Engine Idle temp.

[lboos]

I noticed in the owners man. it tells you how to disable the EITMS [eng. idle temp], Has anyone here done this ?....every time I stop at a traffic light and the temp. is over 80-85 degrees the rear cly. shuts down, I know that's what the eitms is for, but why would Harley give you a way to disable the sys....and what condition would you want to ?
It really sounds like crap. on one cly. [like my old 500 single Norton].
To me it just dose not make since for the rear cly. to drive the crankshaft 99% of the time and then have the crankshaft drive the rear cly. when the eitms kicks in at a traffic light, seems like that would cause some damage in its self.
If the eitms is there to protect the eng, why would they give you a way to disable it ?....if it's there to protect your leg from the heat, then I can put up with the heat on my leg, as long as it dose no harm to the engine.
Any thoughts or advice ?

[msocko3]

IMO I always left it enabled, if it activated I never worried about the way it sounded because I figured it was doing its job. If you want to disable it all you have to do is the same thing as enabling it, you roll the throttle forward and you will see the light go to red instead of the green for enabling it.

[Phu Cat]

This doesn't answer your question Iboos, and don't mean to hyjack your question, but if the engine is hot enough to shut off the rear jug, doesn't that just put all the more load (read:heat) on the front jig? What were the engineers trying to accomplish? Seems like they're robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Phu Cat

[lboos]

I agree with you, Pau Cat,..... and if the reason Harley engineers put this sys. on the bike was to prevent overheat damage to the motor, then why did they give the owner the option of disabling it,..."where they could damage it?" .

[screwball]

Have you talked to your dealer, or a good indy mechanic?? I've mentioned before, my '09 and '11 trikes have rarely gone into EITMS mode. We live in So. Cal. and have a house is South-Western Arizona. 100*+ days are very common, and riding down Casino Row in Nevada you hit a bunch of lights. The one time both bikes went into heat mode it was 114* on Las Vegas Blvd and we had been stuck in traffic for a while. Once we got off the Blvd and could get some wind over the engine it didn't do it again. What I'm driving at is maybe your thermostat or whatever is set too low, or something else is causing the heat problem. We ride with 4 or 5 other trikes out here in the summer and their EITMS hasn't turned on also.

Good Luck!

[lboos]

screwball,
I have talked to two diff. dealers, they both say that its normal and that their is no adjustment, I have also talked to two of my friends who own 2013 T/G's, they say theirs do the same, I know that the high humidity may have something to do with it esp. here in GA, and that dry air is better then damp air even in hi temp. area's like yours, still, the heat dose not bother me or my wife that much, what does bother me is that THUMP,THUMP,THUMP when I get caught at the traffic light.
Do you have any thoughts as to why Harley gave the owner the option to disable the engine idle temp ?....Thanks for any advice.

[Sloufoot]

screwball,
I have talked to two diff. dealers, they both say that its normal and that their is no adjustment, I have also talked to two of my friends who own 2013 T/G's, they say theirs do the same, I know that the high humidity may have something to do with it esp. here in GA, and that dry air is better then damp air even in hi temp. area's like yours, still, the heat dose not bother me or my wife that much, what does bother me is that THUMP,THUMP,THUMP when I get caught at the traffic light.
Do you have any thoughts as to why Harley gave the owner the option to disable the engine idle temp ?....Thanks for any advice.

The option comes just like the switch for the passing lights. Why would someone leave a safety item turned off ??? It is optional for the driver.....
That being said, I also leave my EITMS turned on all the time. The dealer is incorrect about the adjustment ! You can set the temp on, & the temp off in the ECM ! FIND A DEALER THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING !
The rear cyl being dead at an idle doesn't produce enough pull on the front cyl to make much difference for heat. But there being no ignition in the cylinder to produce heat from igniting the fuel does make some difference.
The settings are : 155*c or 311*f for on, & 275*f for off. This is the settings for the Big Twin engines.
Mine were set lower when new, by about 50*f. The higher setting does help, but it still does come on in traffic. I don't worry about the sound or the vibration change. It goes away as soon as you touch the throttle !
pepper

[Geezzer Glide]

