I was wondering when I bought my bike 2 years ago I had RC Components slip on exhaust put on and a stage 1 download done which I guess really wasn't needed at that time.

I added a stage 1 air cleaner and dealer said I would need another download done since I added that.

My understanding is the download just raises the rev limiter. So does adding the air cleaner lower that and it needs to be raised again or is dealer just trying to sell me something?

 

HD tuner, enough said. You would be wise to swap that out, a few decent tuners on the market and as you upgrade they offer different maps according.

 

Stage 1 downloads are a scam.
Buy a tuner and be done with it.

 

Well, depending on what your definition of "wasn't needed" is: could you have gotten along without the download? Yes. Did the bike run better with it than it would have without it? Yes.

No. The original download assumed you had both a/c and exhaust.

The dealer is just trying to sell you something. Adding an a/c and/or exhaust has no effect on the rev limiter. The main reason to do a download is to make the air fuel mixture richer, along with a few other things. A download can raise the rev limit.

Here's what you need to know on a "Stage 1 download" from your H-D dealer: Before you added a freer flowing a/c and exhaust, your bike was EPA compliant. After you added those components it probably runs too lean. The dealer download does richen it up a bit, but it also brings it back into EPA compliance.

So, it would be to your advantage, performance-wise, to get the SEPST and have the bike tuned correctly. You'll get much better performance overall. There are other tuner modules that can also do anything you need. Your preference, your choice.

Just find a tech who knows what he's doing.

 

I find it amusing that dealers are still offering the download, never mind twice.
OP, the download is more than an increase in rpm limit, it is the base tune included with the HD tuner. The download is a waste of money as it is a catch all and is not tuned for the bike. The timing is advanced and some VE adjustment. as said it is meant to compensate for a free flowing air cleaner and exhaust upgrade.
BUT it is not a tune for optimum performance.

 

Adding/changing a A/C will have no effect on your REV's... But adding a High Perf A/C will change your A/F ratio ---Thus the need for a Remap..


Yrs back, the HD download was next to worthless,, The newer ones (I don't know the yr when they improved them-- guessing around 10 or 11 )are a little better But,, Still they are nothing like a good fully adjustable tuner, either with or without a dyno.

back in 07 the old SERT was about the best around, but you did have to have it Dynoed... Which is what I did at my 1K servive. when I did the Stg1.. then at 15k I added the And's 26' and they Tweaked the tune...

in the 52k miles and 9yrs I had the bike its ran perfectly and flawlessly, Except when the gas line got a leak in it and had to be replaced.

I've been totally happy with the SERT and I'll add since then my Son has had three new bikes and he had the newer SEPST installed in all three along with Cams and SE/AC and dyno before he rode them home.. Neither one of us have ever had a problem when MoCo tuner..


But... today their are several really good tuners made.. If I was to get another new bike, I am not sure what I'd get... Thinking I'd prob still lean toward the SEPST and dyno... just me...

 

The dealer is being dishonest or incredibly stupid..... it's one or the other. You didn't need the HD download for your exhaust change. It was intended for what you have now, exhaust & air cleaner, so no need to get another HD download.

The HD downloads, as many have mentioned, change the tune in the ECM to include air fuel ratios, possibly timing, and the higher rev limit.

HD sells downloads for:

Stage I- free flowing air cleaner & free flowing exhaust

Stage II- stage I, plus cams

Stage III- stage II, plus bump in displacement.

Stage IV- stage III, plus free flowing heads.

Unless you are progressing through the stages, there is no reason for another download. Barring an ECM failure, there is no reason to reflash the same download.

As also mentioned, while the HD downloads will "help" when modding your engine, they are woefully inadequate if you want your engine to run near it's best.... they are EPA compliant and will be on the lean side...

There are many flash tuners, with download tunes from from excellent shops. They are far better than the HD tunes, if you want to just download a tune. If you want every last bit of performance, nothing compares to a dyno tune, by a competent tuner. Sometimes finding a competent tuner isn't all that easy.

I went with a PowerVision from Fuelmoto for my stage I bike and stage II bike. Both bikes originally had an HD download for their given stage. The FuelMoto tunes ran far better than the HD downloads. I ran a couple basic auto tune sessions, and both bikes are running excellent.... I don't feel the need for a dyno tune.

Good luck with your mods....

 

HD Stage I raises the rev limit from 5,500 to 6,200 which is a stupid thing to do with a long stroke push rod engine. No wonder they they have cam tensioner trouble.

The other thing it does is advance the spark some. That's also great for increasing the possibility of engine knock.

It does not do any thing with the AFR of 14.6 to one. So it keeps the lean burn engine running hot.

As others posted do a real fuel programmer. The real truth is that both the high flow exhaust and breather can be done without a HD tune as the ECM will correct the leaner AFR that either or both do back to 14.6 to !. That standard is in the ECM and it checks and adjusts back to it withing 30 minutes to 2 hours of running at the longest.