I have added exshaust and air cleaner to my Freewheeler, I would like a tuner but do I need one? Will it run too rich now, I have the exshaust on air cleaner will be here Friday

 

Easy answer....Yes you will need a tuner now that you have done both air and exhaust.

 

I have the Street Cannons and Stage 1. Dealer just did a download as they do not have a Dyno. Runs great

 

If you put just mufflers and a stage 1 air cleaner and filter on the Freewheeler you at minimum will need the Harley stage 1 remap or download to the ECM to match the increased air flow of the stage 1 air cleaner.( This would be the most cost effective way to go) At this point the bike will run just fine. The 2009 and later Harley ECM will adjust pretty darn good over all.

Or you can go further and get a tuner installed. There are quite a few choices out there in this department to choose from from simple to more complicated and from expensive to more expensive. If you decide to Dyno tune along with a tuner get ready to spend some money. This will increase the cost and richen things up a little the bennifit is a little cooler running and some power increases about 7% to 10% on average on a stock bike if the truth be told.

My Freewheeler has a set of slip on mufflers from D&D Exaust along with the stock air box with only a K&N factory replacement air filter. ( The newer 2014 and 2015 style Mt Rushmore project stock air boxes flow 15% more air anyway) It also has the stock tuning and it runs great. It runs so well that I plan on leaving it this way.

(Note)

If you don't at least get the Harley stage 1 remap or download with the new air cleaner kit your Freewheeler could have lean issues not rich like you said in your posting.

Ride Safe,
Bill G

 

Here is a more prevalent approach.

Regardless if your bike motor has been modified in any way or not it should be properly tuned. I've tune many stock bikes and have found a range in mixture changes some too lean and other areas are too fat. Results have been amazing to say the least not only in performance and mileage but heat as well.

Adding fuel is not tuning one must configure the VE tables to match what your motor wants. No Stage XYZ flash from HD can do that neither can a library or borrowed calibration from a buddy. The bike when properly tuned will run more efficiently. You can't get that from the factory calibration, any factory calibration. It may run OK but how does one know if it is running its best unless you properly tune?


Bill is correct about the new filters on the Rushmore project bikes. They are good up to about 103 TQ. After that they cause the TQ band to fall off. You can see it on a Dyno chart.

Actually the ECM produced in 2005 can utilize 02 sensors Bill and the first bike to come out with 02 sensors was the 06 Dyna. If you can get your calibration VE's within 5 or 10% by tuning then the sensors will trim up while riding the bike and make the bike run just that much better. It will also guard the bike from bad fuel and such. Caution: replace your 02 sensors right at or just before 50,000 miles as they do degrade. As they degrade they will make your tune take a crap. If you have a tuner you can clear the adaptive values without tuning again. This is especially important if you have a sensor go bad prematurely.

 

Thanks for the info and I understand tuning Harley's completely and your points are correct and valid.

I know what your saying about the 05 models and up but it seems from 09 and up the factory ECM dose a better job than the older models EFI set up in its ability to adjust.

If just adding mufflers most times with the stage 1 remap the bike will run just fine if a guy dose not have or does not want to spend the kind of money it takes for a tuner install and Dyno. The stage 1 remap can be a cost effective way to go still but it still maintains the leaner factory fuel curves unfortunately. Most everyone knows it's not the optimal way for max power and cooling benefits.

If a guy wants max power and cooling he will have to add a fuel tuner and tune the bike.


Ride Safe,
Bill G

 

Actually the 2005 ECM is the same as all other ECM's up to the 2010 then you have the new CAN BUS systems. The 2005 bikes up to 2007 (0r 2006 Dyna) just don't have factory sensors.

When the ECM software change came about in 2010 the 02 sensors were also changed from 18mm to 12mm heated. This changed the AIR FUEL from AFR to LAMBDA. It's just a little more accurate way of measuring and feeding fuel mixtures. The CAN BUS system is a ton faster in data and electronic/electromechanical responses.

What's neat is... all ECM systems react to history and not actual real time events. The faster a system can react the better fuel management control.

If a guy really just wanted to get a flash and say... that's fine for me. I would highly recommend the Stage II flash instead of the Stage I. Same cost but better results normally.

 

Thanks for the great information update Brother. That did fill in some of the smaller gaps that I have around this subject.

Ride Safe,
Bill G

 

Nice thing is you can add the sensors on a 05 and up ecm equipped bike. With a little time and wiring, I'm running factory O2 sensors on my 06 Ultra which were added. Just have to run the appropriate map, I'm running a map for an 07 MY bike. It runs pretty good in closed loop and returns 40 - 41 mpg when I'm not getting nuts with the throttle.