Tuning, ECU and PC3

[mave2911]

Hello my fellow two-wheelers.

I have finally ridden my bike after the Scorpion exhaust/PC3 install. (it's been a tad wet in Adelaide, for the past week!)

Firstly, riding up the road, the bike juddered a bit before smoothing out, and it made me wonder about the ECU recalibration. (since I removed the battery lead for a while)

As I understand it, after being disconnected, the ECU apparently recalibrates itself.

Now, as I have the PC3, loaded with the default map for my pipes, I was wondering if this could upset the ECU calibration, or even negate it?

If the ECU is calibrating based on a stock bike, and the PC3, knowing this, is calibrated to enhance stock - if you load a map into the PC3, the ECU will be trying to calibrate based on those modified values.

Should I have ridden the bike with the 'stock' PC3 map, let the ECU do it's thing, and THEN load the map specific to the exhausts.

Or, like usual, I'm probably reading too much into it. (one working the spark, one working the fuel management - and thus they can calibrate independently of each other.)

Thanks for reading my ramblings, but if anybody has any info or opinions, I'm all ears!

Cheers,
Rick

P.S. After work, tomorrow morning, I'm planning a 400km trip - without having the bike dynoed, do you think it'll be ok with the PC3 map for my pipes, or should I get it dynoed to be sure? Thanks.

 

[ChevyFazer]

Once you unhook your battery the ECU will automatically go to the default settings, then as you ride more the info it gets from the O2 sensor will tell the ecu what it needs to do to compensate for either a lean or rich condition. It sounds like you just didn't give the bike enough time to "relearn". I'd say take it back out and ride it for your trip the way it is and if it still is acting funny when your done then head to the dyno.

 

[mave2911]

Sorry Chevy, but it's fine now.

I just mentioned it as that's what started the thought process. (it may have even been because it's the first ride after I washed it)

But, in essence it appears you agree that I'd be better off recalibrating the ECU with the stock PC3 map, before installing the PC3 map for my pipes.

(but on second thought, the bike will be running lean with the stock calibration, with the new pipes, so maybe it actually NEEDS the Scorpion map in the PC3)

Cheers,
Rick

 

[ChevyFazer]

If it runs lean at all with the pc3 it will only run lean for a short time until the ecu "relearns" the fuel needs. And when I say short time maybe 25 miles?

 

[stink989]

As far as I know what the ecu reads and thinks it should adjust the power commander just overrides it and does its thing. So if the ecu reads lean or rich the power commander is the boss and always runs off the map it has loaded.

 

[Hellgate]

The ECU does know the PC3 is attached, it does it thing, and all the PC3 does is add or remove fuel trim.

Just be sure to disconnect the O2 Sensor.

 

[mave2911]

Just be sure to disconnect the O2 Sensor.

No such thing.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[ChevyFazer]

In that case you must have a earlier fz6 and there is no need to unhook the battery (unless im mistaken) and your worries are probably just paranoia lol

 

[mave2911]

your worries are probably just paranoia lol

Yeah, thanks. (I think?)

LOL!

Cheers,
Rick

 

[Motogiro]

US model 06 and earlier do not have the O2 sensor. There should be what is termed volatile memory that does small adjustments. That memory may get reading from more than just an O2 sensor. I had an 06 and was playing with the settings on the computer and got the ECU where it would not start and run the bike. I did a reset by disconnecting the battery and it ran again. When ever your in doubt, cold boot! We know the ECU is minimally looking at TPS, timing, air temp so it probably is a good idea to reset it once a year and let it relearn. The volatile memory shouldn't be making large adjustment but enough that your bike may run more efficiently.

The difference between the PClll and the PCV is much greater as far as adjustments.

If your playing with the fuel management I would have it tuned and at least make your air:fuel ratio healthy.

 

[ChevyFazer]

So unhooking the battery does help, thanks!!! I thought it did but got to talking in another forum and they had me convinced that if there is no O2 sensor there is no point

 

[Motogiro]

So unhooking the battery does help, thanks!!! I thought it did but got to talking in another forum and they had me convinced that if there is no O2 sensor there is no point

To tell the truth I have no hard evidence to that fact other than my own experience and hear say. I did get my ECU to mess up and I did the disconnect and it was fixed.

Two brothers does instruct you to disconnect the battery when installing their slip-ons but there is no electrical other than the fender eliminator L-plate and directional light that are not active till ignition switch is on. So I'm thinking volatile memory. There are other inputs to the ECU other than O2 sensor. They may not be effected by exhaust change or are they? If I wrote code for the ECU that is averaging rate of RPM increase vs time vs gearing vs timing, then I might include this in my ECU learning. We used to just suck gas through a jet down a tube governed by a throttle plate with a basic fixed timing that was altered by vacuum and centrifugal force on a spinning rotor distributing spark.

As we change these technologies, as advanced as they are, we still have problems with things like fueling even on a stock factory bike. What the ECU is seeing and calculating can be more complex than we might think.

 

[mave2911]

Ok, so the long and the short of it.

Would you recommend loading the stock map and disconnecting the battery again, to let the ECU 'learn' off a stock setup, and then load the map for my exhaust?

Or do you think they'd collaborate and come up with a solution that works? (unlikely, as there isn't an outlet reporting medium)

Cheers,
Rick