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Opto
| | Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 03:42 am: | 
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I finally got the bike on the dyno to compare the stock ecm with MS. I recently borrowed a VDSTS (thanks Brat) and reset the AFV and TPS. The bike ran for the first time in about 6 months on the stock ecm again. I did two runs on the stock ecm and two runs on MS and ended up with basically four lines on top of each other. The MS was a bee's dick stronger than the ecm on both its runs. I just wanted to make sure that MS wasn't losing power due to charge robbing or anything unforeseen, since we're talking batch versus sequential injection with two injectors not very far apart. I'm very happy with the result. I'm sure one could spend time on the dyno to fine tune and get a couple or more HP, but that's not a high priority for me. The guy running the dyno commented that the second ecu (meaning MS) was much smoother at 40mph on the dyno, whereas the first one was entering "highway mode" at that speed (meaning it was trying to maintain stoich) which surprised him. That really made my day! Standing beside the bike listening to it (elevated on the dyno) it sounded much meatier and happier on MS, almost a different animal. I always thought that but today it was confirmed.
The new BareBones board has not missed a beat since installation. I also installed a remote air temp sensor under the instrument cluster at the same time, as the heatsoak of the stock manifold air temp sensor was becoming more difficult to deal with as the fuel map got more refined. From a fair bit more bench testing I think I have found a setup for the experimental oddfire code that will work on a Buell (including dwell control) and am working on a pickup from holes in the side of the rotor cup for ignition control.
Ian. |
Bueaddicted
| | Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 06:38 pm: |
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I'm exhausted just trying to understand all this... 
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Opto
| | Posted on Friday, May 01, 2009 - 09:30 am: |
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Been a few years, get a few pm's so time for an update to keep it all in perspective. Will try to keep it short, as much has happened.
Megasquirt works fine running both cyls from the same fuel map but there are compromises in that at certain parts of the fuel map one cyl might run a difference of 2 or 2.5 AFR to the other cyl, mostly in cruise areas of the fuel map. Maybe similar to running a carby, maybe not, but it was always sweet and ran nice with MS. At WOT the difference in AFR between the cyls was very small, not worth worrying about for a street bike. In 2007 Ecmspy came out so I gave that a go and it is good software, can't complain about the price. At some stage I got an O2 sensor bung put in each header pipe as I had uncertanties and a couple of people suggested do it. With the stock ecm I had a fuel map for each cylinder vs one fuel map for both cyl with the version of MS I was running. I got the best tune I could get at the time with Ecmspy and stock GB231 ecm. I was unhappy in that I felt MS gives a steadier pulsewidth and smoother resulting AFR, and a lot easier to tune, so then I built another Megasquirt with MS2 chip, hoping to run a fuel map each cylinder (dual table in MS speak). I fitted it and started tuning with this, but soon discovered the MS doesn't know which cyl is which so sometimes the rear map was applied to the front cyl hahaha dumb mistake on my part. To give MS an idea of crank position it needs a missing-tooth wheel on the cam, that is beyond my engineering skills on an XB. If MS had that info then no probs. So back to the stock ecm again, and my 2004 Lightning got a 2006 engine so I fitted the stock IB310 ecm (for 2006) and stole the tune from my 2006 Uly and its running great. (Big end/s let go on my old engine).
At the end of approx 3 yrs amateur tuning and another year looking back on what I did, this is what I want to share with you guys:
1) To get max performance, the amount of injected fuel has to be close to spot on for any part of the fuel map for your engine. Not just WOT, but all operating areas. Makes for nice rideability.
2) When an engine makes more power it has to dissipate more heat because it has burned more fuel, therefore it will run hotter than if it made less power.
3) Adding more fuel to cool the engine or the rear cylinder or prevent pinging is a waste of fuel and less power is the result. The correct amount of fuel makes the power, and the fins do the cooling. The ignition map timing, and the octane rating of the fuel that you put in the tank, control the pinging. I retarded some areas of my ignition maps, and made both ignition maps identical, seems to run smoother.
4) If you want to tune your bike properly, you need an O2 bung in each header to do it right. Or a nipple in each header that your local dyno operator can attach his sniffer to. There is no easier way out than that IMO, if you want to get it right.
5) Max hp was never what I was chasing, I wanted the bike to run its best all over with good rideability, and increased max hp was a by-product if I achieved that - didn't dyno it so I don't know, but the AFR is right at WOT.
6) If you tune both cylinders, disconnect the stock O2 sensor permanently, you'll never look back  Unless you travel up and down more than 2000ft on a regular basis that is. I'm running a baro sensor on the Uly so if you need info send pm.
So thats what I learnt in 4 yrs of self-learning to tune an XB as an amateur. I'm happy with the result, never knew where it would end up Have to say something about Drummer pipes here too, because I have been running them a few years, and really impressed with them. They are a great all-rounder pipe that suits the characteristics of the Buell engine (i.e. lots of torque) and seem to work well with any stock ecm including 08/09 as the ecm adjusts the AFV nicely for a Drummer. (The ecm adjusts the AFV in the midrange, the Drummer makes power in the midrange, so AFV rises). This pipe has a real smooth power delivery starting from very low rpm, so its excellent in the twisties, and at WOT, I don't have any mates (yet!) on XB Buells that can out-accelerate me either...no matter what pipe or filter or gizmo they run... just a heads up on a really nice pipe IMO. Lots of people just compare dyno numbers at WOT, they really miss the point. I have a lot of respect for KD, and the method he used to tune and design those pipes makes a lot of sense, it took me a few years to appreciate it fully.
Opto |
Greg_e
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - 03:23 pm: |
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I was sent a link to this thread and thought I would pop in a note. Anyone thinking of this should probably consider the Microsquirt instead of the Megasquirt. The water tight case is just the start of why you should consider the change.
I'm thinking of getting a Microsquirt for my 9R and giving it a whirl. A little more expensive, but the size and water resistance will be worth the extra cost. |
Hogs
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - 04:46 pm: |
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Hey Greg_e,
Thanks for bringing up that oldie ,Not sure I saw that one before... Interesting |
Figorvonbuellingham
| | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2022 - 10:52 am: |
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How’s you’re Microsquirt holding up. I have a Goldwing running on Microsquirt. Seems pretty good. I have some popping on decel. WoT above 6000 rpms breaks the rear whelk loose in top gear. That’s surprising. To be fair the rear wheel is quite old and rubber has gone hard.
I’m thinking of coverting my Aprilia. The stock harness is rotted and no longer available. The stock ecu has some issues too. The real question is it’s a dual plug head v-twin so that might be tricky. Too bad there isn’t a dedicated Microsquirt motorcycle forum to funnel and consolidate the various motorcycles conversions scattered throughout the internet. |
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