Do I "need" a fuel manager?
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 958
Likes: 1
From: Birch Bay, WA
Do I "need" a fuel manager?
I just bought my Ultra, used. It has SE slip ons and a K & N filter behind the football. It runs well and does not seem to have a heat issue with no fuel manager. The dealer thinks the set up is fine and has done all maintenance on the bike from new.
Am I good to go or is there anything to be concerned about? The motor is stock, has plenty of get up and go and only 8500 miles on it.
Since this is my first Harley, any advice would be appreciated.
spiz
Am I good to go or is there anything to be concerned about? The motor is stock, has plenty of get up and go and only 8500 miles on it.
Since this is my first Harley, any advice would be appreciated.
spiz
Last edited by spizzyman; Aug 11, 2008 at 11:25 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,424
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From: Hoboken, New Jersey
Its my understanding that the MOCO's "stage-1" download dont do much in some cases and nothing at all in others.
Spizzyman......on your bikes football....is there a backing plate that encloses the K&N, or is the back of the football open exposing the K&N filter to the air? If its all closed up then chances are the K&N is just whats called a "drop in" filter used just to replace the OEM paper (non reusable type). The drop in units from K&N can be cleaned and re oiled many times.
Now if the back of the football is open.....you may have a modified intake with a K&N that has a larger surface area, allowing the bike to breath better = more air. Now the slip ons will let the exhaust system to move more air, but not as much as a true dual system with tuned header pipes.
If your running just a drop in filter and a set of slip ons, you dont need a fuel management system, but the engine would perform much better with one. If on the other hand you have a modified intake/air filter, and a set of high flowing slip ons.....but still with no fuel management system. In that case I would at the very least do a "plug chop" test, and see what your plugs are looking like....you could be running too lean. In any case, I would install a fuel management system, like a PC-III, or SERT....then have it fine tuned on the dyno by someone that knows what end of the screwdriver to hold.
All this is assuming you have a FI system and not a carburetor.
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 958
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From: Birch Bay, WA
Not all bikes are the same.....yours may have some issues with decel popping, and your riding bud's with almost the same setup dont. Things like that require time to sort out. While some dyno tech use canned maps.....others only use the canned map as a starting point, and then work on specific areas to give better MPG or more torque at a certain RPM fir instance.
Its my understanding that the MOCO's "stage-1" download dont do much in some cases and nothing at all in others.
Spizzyman......on your bikes football....is there a backing plate that encloses the K&N, or is the back of the football open exposing the K&N filter to the air? If its all closed up then chances are the K&N is just whats called a "drop in" filter used just to replace the OEM paper (non reusable type). The drop in units from K&N can be cleaned and re oiled many times.
Now if the back of the football is open.....you may have a modified intake with a K&N that has a larger surface area, allowing the bike to breath better = more air. Now the slip ons will let the exhaust system to move more air, but not as much as a true dual system with tuned header pipes.
If your running just a drop in filter and a set of slip ons, you dont need a fuel management system, but the engine would perform much better with one. If on the other hand you have a modified intake/air filter, and a set of high flowing slip ons.....but still with no fuel management system. In that case I would at the very least do a "plug chop" test, and see what your plugs are looking like....you could be running too lean. In any case, I would install a fuel management system, like a PC-III, or SERT....then have it fine tuned on the dyno by someone that knows what end of the screwdriver to hold.
All this is assuming you have a FI system and not a carburetor.
Its my understanding that the MOCO's "stage-1" download dont do much in some cases and nothing at all in others.
Spizzyman......on your bikes football....is there a backing plate that encloses the K&N, or is the back of the football open exposing the K&N filter to the air? If its all closed up then chances are the K&N is just whats called a "drop in" filter used just to replace the OEM paper (non reusable type). The drop in units from K&N can be cleaned and re oiled many times.
Now if the back of the football is open.....you may have a modified intake with a K&N that has a larger surface area, allowing the bike to breath better = more air. Now the slip ons will let the exhaust system to move more air, but not as much as a true dual system with tuned header pipes.
If your running just a drop in filter and a set of slip ons, you dont need a fuel management system, but the engine would perform much better with one. If on the other hand you have a modified intake/air filter, and a set of high flowing slip ons.....but still with no fuel management system. In that case I would at the very least do a "plug chop" test, and see what your plugs are looking like....you could be running too lean. In any case, I would install a fuel management system, like a PC-III, or SERT....then have it fine tuned on the dyno by someone that knows what end of the screwdriver to hold.
All this is assuming you have a FI system and not a carburetor.
spiz
Last edited by spizzyman; Aug 12, 2008 at 06:47 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Southern California - Palm Springs Area
On a '03 you shouldn't have a heat issue like the '07's+. If you had the stage 1 download and you're NOT having any problems with its running & your spark plugs look good... Just drive the snot out of it and enjoy.
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