I was referring to, as an example, breaking down out in Twotuck, Iowa. Getting dark and you need to call for help.
With the stock, Delphi system and ECM, I believe you could call the closest Harley dealer or Indy and they would be able to help.
Who ya gunna call with a ThunderMax aftermarket engine management system that has issues? I know most dealers won't even get near aftermarket ECMs, much less know how to diagnose and repair running issues.
I have heard of dealers charging customers to replace aftermarket systems with stock Delphi systems (ECM, sensors, etc) when broke down out in the middle of Nowhere USA.
Bob

 

Just not the dealers either. A lot of aftermarket tuning shops wont touch them either.

 

Very good question.. You call AAA get a ride to the nearest motel and have a new one overnighted.. Since this discussion is centered around "do it yourselfers", chances are that the guy already knows how to install on and set it up.. Heck keep the files on your phone or on the cloud for that matter..

What happens when you loose and ECM and you are running TTS or PV. Will the TTS / PV mate to the new ECM or do you need to buy another license? Do all dealers know how to deal with this stuff. I seem to remember someone having to buy a new dongle / license in on case and in an other the Flash tubers was replaced with the SE tuner.. How long will you wait for the ECM as I doubt most HD dealers stock them?

There are a lot of independents that use Tmax as an upgrade simply because they can't afford a dyno and don't have the demand to need one.

 

There is no doubt ThunderMax is a great system for racing simply because racing vehicles spend most of their time at high load and rpms which systems like ThunderMax (alpha-n) do just fine with.
Not my choice for street use or recommended to those without extensive knowledge and experience to work with EFI, especially ThunderMax and its unique challenges.

Bob

 

I have called Tmax several times in my career. I leave a message and wait for a call back. Just 2 weeks ago I called. Waited for them to get back from Sturgis so I could tak to the guy about boost and 2 bar.


A lot of Delphi ECM's out there. I wonder how much the auto world worries about them going out in the middle of a cross country drive?


Worse case senerios suck, but when they do happen. Seems like there is no quick fix's. Hence the name.

 

I wouldn't call it great but it's not bad and definitely a good option for guy without a dyno.. Much easier to tune. Since timing is throttle position based you won't see the fuel mileage that the Delphi systems have.. Injector timing is very crude compared to the Delphi systems also... Still you can make a change to a motor like cams or displacement on a well developed maps and with a few tweaks be off and running.. For instance, I recently when from a 103 to 107 and bump the CR 1/2 point on a bagger. Had to tweak the timing map slightly but have not done the auto-map yet. Another bike I changed from an H290 to a TW55.. Got tired f the H290 noise. Haven't auto mapped it either but it's running fine as is.. Both need some miles so I can automap once and see how the fueling changed. The second bike did need new o2 sensors tho.. One was going bad.

 

Well you know that's kind of a special case.. The email thing works the best. I tour with a Tmax.. Not too worried about it either.

 

The Super D is sure easy to tune.


I haven't heard of many Harley ECM's brick. Haven't heard of many Tmax's fail either. I have seen neither, and I haven't heard from a customer that theirs have on the road. Same with a locked VCI problem. BUT what I have heard and seen is this. There is more of a chance of it happening at a dealer than on a trip. More susceptible to bricking during marrying something or downloading. Had a call of a bricked ECM. He went to the dealer to get new keyfob married. Rode bike in. Dealer said ECM was bricked and this is how much it will cost. Tech gets on phone. I asked him to hit starter button. Low and behold. Bike starts. Suggested customer ride it the hell out of there.


Problems I have seen here? Connector plug pins. I consider that on Harley's side. There are better ECM plugs available.


My point was. Of all the things that can ruin a cross country trip. The stock ECM is low on my list.

 

Bumpsky

 

Got a question, say you have the SE wide band controller fitted can you still smart tune?
If you can would you set the AFR table to what you are going to run with and collect data?
Being in OZ we still have the Super Tuner available, for a few more days anyhow, just wondering.