| Author | Message | ||
     Eat_a_duc |
I have read about modification to the air box on XB models (drilled air box) in a few threads here and am interested in the procedure. I live in the Denver area and ride at high altitudes sometimes so the more air I can get the better. Already have K&N but want more. Hows it done?}} | ||
| Nlegrett |
Do a search on this topic, probably tons of info. here with pics. | ||
| Skully |
James, Take a look at http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=6817&post=170882#POST 170882 Let me know if you have any questions. Keith | ||
| Eat_a_duc |
Whoa! Awesome thread and great information! I am going to look at doing this. Thanks Keith.}} | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Thanks for reminding me to do mine!  I had been meaning to do it for some time. Too cold to ride much today, so I just took out the drill and sabre saw and went at it. I cut out squares that corresponded to the internal bracing system of my "12" air box. Cut out about 50%, more or less. Took her out for a very brief spin, (it's 32º out).The motor sounded better than ever and I was able to convince myself that it was just a bit stronger too! Total job was about 2 hours from start to finish. | ||
| Diablobrian |
I went the whole way with mine. I made my own open air box conversion. I cut away everything except the area that goes over the air filter. on the inner air box top. The bottom of the air box must be removed from the bike. The shopping list: 4 1/4-20 nylock nuts 6 1/4" fender washers 4 1/4" rubber washers 2 1/4-20 wing nuts 1 ft 1/4-20 all-thread rod 1 rain gutter sleeve (the plastic kind that keep the nails from crushing the gutter) I cut the all thread so that I have 2 5" pieces. I threaded 1 nylock nut all the way down each of the rods. (about 3/4" from the other end) then put a fender washer up against the nut (from the short side). Then a rubber washer goes up against those washers. The rods are then inserted down through the air box base through the 2 holes previously occupied by the crank case vents. from the bottom place a fender washer and a nylock nut on each rod. thread them on far enough for the rod to come through the nylon in the nut. then tighten the "top" nut down until rods are firmly attatched. cut gutter spacer in half. slip it over the rod from the top. place filter on base, mark and drill (2) 5/16 holes in the piece that goes over filter as needed to secure cover. Place cover on air filter. trim gutter spacers if needed to allow top to seal to filter. with parts assembled, place rubber washers over rods on top of cover, fender washers over those, and tighten the top down with filter wing nuts. rods may need to be trimmed down to clear outer air box. disassemble, re-install base on bike, and re-assemble. That's it. Sorry, no pics. I just did this. Sorry no pictures | ||
| Eat_a_duc |
Brian. If you get the chance, I would like to see pictures of your modification to the air box. How much of a difference did you guys notice? }} | ||
| Shea |
When you guys drill those holes, did you need to do anything with the ECM? I will be puting an Econo Drummer on and wondered if this would put me over for the stock ECM. | ||
| Eat_a_duc |
Shea. It might make the bike run a "bit" lean, one of my freinds ran his XB9 with the high flow K&N for a while before getting the race ECM. It ran a tad hotter and leaner. If you are going to get the muffler and the intake I would highly recommend the race ECM.}} | ||
| Black_sunshine |
Yes....race ECM....You will run lean and cause major damage to the motor over time. Trust me...I've seen the results first hand and it ain't pretty. Lets just say front piston busted in 5 pieces. Open air box, K&N, Special Ops with Stock ECM was what was run. Your warranty will be void as well. | ||
| Hogs |
Guys, Take this for what its worth...Just cut everything out Except say an 1" to an 1"1/2 strip where the cover mounts to the bike and up to the whole round area that covers the top of the filter.This will hold the cover down as good as stock ,lets all the air you will ever NEED in ,and easy as Stock to remove it, No need for any fancy holes, Bolts etc.etc Been there done that This is as easy as yup 1 2 3 Hope that helps... BTW this mod NEEDS the RACE ECM for Sure..! (Message edited by hogs on March 02, 2006) | ||
| Typeone |
Hogs, i was wondering about that, if there really is a difference in airflow between swiss cheese vs. American Sport Bike open vs. 'arms' to hold everything down. i went the swiss cheese route and didn't like the feel at all. bike felt weaker to me. i have a different setup now so i'm going to give the open airbox a try. the sound kinda bugged me too though, took away from my pipe with all that 'gasping' for air directly below my helmet. | ||
| Southern Marine |
We're talking about modding the 12 here, not the 9 right? I mean, there is a difference there. Here's another question, if the new bikes already come with an open air box, don't they have the same stock ecm in them, and not the race ecm? So if you have a 12 and you drill the holes, why would I need the race ecm if the new ones don't have it, what's the difference? (Message edited by southernmarine on March 02, 2006) | ||
| Typeone |
if the new bikes already come with an open air box they don't. just different inlets for the air. through frame vs. the new scoop in front. otherwise i believe the inner airbox is the same. the 'open airbox' is just that, no inner box, only the top portion to seal/seat the filter. | ||
| Eat_a_duc |
Sorry about that, we are referring to a 12 on this thread and I used friends 9 as an example. How much vacuum noise comes out of the breather after all this? Thanks Hogs I am looking at the cover now and trying to decide which way to go. Awesome information here, great site. (Message edited by eat a duc on March 02, 2006) | ||
| Southern Marine |
Well, if you look online at the CG and the CityX and go to the store, you will see that the inner airbox is open. | ||
| Tommy_k |
Also, instead of the race ecm, you could buy the direct link setup for around the same money, and dyno tune your bike to perfection with your stock ecm. I think Def. worth an hour or two on the dyno to get it right...that is if you have a competent dyno tuner in town. Scotty at Tampa HD is the man btw. Or, if you have common setup, ie. open airbox, filter and a pipe, you should be able to buy a DL "tuned" ecm from Al shortly. Def. no need to go to the race ecm if you go either of the routes I just mentioned fwiw, TK | ||