For starters here Harleys have been idling for years in the heat and in stop and go traffic with out hurting the engine. The EITMS is more so for the comfort of the rider rather than the engine. Although reducing any heat from the engine won't hurt it.
When the EITMS engages it turns off the fuel injector to the rear cylinder. There for there is no fuel to ignite to create heat. The rear cylinder is like an air pump at that point and the air taken into the rear cylinder on the intake stroke will pick up heat from the rear cylinder and it is exhausted from the rear cylinder on the exhaust stroke thus removing heat from the rear cylinder and reducing heat passing out the exhaust due to no ignition of fuel. Although the air is still removing heat from the rear cylinder that heat is still considerably less than what it would be if fuel were ignited at the top of the compression stroke thus reducing the heat some the rider is feeling on their leg from the rear cylinder and the exhaust.
On any air cooled V-Twin engine the rear cylinder runs considerably hotter than the front cylinder because the front cylinder gets more air passing over it than the rear one does tucked behind the front cylinder.
So by having the EITMS shut down the rear cylinder at idle it does reduce the heat some.
As far as shutting the rear cylinder down at idle it does not hurt the engine at all. It just turns off the fuel injector. The cylinder is still getting the normal amount of oil and there is actually no load on the engine at idle.
The EITMS will activate when all of 4 conditions are met:
1. Engine temp is greater than 287 degrees F.
2. Twist grip throttle is in the idle position.
3. Vehicle speed is under 1 MPH.
4. Engine RPM is under 1200 RPM.
The EITMS will not engage unless all 4 of these conditions are met.
The EITMS will disable (rear cylinder will fire again) when any 1 of 5 conditions are met:
1. Engine temp falls below 275 degrees F.
2. Twist grip throttle is moved from the idle position.
3. Vehicle speed exceeds 2 MPH.
4. Engine RPM exceeds 1350.
5. Clutch is released with vehicle in gear.
It only takes any 1 of these 5 conditions to disable the EITMS and have the rear cylinder fire again.
The first year for the EITMS was 2008 and it had to be enabled and/or disabled by the dealer. The rider could not do it himself. (My 08 Electra Glide had the EITMS and only the dealer could enable and/or disable it).
I can't say when Harley changed it so the rider could engage and/or disengage the EITMS but my 2011 is made so the rider can control it instead of the dealer.
Many people think the EITMS is designed to protect the engine which is not it's actual intended purpose. It is actually made to reduce heat for the riders comfort. Although any reduction of the heat will not hurt the engine.
lboos, In answering your question,
"If the eitms is there to protect the eng, why would they give you a way to disable it ?...."
The EITMS is designed more so for rider comfort than engine protection.
It in no way will hurt the engine. Harley V-Twin engines have been running for years in heat and stop and go traffic and do fine. If one is sitting in a traffic jam for an hour idling will it get hot ? Sure it will. Any air cooled engine will. Not just a Harley. The EITMS is not a cure all but it does help.
You state "It really sounds like crap. on one cly."
Yep, your right it does. So, When I'm in the heat and stop and go traffic I'm not really thinking of who I may impress with the sound of my engine or pipes. I'm looking for the nearest way out of the traffic jam.
Myself I leave my EITMS engaged. It don't hurt anything at all.

Phu Cat: In answering your question,
" but if the engine is hot enough to shut off the rear jug, doesn't that just put all the more load (read:heat) on the front jig?
No it does not. There is actually no load on the engine at all at idle and the EITMS disengages when the engine comes of idle and a load is put on it.
Again I will say the EITMS was designed more so for rider comfort.
Talk to a Harley mechanic or service tech that has half a clue what he is doing and he will tell you this same thing.
As Sloufoot stated if anyone is having troubles with the EITMS "You can set the temp on, & the temp off in the ECM ! FIND A DEALER THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING !" and have them check and/or set the EITMS properly.

Dan

[screwball]

Well, I've learned something. I never thought about the humidity thing. We have very dry heat out here. We bought both trikes from the same dealer out on the high desert, so they may have set both trikes at a higher temp level, when we get back in town the trikes will be ready for service, I'll ask the Service Mgr. Good Info!

[White Knight 04]

Wow Dan, Great explanation of the goings on with the bike when it goes into limp mode as I call it !!! Thanks for your input very informative !!