The info for the PCV and Power Vision units is spread over many threads. Can you help to bring it together on this one. I plan on doing a fuel control. Does the vision screen have to stay on the bike or can it be removed once installed? Is there still wet connection issues? I have read that using a PC and XIEDS together are great. Any input would help. I'm looking at finishing the stage 1 on my FXDC

 

The Vision does NOT have to stay on the bike...

 

piggy back tuners suck

 

The PCV is a Piggy Back tuner and I agree with slider but they do have their place. They are the simplest to use if you are just doing minor engine mods like a stage 1 and close is good enough for you. They plug into the bike between the ECU and the engine systems. Basically the way they work is if you set them to change the mixture, they will take the message from the O2 sensors in your exhaust, change them and send the modified signal to the ECU. For example, you tell the PCV to richen the mixture. The signal coming back from the O2 sensor to the ECU says "The A/F mixture is exactly where the factory tune says it should be." The PCV now takes that signal and changes it. The signal it sends to the ECU says "Hey, we're running leaner than the factory setting, add more fuel." and the ECU adds more fuel. Now the O2 will say "Hey, we're too rich. Less fuel." but again, the PCV takes that signal, modifies it and sends a new signal to the ECU that says "The A/F mixture is exactly where the factory tune says it should be." so the ECU maintains that mixture.

The problems with a Piggy Back system are you have to leave it on the bike and if something goes wrong you could be running on the factory tune and possibly damage your engine. Also, you're trying to "trick" or "Spoof" the ECU to get it to do what you want to do. It would be better if you could just tell the ECU "Hey, rather than the factory settings, I want you to use these settings instead."

And that's exactly what the PV does. It allows you to rewrite the data that is stored in the tables of the ECU to make the changes you want to make. Now when the O2 says "We're running rich, less fuel." the ECU will get that signal and say "No, that's where we now want to run." You don't have to keep the PV on the bike because you are reprogramming the stock computer. Thus the ECU and engine managment system is going to work the way it was designed to without being "fooled" into running a different way.

The drawbacks to the PV is that you need to have a good understanding of how the ECU works. Even though the Autotune feature (even the basic one that runs off the stock O2s) can really help a lot, you need to have a basic understanding of tuning to safely use the PV. Luckily getting that knowledge is easy with boards like this and the learning curve isn't as steep as it use to be.

Personally I run a PV and I wouldn't use a piggy back device if you gave it to me. It's worth every cent and worth the time to learn to use properly.

(NOTE this is a VERY over simplified way of explaining how this all works.)

 

Great write Robotech. You put in words most of us can understand and didn't try to use the big words to prove how smart you are.

I've done my own research, and I'm going with a TTS tuned by a well know dyno tuner.

Did you ever get the sporty back together?

 

Thanks, I try because I know I learn better when folks "dumb it down" for me. LOL I have less headaches that way.

I think I'm ripping the Sporty apart this weekend and get all the damaged parts off it to see where I stand. She needs to be rebuilt.

As far as the TTS vs PowerVision, I went with the PowerVision so if I do more mods in the future (which I always say I'm almost done so really it's not "if" but "when") I can retune the ECU without a Dyno. It's not as spot on as a dyno will get me, but the AutoTune feature gets is REALLY close...I'd say I'm 95-98% performance wise what a dyno would get me. I'm seeing no KR and the engine temps are within spec. That's all I can ask for.

That said, IIRC the TTS is simialr to the PV in the fact that it rewrites the ECU, right?

 

Ya everyone is different and you have to do what is right for you. I'm not for tinkering with the EFI even though I do my own maintenance. I'm happy with the power it has and if I make it any faster I'll just get myself in trouble. The XEID's have done a great job for when I first got the bike but now I'm at the point that I just want it to run the best it can in the cruising range. Since I really don't know much about EFI (my sporty was a carb) I have spent the last 6 months really reading everything I could about the different tuners and here is my conclusions for me. (again may not be right for anyone else):

1. I am only interested in a tune that reflashes the EFI. I plan to keep the bike long term and don't want a module on my bike that probably will eventually fail, then I've wasted money.

2. I don't want to mess with trying to tune myself, I'ld rather be riding.

3. I have an excellent dyno tuner 15 miles from my house. He tunes for the 3 local harley dealerships new bikes when someone refuses to go with their stage one download. He charges a flat $300 bucks and spends all day on the bike.

4. I kinda narrowed it down to a TTS or a SEPTPRO but didn't want to spend 500 bucks on the tuner.

5. After further research, I decided on the TTS tuner, they have a 2 bike option. (the tuner will marry two different bikes/serial numbers)

6. Talked my brother into having his bike done at the same time and found the TTS with 2 bike option on sale for $499.

So $250 @ for the tuner plus $300@ for the tune. $550. is cheeper then most of the self tuning tuners and I drop it off in the morning and pick it up when he closes....done

Now all aspects of the motor will be tuned, not just adding fuel like the XEID's. I'm so excited, still about 2 weeks out....

Robotech I hope the sporty lives again, it deserves another life and it would be a blast to have the sporty and the dyna.

 

Thanks for the easy english. Pretty easy to understand now. A little more tech reading and the decide. Thanks again.

 

I have the PV and love it. It does not have to stay on the bike. However, I run with it on my handlebars to display information from the bike ie rpm's gear, fuel usage.

 

I have a powervision and it works great! no need for a piggy back anymore. thats old tech....