| Typeone |
Well, if you look online at the CG and the CityX and go to the store, you will see that the inner airbox is open doh! sorry, Southern... i forgot they cut the slits in the side of the box too. hmm, still wonder what the difference really is between all the configs. | ||
| Typeone |
How much vacuum noise comes out of the breather after all this? breathers or intake? if you mean intake... a lot. | ||
| Hogs |
Southern, I was just under the ideal, I guess IF someone was going to do the inner air box mods etc.etc with a K&N air filter as he said he had that perhaps he aslo has or will be putting an after market exhaust can on if he has not allready don`t so, even with that one should do something to change the STOCK computer I wd. think if not MY BAD :-) | ||
| Eat_a_duc |
Intake...yes. Hmmm. The vacuum noise sounds cool on my 69 Mustang dunno about the bike. Eh.. what the heck I think the benefits to performance mean more to me..still gonna try it. Already have race ECM, but I just thought of something else. Throttle position sensor (TPS). Did any of you guys have to get it zero'ed out again after this? Should not make THAT much of a difference but just wondering. | ||
| Midknyte |
Ok, here's a possibly dumb question... Would any opposite harm come to pass if one bought/used a Race ECM on a bike that had *some* mods, (like intake mods but a stock pipe for example)? i.e. Could/should one get a Race ECM just to be on the safe side...? | ||
| Hogs |
EAt_a_duc, No need to reset the TPS for this mod..IF you allready had the race ecm installed >You will have to reset the TPS IF you are going to install the race ecm on your ride IF it has never been put on it before... | ||
| Eat_a_duc |
Right on..thanks Hogs. I have had the race ECM for a while and wanted to make sure that you did not have to make any other tweaks. Again thanks for all the input... very helpful. Back to Midknte. I dunno about putting race ECM with high flo intake and no after market exhaust... never gone that route. It should not harm anything but it might make it run a little rich on fuel. Load up at idle? Anybody have comments to that? | ||
| Fzrider |
Just got a (Stealth) Drummer, race ECM and air filter. Kevin discouraged me from opening up the airbox. He says that I will lose HP because of the lack of positive pressure in the airbox once opened. I will leave it as is. I don't need more noise, if there is no HP to gain. | ||
| Typeone |
Fzrider, thats what i was mentioning too. i 'felt' it then Kevin also mentioned to me afterward. I had already gone back to a stock inner box. I have a swiss cheesed box on the garage shelf, wondering if i should hack it further. Kevin, or anyone that knows, what's the KDFab take on this mod these days now that you guys are getting such good results with the open airbox? I think I read that Kevin was a little surprised at the dyno results... whats the latest thought? | ||
| Jerseyguy |
The most recent testing we have done on the Drummer SS on a 12 indicates that the Race ECM, K&N filter and open airbox will yield the best results. I have just recently opened up the airbox on my '06 XB12Ss by duplicating the stock slots on the other side of the inner airbox, making two slots on the rear of the inner airbox and making an opening behind the screen on the front of the outer airbox cover. I haven't had a chance to try it yet due to the crappy weather and messy roads here in Jersey. | ||
| Kds1 |
Well here's my scoop on the matter....If you have the regular Drummer and race ecm and filter, I have had better results with the box closed...on the road that box gets a positive pulse, though it be small and it helps get the air through the frame and into the box...if you are sitting still in the dyno room, it's easier for the engine to not have to draw air through the frame ....my SS will make higher power #'s with the open airbox and the airfuel curve looks fine....altitude has alot to do with it also, if you are higher up with less 02 then you need all the help you can get...to me it's how the bike feels on the road not a chart on the website....if the bike is more responsive with the airbox closed then I'd leave it that way or vise versa....I prefer my airbox being closed on the models that breath through the frame, the newer style box needs to be open in my opinion....I know everyone has their own take on the matter, but I've built and tested with some ram-air boxes and had great success in learning what to look for, but your mods may work better with open or closed box...try both and see what feels the best... Kevin www.kdfab.com | ||
| Typeone |
great input, thanks Kevin! | ||
| Eat_a_duc |
Its done! I went ahead and did the "drilled" air box first and will cut more later if I feel the need. Took the bike out for a sixty mile ride and it did seem to pull a little better on the hills. I will not be able to test it at higher altitudes until later this spring... lots o snow. There is some noise from the intake but I kind of like it. So far I'm quite happy. Thank you all very much. | ||
| Thomas_lindemann |
Kevin, ive been waiting for somebody to say that! The bike does have a ram air system on it altough its not an extremely effective one. Ive had hayabusa's make really big power on a dyno with no air box but very bad drag et's i would expect the same with a XB would like to see some real world back to back testing on a dragstrip both ways. | ||
| Kds1 |
The testing has been done on an airstrip, I remember talking about it when it was being done and hearing the results.....it's a small amount of positive more than Mother Nature provides at any given time and we need a little more than we'll ever get so there it is.....I made a Ram air box for Tilley's race Buell at Daytona, and it worked so good that they had to put an electric fuel pump in line with a 280# drilled main to fuel it on the backstretch...it had a switch to turn the pump off in the infield turns, so I know that the design worked, alot of people made fun of Tripp and the bike that day but the same people finished behind him also.... Kevin www.kdfab.com |
