https://www.hdforums.com/m_341723/tm.htm I just scheduled my stock bike for a S. Eagle A/C and ECM upgrade. Is this the wrong thing to do? I will add a SERT or PCIII when I do pipes. Should I skip the download and just install the A/C myself along with a PCIII. BTW, the SERT seems like it my be superior but I can get a good deal on the PC.

 

You don't say what bike you own, but in my case, where I've had two bad PCIII's (just bad luck from what I can tell), I had the stage 1 download installed so I could keep riding the bike without hurting the bike. Seems to work fine. You don't have to have it installed, but doesn't hurt either. You can do the a/c install yourself -- easy.

 

'05 E Glide Standard.

 

You might as well pick yourself out a nice exhaust system while you're at it! LOL. I've never had a SERT, but both it and PCIII are good. Other good options are Fuelpak and Thundermax. Sort of depends on how much you want to spend. Lots of info here in the forum. Whether you need to go with the stage 1 download probably depends on what fuel management system you go with. If you use the SERT, which is just another download anyway, I doubt you'll need the stage 1. On the other hand, with the PCIII, I'd recommend it in case the PCIII goes bad and you have to send it back but want to keep riding.

 

I am kinda new to this add on stuff ,But I read about a stage 1 download and all this could someone explain a little to me.I have a PC commander usb111,Is this what you are calling a stage 1 or can you just add parts and not all.Please explain

 

after you and the high flow a/c cleaner and a good set of free flowing pipes your bike should be remapped to compensate for the air flow and fuel combination. HD has a stage1 ecm mapping just for those changes. the pc III does some similar only its not permanent

 

I believe it is an air cleaner and a download to your ECM. It raises your redline to 6200 rpms. I have plans for an exhaust and no more. This bike and frankly all Harleys are limited more by suspension than horsepower. That by no means should be interpreted as a condemnation. I LOVE my E Glide. I just know that there are diminishing returns. Some quicker on some makes than others. Now a new liquid-cooled Buell?!

 

Mountain man, I'm no genius when it comes to this, but stage 1 generally refers to an air cleaner upgrade, usually in combination with a higher flowing exhaust upgrade. With a higher flow air cleaner, you'll bring in more air through the engine which will increase performance somewhat as long as you supplement your EFI system so that adds more fuel with the air. You can supplement the EFI either through a stage 1 ECM download and/or a fuel management system. If you use a PCIII, you can find a map that works with the stock ECM without the stage 1 download, but if the PCIII fails and you have to ride, your bike will run too lean. So, you can get the HD stage 1 download and use with the PCIII and appropriate stage 1 map so that if the PCIII fails you can ride the bike home without any fears. This is just ONE set of options -- there are almost too many to mention here, but you can do a search on PCIII, stage 1, SERT, Fuelpak, Thundermax, etc. to learn more than you want to know on the subject. It's all about increasing performance while not causing damage to the bike. Good luck!

 

Hey, alqaadir, how's things in Shalimar? I was stationed at Eglin from '73 to '76 and we loved it there. Really miss the area and Gulf, but time marches on. Flying over that area gave me some really good memories.

 

I have never had this explained about the downloads.I understand it a little better now.I allready have the big sucker and the pc commander.So if I'm out on the road and have troubles with the pc,I'm in a boat without a paddle.Unless I'm close to a dealership.Well my question is now? should I get the HD stage 1 downloaded in mine?