Installed a T-max/AutoTune Tuesday evening (did all the initialization stuff) and take it out. Go to work and back Wednesday (about 70 mi round-trip), notice some decel popping, no biggee. Emailed T-Max about 4.5 upgrade, have it in a few hours. Upgrade the ECM, do all the right stuff, and go for a ride. Still some popping, but hadn't messed with the decel fuel feature, so I'm okay with that. So today I take the bike to work, park it, then come out about two hours later to go somewhere else. Flip the switch on, notice fuel pump won't quit running. Bike won't start, of course. Try a few more cycles of the key, same result. Called Zippers, talked to Pete, he suggests filling the tank, as they have seen even the newest bikes (about 1k on mine) wear a pinhole in a rubber line in the tank. Fuel drops below hole, pump sucking air! Okey-doke, had only 70 miles on the full tank, but what the heck, give it a try. No go. Pete has Randy call me back. Randy has me pull ECM fuse for ~30 secs, do the IAC initialize routine and give it a try. IT WORKS! Let me mention I am out on the road now, no tools except me Shut the bike off to reattach side cover and bag, bike won't restart, except this time no fuel pump sound at all. Figure I'll give it another ECM fuse/IAC jiggle, and IT WORKS! Do not shut the bike off this time, just get on it and haul butt home.

Called Randy back and told him what happened, BTW, the were no DTC's, and he said "Enough. Send it back and we'll ship out a new immediately", or words to that effect. I mentioned I am impressed with how little guff they gave me about just replacing it (I've worked in technology for 20+ years and customer support can really suck) and he says "Hey, we're all riders. I'd be crazy to put your safety on the line with an ECM acting like that. Even if I wouldn't replace it, my boss would not stand for somebody being out on a bike acting like that."

Sent the ECM off a bit ago, so they'll get it tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be back on the road in a day or two. I really can't say enough about how impressed I am with their product and customer service, plus they're just darn nice, helpful people. Sure the ECM bit the dog, but that bike ran better than even I expected after reading all the praise of it here and elsewhere. Bad stuff gets through even the best quality assurance/control. In my mind it's not necessarily what happened, it's what are you going to do about it that affects my opinion on a matter, and in this case I've got nothing but good things to say about Zippers/Thunder-Max.

 

2nd that, very easy group to talk to, even with stupid questions that could have been answered by RTFM. Win/Win purchase.

 

Now it's Friday, the day after the problem, and Randy called me first thing. They check out the returned ECM, and sure enough, it failed some test. Personally, I find great relief in that as I always hate it when you check something and find no conclusive results. Anyway, they are shipping out the new unit and I'll have it tomorrow!

 

Got the replacement ECM about 11:00. Installed it, followed instructions Randy gave me for upgrading firmware (see https://www.hdforums.com/m_2294340/tm.htm ). Not only does it run great again, but the decel popping in non-exsitant, and I've only put about 20 miles on it. Also noticed it is even smoother than before. Don't know if the sequence he had me follow made a difference, but it sure is sweet!

 

I am also going to tmax this winter and have a question. Read on some other postings earlier in the year that the 6th gear indicator light does not function with the tmax. Is this still the case or was it just a one off problem?
Ron

 

Not a problem anymore. They fixed it a while back. Just check a few settings (they show you where in the installation guide), and it will be fine. I didn't have to adjust mine, they just have you check to make sure.

 

That's fantastic. Not that the stupid light is all that important, it's still nice to have it work. Thanks for the info.
Ron