Re: Path to "performance"
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 8:19 pm
swamp2 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2019 5:38 pmNo problem swamp.gashousegorilla wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:54 amMany thanks for your advice and willingness to share your expertise. I'm probably a couple months away from doing anything (other than throwing on a modified Harley muffler) but want to start preparing the budget.
My personal thoughts on what I think you would be happy with and get where you want to be ?...
...lots of good advice follows...
And any questions, don't hesitate to ask . Always happy to help another Enfield guy out if i can.
One question, though. You removed the O2 sensor (or at least faked out the PC with a resistor) - I was thinking it would be better to retain it, since the PC will address the overly lean running. Just seems like keeping that loop closed would provide useful information. I don't doubt I'm wrong, but when you get a moment, could you explain the logic there?
Thanks!
OK, the Narrow band sensor on these bikes is there as a pollution control devise and really that is it. It is there to bring the air fuel mixture as close as it can to 14.7:1 ... the ideal air fuel mixture for complete combustion in a lab setting. It is not the ideal air fuel mixture for power . And at 14.7:1 you are also very near the HOTTEST combustion temps. And remember , this an air cooler motor. No water Jacket to keep temps under control. 14.7:1 also plays nice with the catalytic converter. So basically for me , and this air cooled motor , not to mention the legions of modified similar Harley air cooled motors out there . The stock NARROW band sensor just gets in the way of tuning the air fuel ratio's to ideal for power and Engine cooling.
A NARROW band sensor does just that... it operates in a very NARROW range, around 14.7:1. And the farther away from 14.7:1 the voltage seen by the ECU gets , the less accurate it is. It's basically just a switch between a little too lean and a little to rich.. FOR a stock bike. It can not accurately get to the richer air fuel ratio's that one is shooting for when tuning for power and better throttle response. So ... we stick in a cheater to just trick the ECU into thinking that a Narrow band sensor is " THERE" , so you don't get a mil light. This puts the ECU into a fixed Map, then we intercept the signals coming back to the ECU from the sensors with the PC-V. And correct then to ones needs with a SUPER accurate WIDE band sensor . Which can put you exactly where one want's to be , at any throttle position and RPM.
A PC-V CAN be used with the stock Narrow band sensor . But you will have no control of the air fuel mixture when the ECU is in closed loop, or when using the Narrow band sensor. When would this be ? Well, when throttle is in a fixed and steady position... because the Narrow band sensor act's slow and is just a switch it needs time to work . A good example I think would be ? Your cruising or blasting down the highway in the summer, in a fixed throttle position , the air fuel ratio will be very near to 14.7: ! . You'll save a little bit on fuel , but your power will be down and you motor will be running HOTTER. One should remember also , that here in the states , most of our fuel has 10% Ethanol in it . So it requires a richer air fuel mixture ... more like 14.1:1 . This may not sound like a big difference, but it is for an air cooled motor. Not so much for a water cooled car motor , or like how most of the modern bike motors are now. What may apply to a modern Japanese water cooled motor , does not apply here. Engines are different, with different system's and what my apply to one , may not apply to another.
And depending on how deep you go or what steps you take with your mods... you might be beyond the range where the stock narrow band sensor can compensate. Certainly Cams and head work . And Every pipe , muffler or intake flows different and will require a different adjustment, to get to ideal. I can tell you that a very small air fuel adjustment between 12.8 and 13.2 :1 for instance can make a big difference in power and fuel economy... and be the difference between a fouled spark plug or not. I usually tune in the AFR range of 13.2-13.5 on these motor's . 14.7:1 ?! Is WAY out of the picture for me ...
Even on a bone stock UCE , with stock intake and exhaust. You guys ever notice everyone is talking about what plug to use on that other Forum ? .. Hehehehe . " Oh that stock plug is crap and this and that... ya gotta put in an NGK plug !" " " My stock plug was always fouling !" Well that stock Bosch plug ain't the best , and it has duel electrodes for India's crap fuel . So they stick in a little hotter Running NGK and things are mostly better . Because it keep the plug cleaner . But it ain't the plugs doing it . It's the air fuel ratio on these bikes ! These bikes take for F'ing EVER to warm up and get to operating temp . Especially in the cool weather. Mostly to do with the ridiculously and overly rich air fuel mixture at start up and until they can get hot enough to even get in closed loop. They run at air fuel ratio's of between 10.0:1 and 11.0:1 !! Crazy rich ! And it can take a good 10-15 minutes at idle to get the motor near operating temps. Remember , That Narrow band sensor can not make WIDE and accurate air fuel corrections , until the motor is stable and at operating temps. At 10 or 11:1 is too far away . With a PC-V , you can pull out all that wasted and unnecessary fuel going in there at start up and idle. These bikes run VERY rich again ,when you crack crack open the throttle. The air fuel ratio dips down rich again to that 10 or 11 area .. and then lean out as the RPM's come up. Again , this can be straightened out with a PC-V...