees. The ECM does not richen fuel mixture on later downloads, what is does is uses Cadillac "skip spark" technique and open certain spark patterns to introduce a cool air fuel mix without firing that cylinder. As temperature increase above a preset point it closes that gap taking out closer spark intervals to reduce temp. If temperatures continue to rise it will keep doing that until about every other spark interval is removed to limit power. This will force shut down and save engine. The '09 sytem works similar, however at temps above 380 you can maually shut off rear cylinder with throttle grip. You won't notice as much idle change as EITMS and the smell is gone. The earlier smell came from richer fuel mix, taht has been corrected on later downloads. Changes are 70 percent of people never notice it.

 

Mine activates often in this hot southern climate. It is readily apparent as the bike "goes single". My only complaint is if your not paying attention and drop it into gear to quickly react to the light change it will sorta cough a bit, forcing you to feather the clutch for a smooth feet up transition before you shift 2nd. I am getting used to it and no longer suprised whe n it happens. I will keep mine activated, I like the oxymoronic "high tech" Harley.

 

If you try to pull off from a stop sign or signal and the response is close to a mini-bike, you know it's active.

 

Instead of the normal Potato-Potato, you only get a To - To - TO, you will know when it activates.