[EPS]

Santa left me a set of V&H pipes and a Stage 1 Kit for EFI 1450 twin Cam 88. The instructions state that the ECM must be recalibrated when this kit is installed. If I install a Power Commander is it still necessary to recal the ECM??

EPS

[spanky32354]

I too installed new pipes (Bub/Rinehart true duals), a stage 1 kit and the power commander. I called the tech line at Dyno Jet with the same question just to make sure I didn't have to have it mapped at the dealership. As long as you download the proper map from either thier web site or the CD you should be ok. Mine runs like a striped ass ape now. Good luck and don't afraid to call the tech line.

[roadrnnr]

Question I have is can you use powercommander if your ecu was mapped to staged one?

[VYBR8R]

Yes, you can use the power commander if you have the stage 1 download already installed. The Power Commander will improve the fuel delivery map.

[EPS]

After I put my new pipes (no changes to the ECU) on I drove my RK from Maryland to Florida. Gas mileage droped from 42-45 to 35-38. When I get back to Maryland (after bike week) I plan to install a powercomander.

Has anyone heard of a powercomander destroying a factory ECU?? I met a retired HD dealer and he claims that his shop had problems and stopped installing the powercomander.

[VYBR8R]

My dealership will not install power commanders. I've seen 3 ECU's go out and all 3 had power commanders. I cannot tell you that the power commanders were the cause and our master mechanic could not prove it to me, to my satisfaction, that it was the cause. But we only install race tuners due to his suggestion and the owners concurrance as to the cause of the failures. I run a PC III on my 96 Road King with 98 fuel injection upgrades because that is the ONLY way to tune it and have had no real problems other than getting someone who was good on the dyno. Took 3 times to get it right but I'm getting 82 HP with 88.6 LBS of torque from an 80 inch motor that's not heavily modified. I'm happy with the results. Prior to the PC I ran a V&H FuelPak and it ran OK.

[CD]

Originally Posted by VYBR8R

My dealership will not install power commanders. I've seen 3 ECU's go out and all 3 had power commanders. I cannot tell you that the power commanders were the cause and our master mechanic could not prove it to me, to my satisfaction, that it was the cause. But we only install race tuners due to his suggestion and the owners concurrance as to the cause of the failures. I run a PC III on my 96 Road King with 98 fuel injection upgrades because that is the ONLY way to tune it and have had no real problems other than getting someone who was good on the dyno. Took 3 times to get it right but I'm getting 82 HP with 88.6 LBS of torque from an 80 inch motor that's not heavily modified. I'm happy with the results. Prior to the PC I ran a V&H FuelPak and it ran OK.

Odd, I've been working with and selling PC's since about '97 when the first ones were released. I do not remember a single case of the ECU being destroyed by a PC and I have sold thousands of them.

The vast majority of dealers used to install PC's and one hell of a lot of them have Dynojet model 250's to set them up with. The strangest thing happened when the SERT was released...The SERT being an H-D product was pushed onto the dealers and of course, it just happened to be able to use the same sniffers that the PC used! Strangest coincidence eh?

IMHO (and many years of doing this) H-D continually attempts to slow down hurt the aftermarket industry. Minor changes here and there to make sure previous years stuff won't fit so the only choice is the good old H-D parts book for a while.

I have said it before and I will say it again. The SERT is a good piece because it allows you to work with the ECU directly. It is overpriced and many dealers attempt to keep the dongle telling the customer H-D mandates this.

One thing the PC could not do was set the rev limiter. Well, now that has changed also. You not only reset the rev limiter but can add fuel at start for highly modified engines.

The are two sides of every coin and sometimes the coin stands on edge.

[hotroadking]

YOu need to see if the bikes that had ECM's with PC units failed were running synthetic oil, see it's not the powercommaner it's the synthetic oil, unless it's syn3 then it's the aftermarket air in your tires.

We shouldn't spread rumors about powercommanders killing ECU's
unless you can proove it. WHich to your credit you did say nobody could prove it, because it just doesn't happen.

Doesn't happen all the powercommander does is take input output signals from sensors and change the way the ECU sees the signal that's it.

More than likely the problem was the ninny that installed the PC didn't get the boot back on the connector properly and left the ECU open for water intrusion. I"ve seen one ECM failure because of that and being smart the owner dried it out for a couple of days before he took it in.

ECM's are emissions parts and have longer warranty coverage.

HD sells a DFO stype product whoooo bet that doesn't cause HD ECM's to fail but DFO's might LOL it's the same darn thing.