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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips
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TOPIC: Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips
#851204
Shores (User)
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Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
Hey all you FI guys and gals. What about posting everything you know about tuning, adjusting and repairing our fuel injection systems? We can start here, see what comes of it and them maybe transfer it to a tech article. I know very little, but am curious as to why mine has a slight stumble coming off of idle. So I'll start. Here's the little I know and some questions I have for others to answer:

* The stock ECU is not programmable. DK if it can be flashed by the dealer. Many have tried installing aftermarket ECUs (fuel processors) and many have eventually removed them because they couldn't get them to run right. Some folks have been successful.

* There is no petcock.
* The fuel pump is inside the gas tank.
* Is there a throttle body?
* Vacuum hoses?
* Is there an accelerator pump?
* O2 sensors?
* How to clean?

* Quote from Flyman1971 - He ran his bike with the stock ECU and duals for a week or so and decided on purchasing the Power Pro. He said the difference was unreal. A much quicker throttle response, alot more horses too, smoother acceleration, and a much cleaner burn! His machine was running too rich, now just a trail of water out the exhaust pipe. He did his research and all stock Roadstars run really lean, the black in the tailpipe is the tip. When he put the powerpro FI2000 on it ran a small stream of water out the exhaust now. This he is sure increased his fuel mileage by at least 15%. The Cobra PowerPro FI2000 costs around $550 and do not be fooled. They also have one for mid $200 range, but needs to be adjusted. I would pay the dif and get the one that programs itself 80 times per minute. He was weary on getting one because of the price, but he is glad now. Two of his buddies just ordered one as well after checking his out. You can install yourself within 45 minutes, very good step by step instructions. Good Luck and happy biking!

* Quote from Gadgetman728 - Look at both ends of the small rubber vacuum hose under the tank that goes to the injectors. Is the end that came off the intake end soft, swollen, spongy, split? If so, the rest of the FI guys need to know this. I recommended this easy mod, but no one wants to do it. It made a new bike out of mine. That sensor, to me anyway, seems VERY important, and a perfect vacuum signal seems needed. Good luck, it's easy.
 
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Last Edit: 2015/01/19 22:40 By Shores.
 

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#851227
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
Thanks for posting that Shores!

The FI bikes seem to run really well under all conditions. I've posted several times to check that particular hose because of it's importance and it's proximity to fuel and the way the vacuum lines can swell, split and leak without much visual damage. This damage causes air leaks which the FI bikes HATE, trust me, I chased the problem for the first 6000 miles I owned my bike, with ZERO help from the dealer I bought it from, they were clueless.

Late 2014 my 08 started having an intermittent error. After riding down the road for awhile at highway speeds, when I would need to slow down for a stop sign, as I decelerated, my bike would drop below idle and die. It doesn't do it every time, so it doesn't really effect too much. I rode all day Sunday 1-18-15, and it never happened once.

The springtime tune up - new plugs, new gear and engine oil, filters and a vacuum line check is going to be done in a couple of weeks. If I find anything in there amiss, I'll post it.
I wish we could adjust more things, but overall the Stock FI bike needs very little maint. or fuel adjustments compared to the carbbed bikes.
 
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#851270
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
FI crickets chirping...
 
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Last Edit: 2015/01/20 09:07 By greenpus.
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#851276
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
It's interesting that Flyman1971 would state that all stock Road Stars run really lean then point to the black in the tailpipe as the tip. They run close to stoichiometric during closed loop cruise but richer at idle and at throttle settings above cruise. The rich idle is for smoothness and is the reason for the 20 minute idle cutoff. Keeps from overheating the converters and bluing the mufflers. The richer settings above cruise are for cooling especially during hot temperatures but are still in the max power range.

The ECU is programmed by an engineer for a given volumetric efficiency. Change that and with the possible exception of closed loop the ECU won't adapt. Change it enough like the member with the 45mm throttle body and closed loop won't even adapt. That throttle body was intended to be used with the higher capacity injectors being sold back then.

The FI bikes can be altered with exhaust, etc. but that won't necessarily make them faster. The stock ones are pretty darned fast.
 
