eliminating cats
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Stage I
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Lawrence,Mass.
eliminating cats
i own a 2012 Harley Street Glide 103. i was told that removing the cats and opening up the air box will give me more power. is this true without adding a super tuner?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,138
Likes: 6,162
From: SE Michigan
For about the same amount of money you can buy, for example, a Fuel Moto Micro Tuner which will give you more flexibility to make engine enhancements later, and Fuel Moto will give you a map for your setup.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 182
Likes: 13
From: Ohio
It helped my 2012 Ultra Limited some, and I also added Rinehart 4" slip-ons and a PV tuner.
Still didn't get the "bang for the buck" I was looking for. I was simply comparing the 2012 103" engine to the 3 previous HD Touring bikes I'd owned with 88 cid engines in them, and thought it was pretty much a "turd" in comparison.
I dropped another chunk of change on the V & H "X" pipe system and got rid of the gutted CAT factory down pipe. That moved along with some extensive custom tuning using the PV got the fuel economy into the mid-40's, but still not making nearly the power I thought it should.
Don't get me wrong, it did OK, but when you do a lot of riding with a good friend who has a 2012 CVO Ultra, and it's stone stock aside from a 2 into 1 pipe and dyno tune, and he's getting better fuel economy than you are and TONS more power at every rpm, it's kind of hard to be happy with a gas sucking gutless 103" engine combo!
Next move would have been camshafts, but I sold the bike as it has some other issues that was making me hate it pretty bad. Seems like I got on of those built on Friday bikes, or it was possessed, or a little of both.......Cliff
Still didn't get the "bang for the buck" I was looking for. I was simply comparing the 2012 103" engine to the 3 previous HD Touring bikes I'd owned with 88 cid engines in them, and thought it was pretty much a "turd" in comparison.
I dropped another chunk of change on the V & H "X" pipe system and got rid of the gutted CAT factory down pipe. That moved along with some extensive custom tuning using the PV got the fuel economy into the mid-40's, but still not making nearly the power I thought it should.
Don't get me wrong, it did OK, but when you do a lot of riding with a good friend who has a 2012 CVO Ultra, and it's stone stock aside from a 2 into 1 pipe and dyno tune, and he's getting better fuel economy than you are and TONS more power at every rpm, it's kind of hard to be happy with a gas sucking gutless 103" engine combo!
Next move would have been camshafts, but I sold the bike as it has some other issues that was making me hate it pretty bad. Seems like I got on of those built on Friday bikes, or it was possessed, or a little of both.......Cliff
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 56,052
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From: Western South Dakota
Welcome to the forum on your first post.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,824
Likes: 59
From: SW Burbs of Chicago
Get rid of the cats? Who or what will catch the mouse that ate the spider that caught the fly that the old lady swallowed that lives in the house that Jack built? I like cats although hey are not my favorite pet.
Seriously. I took out cat in my 2010 ultra and didn't make it notably cooler alone. need more fuel to do that.
My 2012 limited with 103" as SE AC and HD tuner with Reinhardt slip-ons and seems to run cooler that the 96"
I dont really care about mileage cuz its not my commuter vehicle. Based on SOP feeling i'd say 103" is much faster and cooler.
Seriously. I took out cat in my 2010 ultra and didn't make it notably cooler alone. need more fuel to do that.
My 2012 limited with 103" as SE AC and HD tuner with Reinhardt slip-ons and seems to run cooler that the 96"
I dont really care about mileage cuz its not my commuter vehicle. Based on SOP feeling i'd say 103" is much faster and cooler.
Last edited by DamifIknow; Apr 6, 2017 at 07:25 AM.
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If all you do is remove the catalytic converter from the header pipe and nothing else, keeping
stock mufflers, and stock air cleaner. No you do not have to retune your Bike, but just a
change of mufflers or air cleaner, more than likely you will need richen up the fuel ratio.
A full Stage-I will need a minimum of a dealer download, that is not nearly as good as a full
retune and some dyno time. In 2012 my son bought a new Road Glide Ultra, soon after he
got a header pipe without a Catalytic Converter changed nothing on his Bike and it runs fine.
John
stock mufflers, and stock air cleaner. No you do not have to retune your Bike, but just a
change of mufflers or air cleaner, more than likely you will need richen up the fuel ratio.
A full Stage-I will need a minimum of a dealer download, that is not nearly as good as a full
retune and some dyno time. In 2012 my son bought a new Road Glide Ultra, soon after he
got a header pipe without a Catalytic Converter changed nothing on his Bike and it runs fine.
John
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,270
Likes: 3,370
From: Idaho Panhandle
Dont buy the dealer download, its a complete waste of money.
For about the same amount of money you can buy, for example, a Fuel Moto Micro Tuner which will give you more flexibility to make engine enhancements later, and Fuel Moto will give you a map for your setup.
For about the same amount of money you can buy, for example, a Fuel Moto Micro Tuner which will give you more flexibility to make engine enhancements later, and Fuel Moto will give you a map for your setup.
