Tuning Question

[DK Custom Products]

Vibration.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Vibration.

I think you may be on to something ... being a tad hard of hearing (no not the Harleys' fault, 20 years in Naval engine rooms), it maybe the less vibration that makes it "sound" quieter. It is way smoother. On my daily therapy (my ride) today, I will try to determine if it is just a smoother power generation or really quieter. My guess is once again Kevin has hit the nail on the head. Amazing how just a little different fuel to air mixture can make that much difference. Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

[DK Custom Products]

I think you may be on to something ... being a tad hard of hearing (no not the Harleys' fault, 20 years in Naval engine rooms), it maybe the less vibration that makes it "sound" quieter. It is way smoother. On my daily therapy (my ride) today, I will try to determine if it is just a smoother power generation or really quieter. My guess is once again Kevin has hit the nail on the head. Amazing how just a little different fuel to air mixture can make that much difference. Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Different timing too.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Lot of factors ... but I do like the tune from the Tri .. I will try to auto tune a tad more after the o2 sensors are changed out. Just to dial it in to this bike and I'll dial in the speedo too.

[DK Custom Products]

Sorry for the short responses earlier...super busy.

When a tune is in the sweet spot (like the one you really worked on a few years ago), then the engine just hums. It has just the right afr and the spark is getting there just at the right time to keep things moving smoothly....spark getting there a little soon or late can cause very minute hesitation...nothing you would feel on acceleration, but something that would cause thousands of very small extra vibrations per minute.

When a tune is ok, but not in the sweet spot, there are hundreds of little pieces in the engine, trans, primary (and rest of the bike) that will all vibrate a little more. This equals more engine noise and a slightly less smooth running engine. (rocker shafts, primary chain, etc.)

Kevin

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Sorry for the short responses earlier...super busy.

When a tune is in the sweet spot (like the one you really worked on a few years ago), then the engine just hums. It has just the right afr and the spark is getting there just at the right time to keep things moving smoothly....spark getting there a little soon or late can cause very minute hesitation...nothing you would feel on acceleration, but something that would cause thousands of very small extra vibrations per minute.

When a tune is ok, but not in the sweet spot, there are hundreds of little pieces in the engine, trans, primary (and rest of the bike) that will all vibrate a little more. This equals more engine noise and a slightly less smooth running engine. (rocker shafts, primary chain, etc.)

Kevin

Makes soooo much sense. Thanks for all your help in this. Knowledge is power and the PV gives me info that gets me thinking and between you and Jack, I've learned so much about the workings of the ECM and Tunes.

I did my therapy ride again this morning. Like a 30 mile ride. The bike was so smooth and quiet ... it was almost like riding a Honda Gold Wing ... ... not really ... but it was very smooth and all I got from the bike was a very low and deep rumble of the exhaust. I'm really liking the Vance and Hines Power Duals and Hi Flow Mufflers. At first I thought they may be too loud for me. But with this tune, they are very mellow with, like I said, a deep low rumble. I'm loving it.

The voltage difference on the O2 sensors is getting closer with time, but, the rear is still running in the Open Loop mode. Made an appointment for Thursday Morning first thing to get the sensors replaced. Be interesting to see what the voltages do after that.

Still not getting fault codes with my tune. I honestly believe I might have saved the rear O2 sensor if I'd of been monitoring them. I see a gauge set up on the PV that I can check occasionally to monitor them. It's really nice to "know what the ECM knows".

This all justifies, IMHO, the $$ spent on the PV. Would of cost me $200-$300 to get the bike retuned, and still would of had to replace the O2 sensors. If I would of just jumped on the O2 sensors, the old tune would of killed the new ones too. So, for just a little more than the cost of the tune, I have a powerful diagnostic tool, and I can use a tune that I spent many hours and many miles working on, that's a proven good tune for how I ride. good MPG's, good power on the highway, smooth and comfortable. All in all ... win win.

I'll post more after the new O2 sensors are installed.

[Jack Klarich]

Amazing how a slightly off tune can cause vibrations

This is maybe 1 of the reasons HD starting using knock sensors

Spark knock, detonation, timing can ALL cause these vibrations, some you may hear others you will for sure feel, especially under load

All will shorten the life of the engine

Sounds like you and Kevin have a close to perfect tune

I hope the new O2 sensors behave them self's

[FuzzyWuzHe]

All will shorten the life of the engine

Sounds like you and Kevin have a close to perfect tune

I hope the new O2 sensors behave them self's

I can not count the hours and miles I invested in auto tuning to every cell on the datalog, then I messed around with the "smoothing feature" (I think that was it.). I also played around with trying to eliminate spark knock, didn't work out so well. I messed with so much stuff, I'm not sure I could duplicate it. That's why I'm so glad Kevin still had It, I thought it was still on my net book (only pc I have, mostly a mac guy), but for some reason, the folder was empty. To have a Tri that is getting high 30's to low 40's MPG at 70-75 MPH, it is a good tune for the wet heads.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Life is good.

Picked the bike up today and the rear sensor was black. In the pic, it's on the left. Probably could of gotten away with just cleaning real well, but, it's done now. Sorry about the pic being on the grate table, didn't realize it would make it that hard to see.



I did a tuning run and both sensors were in closed loop mode and played nice with mister PV. The voltages are right together now and bouncing around together nicely, I'd say maybe 5% difference between them.

The Power Vision is such an incredible tool to troubleshoot and to monitor your ride.

[Jack Klarich]

Looks like that sensor was fouled from too rich a mixture

Another happy ending