American Iron Review: ThunderMax Autotune Tuner
I've been running a Tmax for about 4 years and over 60k miles. I'm on my 3rd one now. IAC driver circuit has failed twice. They were pretty good about the 3 year warranty, but I did have some shipping expenses and they were kind of dicks. Been running this unit for 2 years and over 25k, feeling like I am on borrowed time and no more warranty. When I go on long trips, I carry my OEM ECM and O2 sensors just in case.
When I first got the Tmax, I tried multiple maps but nothing seemed to do the trick. Decel pops and pinging. After about a year of dicking with it I decided to bite the bullet and get a dyno tune. That did the trick. I finally got a good map and have been happy with how the bike runs.
Would I buy another, probably not. Not sure what I will do if this unit fails since the warranty is now expired. The fix will be on me this time.
When I first got the Tmax, I tried multiple maps but nothing seemed to do the trick. Decel pops and pinging. After about a year of dicking with it I decided to bite the bullet and get a dyno tune. That did the trick. I finally got a good map and have been happy with how the bike runs.
Would I buy another, probably not. Not sure what I will do if this unit fails since the warranty is now expired. The fix will be on me this time.
Last edited by merdahl; Sep 19, 2013 at 11:33 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 703
Likes: 0
From: poof
Couple observations:
I believe zippers and tmax are separate entities. Zippers happens to sell and supports tmax products.
One post suggested "almost sound like the motor would try to kick over backwards" became " whatever damage may have happened to your bike when it was firing on the wrong timing".
tmax support through the software function contacts the techs directly and they get back to you promptly.
fwiw I have tmax (no nearby dyno tuners) and with incremental mods in progress I've found tmax easy to use, modify, and update.
Reading and heeding the instructions is imperative. It is plug and play provided instructions are followed. Instructions clearly state several items to complete during install and initialization.
I believe zippers and tmax are separate entities. Zippers happens to sell and supports tmax products.
One post suggested "almost sound like the motor would try to kick over backwards" became " whatever damage may have happened to your bike when it was firing on the wrong timing".
tmax support through the software function contacts the techs directly and they get back to you promptly.
fwiw I have tmax (no nearby dyno tuners) and with incremental mods in progress I've found tmax easy to use, modify, and update.
Reading and heeding the instructions is imperative. It is plug and play provided instructions are followed. Instructions clearly state several items to complete during install and initialization.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
From: Brooklyn, NY
I am satisfied. Thanks for the advice anyway.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 5
From: London, UK
From what I've read, it sounds like the danger point is around 900rpm but because the bikes can only hold idle rpm +/-50rpm below around 1k, the lowest safe idle rpm is 950rpm. Anybody disagree with this research?
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,439
Likes: 884
From: 'Noke, VA
Zipper's & ThunderMax are two separate entities, but Zipper's is big on T-Max. Zipper's is 10 miles from my office; I have never and will never spend a dime there.
The T-Max uses Alpha-N fuel injection rather than the speed density the Delphi uses. It's a step backwards. You also lose your knock sensor with the T-Max. Who do you think builds a more robust ECM - Delphi who makes millions of them a year and is being paid by Harley to do so, or T-Max, who might sell a couple thousand a year?
And then there's the issue of service....Stock ECM takes a crap, you can go to any Harley dealer and have it diagnosed and/or replaced. Good luck with that with a T-Max.
The T-Max uses Alpha-N fuel injection rather than the speed density the Delphi uses. It's a step backwards. You also lose your knock sensor with the T-Max. Who do you think builds a more robust ECM - Delphi who makes millions of them a year and is being paid by Harley to do so, or T-Max, who might sell a couple thousand a year?
And then there's the issue of service....Stock ECM takes a crap, you can go to any Harley dealer and have it diagnosed and/or replaced. Good luck with that with a T-Max.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
From: Brooklyn, NY
Thundermax
Zipper's & ThunderMax are two separate entities, but Zipper's is big on T-Max. Zipper's is 10 miles from my office; I have never and will never spend a dime there.
The T-Max uses Alpha-N fuel injection rather than the speed density the Delphi uses. It's a step backwards. You also lose your knock sensor with the T-Max. Who do you think builds a more robust ECM - Delphi who makes millions of them a year and is being paid by Harley to do so, or T-Max, who might sell a couple thousand a year?
And then there's the issue of service....Stock ECM takes a crap, you can go to any Harley dealer and have it diagnosed and/or replaced. Good luck with that with a T-Max.
The T-Max uses Alpha-N fuel injection rather than the speed density the Delphi uses. It's a step backwards. You also lose your knock sensor with the T-Max. Who do you think builds a more robust ECM - Delphi who makes millions of them a year and is being paid by Harley to do so, or T-Max, who might sell a couple thousand a year?
And then there's the issue of service....Stock ECM takes a crap, you can go to any Harley dealer and have it diagnosed and/or replaced. Good luck with that with a T-Max.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 5
From: London, UK
Who do you think builds a more robust ECM - Delphi who makes millions of them a year and is being paid by Harley to do so, or T-Max, who might sell a couple thousand a year?
Maybe I won't keep the TMax at the top of my favourite tuners after all...
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 436
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Zipper's & ThunderMax are two separate entities, but Zipper's is big on T-Max. Zipper's is 10 miles from my office; I have never and will never spend a dime there.
The T-Max uses Alpha-N fuel injection rather than the speed density the Delphi uses. It's a step backwards. You also lose your knock sensor with the T-Max. Who do you think builds a more robust ECM - Delphi who makes millions of them a year and is being paid by Harley to do so, or T-Max, who might sell a couple thousand a year?
And then there's the issue of service....Stock ECM takes a crap, you can go to any Harley dealer and have it diagnosed and/or replaced. Good luck with that with a T-Max.
The T-Max uses Alpha-N fuel injection rather than the speed density the Delphi uses. It's a step backwards. You also lose your knock sensor with the T-Max. Who do you think builds a more robust ECM - Delphi who makes millions of them a year and is being paid by Harley to do so, or T-Max, who might sell a couple thousand a year?
And then there's the issue of service....Stock ECM takes a crap, you can go to any Harley dealer and have it diagnosed and/or replaced. Good luck with that with a T-Max.
How long does it take to get a replacement oem ECM??? Three weeks?
I've been searching countless threads/forums and over all I have seen very few failures in the TMax in the last few years. The ones that have been sent in for repair/replacement have had less than a week turn around, usually only a few days. Sucks irregardless which one you have if you are a thousand miles from home. Last I've seen was that the oems are on back order...how long again?
Dynojet stuff has it's fair share of problems too.
None are perfect.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,439
Likes: 884
From: 'Noke, VA
Fair point, my stock ECM was on backorder for a month. They're shipping now. But that was an aberration, it's not SOP.
Still, I'm not interested in replacing my warranted, robust ECM with a third-party unit that uses an inferior FI method.
Still, I'm not interested in replacing my warranted, robust ECM with a third-party unit that uses an inferior FI method.