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#851277
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
texasscott1 wrote:
It's interesting that Flyman1971 would state that all stock Road Stars run really lean then point to the black in the tailpipe as the tip. They run close to stoichiometric during closed loop cruise but richer at idle and at throttle settings above cruise. The rich idle is for smoothness and is the reason for the 20 minute idle cutoff. Keeps from overheating the converters and bluing the mufflers. The richer settings above cruise are for cooling especially during hot temperatures but are still in the max power range.

The ECU is programmed by an engineer for a given volumetric efficiency. Change that and with the possible exception of closed loop the ECU won't adapt. Change it enough like the member with the 45mm throttle body and closed loop won't even adapt. That throttle body was intended to be used with the higher capacity injectors being sold back then.

The FI bikes can be altered with exhaust, etc. but that won't necessarily make them faster. The stock ones are pretty darned fast.


Pin this post and call it a day. It pretty much covers FI. Just ride the thing.

Tinkeritus are things carbs suffer from.
 
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Last Edit: 2015/01/20 11:19 By BikerRon.
 


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#851360
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
Shores wrote:
.


* Quote from Gadgetman728 - Look at both ends of the small rubber vacuum hose under the tank that goes to the injectors. Is the end that came off the intake end soft, swollen, spongy, split? If so, the rest of the FI guys need to know this. I recommended this easy mod, but no one wants to do it. It made a new bike out of mine. That sensor, to me anyway, seems VERY important, and a perfect vacuum signal seems needed. Good luck, it's easy.


That hose goes from the throttle body to the atmospheric pressure sensor under the left chrome cover.

Only fuel lines and a wiring harness connect to the injectors.

 
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#851390
Shores (User)
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
BikerRon wrote:
Shores wrote:
.


* Quote from Gadgetman728 - Look at both ends of the small rubber vacuum hose under the tank that goes to the injectors. Is the end that came off the intake end soft, swollen, spongy, split? If so, the rest of the FI guys need to know this. I recommended this easy mod, but no one wants to do it. It made a new bike out of mine. That sensor, to me anyway, seems VERY important, and a perfect vacuum signal seems needed. Good luck, it's easy.


That hose goes from the throttle body to the atmospheric pressure sensor under the left chrome cover.

Only fuel lines and a wiring harness connect to the injectors.



Rick can speak here, but I think I may have misquoted him. The vacuum line probably goes to that nipple on the intake manifold.
 
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#851459
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
Thanks for starting this tread. I just got done reading a post about power commander and Auto Tune. They were setting their AFR at 132.2. I have a AFR guage on my 2008 and I'm between 14.5 and 14.9 at cruise with a steady throttle. I was a little concerned until I saw in this thread that a stock Road Star is usually in that range.
 
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#851463
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
fpontarolo wrote:
Thanks for starting this tread. I just got done reading a post about power commander and Auto Tune. They were setting their AFR at 132.2. I have a AFR guage on my 2008 and I'm between 14.5 and 14.9 at cruise with a steady throttle. I was a little concerned until I saw in this thread that a stock Road Star is usually in that range.

Great to hear from you on the other side of the mountain. Are you running a Power Commander or the stock ECU? What pipes? What intake?
 
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#851475
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Re:Fuel Injection Facts and Tips 3 Years, 1 Month ago  
I found this in one post I made last year-

The 2 Tech Tips I want to submit here are:
1) Even if your hoses are attached, they may have deteriorated and loosened over time. Don't just look at it and assume it's tight enough, take it off both ends and visually inspect it, mine was still tight at the sensor end, but swollen, over sized & spongy on the intake end. Spongy probably because of close proximity to fuel. - Change them and feel the difference.
2) I highly recommend Silicone Hi Temp Vacuum Tubing as a replacement alternative.



If I posted some other time that the vacuum tubing was hooked to the fuel injectors, my error. I've always known, but may have explained it wrong once. The Vacuum tubing definitely goes from the nipple on top of the intake and runs straight to the sensor.

And... as I keep preaching, this little hose is as important to FI bikes as Jetting & float adjustment on the carbbed bikes.
 
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Last Edit: 2015/01/20 23:42 By Gadgetman728.
 
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