I asked this over in the Tech forum, but no one there seems to have any opinion on this.

My 2010 FLTRX is modified with a SE air cleaner and FatCat 2 into 1 exhaust. D&D said there was no need for a tuner, but they didn't say anything about getting a Stage 1 "Download".

I'm having a lot of popping on decel (and may be running too lean - see plugs below) and wondering if the dealer's suggestion to do a Stage 1 download is a good idea or are they just trying to sell me something?

Dealer says the Stage 1 download will better match the bike to the freer breathing a/c and pipes and help reduce lean running. Makes sense to me, but I wanted to run it by you guys with more experience with this.

Hopefully someone in this folder who knows about this will take note and chime in.

Thank you, in advance!

Oh... plugs look like this:

 

Yes. I did. Consider it the minimum of what should be done after pipe & a/c swap. Alot will say no, i say better safe than sorry. are there other options, yes, tons, and youll get those shortly Im sure.

Love your bike by the way.

 

Yes, it is no matter what others might say.

 

I threw a Power Commander in mine... sounds better, runs better, I even think it runs a bit cooler too, but I can't say for sure cause it is only spring and the air is still chilly... But, you are definitely running lean once you put a stage 1 in... pipes only the ECM can handle readjusting, but the added air it cannot. There was a post previous explaining the fuel/air mixture... a bit technical, but nothing you probably couldn't follow.

 

Not that my opinion will matter among the chorus I expect you're going to hear, but yes, the download is the minimum of what you need to do. Your stock ECM can only adjust the air/fuel ratio within a limited range. Your bike runs lean coming from the factory, and increasing the amount of air as you have with the mods you've made is going to make the bike run too lean.

 

Your dealer rep is either ignorant or full of ****. The pre-'06 Stage 1 matrixes adjusted fuel and timing and were required with a Stage 1 setup. The 2007 & up ECMs feature Adaptive Learning.... they learn and adjust to some degree. The adaptive learning values merely need to be reset for pipes and breather. Hook up DTII, go to the Tools menu and click 'reset Adaptive Fuel'. You'll be back to square 1 mixture-wise, same A/F ratios the bke shipped with stock. The 2010 OEM matrixes aren't as lean as most think, the addition of the cat took care of enough emission concerns they were able to come up with a pretty decent matrix. Sure, it's leaned out close to stoich at cruise... 14.6:1. At WOT it's closer to 12.8:1, plenty fat. And down low the A/F mixtures are close to 13.6 - 13.8. That ain't what *I* call lean.

The '07 & up Stage 1 matrix doesn't adjust A/F ratio, it doesn't adjust timing. The ONLY thing it does is raise the rev limiter to 6200 RPMs. If you're a big top-end, horsepower guy running over the 5200 RPM rev limiter may be something you need. I don't. Especially for the $150+ a dealer wants for the download.

If you want to get rid of decel pop you're either going to have to change exhaust or add your choice of tuning option.

TL

 

If you change the intake, at the very least do the download.

 

AT LEAST.. Get a Power Commander..

 

I think you can change the ac and slipon with no down load on the 2010s. But do away with the headpipe with the cat and thats a whole different story.

 

With the D&D Fat Cat 2 into 1, the entire exhaust is replaced. Catalysts are deep sixed!

I'm taking the bike in tomorrow morning and will have the Stage 1 download done, for a little more peace of mind, if nothing else.

Thanks for the replies, guys. Much appreciated!