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Maintaing stock but not so lean on the fuel

larryjmiller

larryjmiller

Junior Member
I was looking at the air cleaner/slip on thread the other day and went to the site Glider pointed out that has the aftermarket fuel gizmo that extends the fuel timing to the injectors to make the engine run a little more rich. If I read this correctly, this should make the engine run a little cooler. I have the Cal emissions package.

Seems to me this same thing could be done by modifying the mapping at the dealer instead of buying and installing that gizmo. Not because of the price but I don't like the squeeze type tap connectors and I don't want a hassle if I have a warrantee issue down the road.

I know everyone says you "need" to do the stage one upgrade but my new stock bike is plenty fast for me as it is. I would like to have the engine run cooler and last longer if it has been set up super lean if I can just do a minor fuel tweak. Is this a possibility?
 
larryjmiller said:
Seems to me this same thing could be done by modifying the mapping at the dealer instead of buying and installing that gizmo. Not because of the price but I don't like the squeeze type tap connectors and I don't want a hassle if I have a warrantee issue down the road.
Click to expand...

I think you misunderstood about the installation. It's a plug and play, no squeeze type connectors. It can be removed and return to complete stock without a trace.
All factory type plugs on the unit.
 
+1 on what Smitty says. You will find the mantra on every Harley forum you visit - "you HAVE to do a Stage 1 on a Harley" or "performance sucked until I did my Stage 1". I'm with you. My stock 2008 Street Glide has plenty of power for me in the 5100 miles of mixed use I've put it through so far. This includes back roads, interstates, 2 up, loaded down Atlanta to Daytona, etc. I think I understand how someone with more experience on different types of bikes could feel like these things are underpowered but I'm thrilled so far. Also people with much more aggressive riding styles might feel the need for more oomph.

Anyways, you do not have to do any part of a Stage 1 mod if you don't want to. Again, like Smitty said, it's one of your options. Your engine was designed to last many, many miles operating at the temperatures it runs at out of the box stock. If you want to cool it down some, it certainly can't hurt. If you're mostly worried about your own comfort, a pair of heat shields is a much cheaper option.
 
I put an XIED (Nightrider.com Performance Parts) which is supposed to richen up you fuel on my 08 EG mainly to help with the heat. Not really sure if it's done anything. Kind of like a buddy of mine said he can't tell the difference between 215 and 230 degrees there both hot to him... I can say that after riding my EG for 6 months now that will be going to a stage 1 just not sure about the pipes yet...
 
I'm with you guys who are quite happy with the performance of their bike as it comes stock from the factory. Maybe I'm just getting old but my /09 Ultra has all the power I need and goes fast enough just like it is. I wanted it to run abit cooler so I've installed an HD oil cooler and run Mobil 1 20W50 V twin full synthetic in the engine and Amsoil 75/90 gear oil in the transmission. I think that should be pretty good?
 
If you all are worried about the heat issue, install a fan which mounts where the stock horn is located. The one thats on my ride comes on when I have to sit in traffic for a extended amount of time. Cools the bike right down.
 
Thanks guys;
I wasn't worried about the heat for my person (legs) in general. From reading the blogs I became concerned that the engine itseslf gets too hot being too lean and would burn a valve or something.

I know I am riding an air cooled V twin and it is supposed to run a little hot when it's hot outside (summer). I do like the idea of adding the heat deflectors. The right side is pretty much always hot. I figured out that I would probably try the stock HD heat deflector on the right side as it looks like the frame is designed to easily take the fittings.

Thanks for the support. I plan on leaving my bike stock (except for a few chrome extras). I had a buddy at work that had a perfect stock soft tail and he added a cam and bigger carb and it never worked right after that. Although he was an awesome guy, he wasn't a great mechanic, didn't have the correct test equipment and was sold a pig in a poke IMHO. I love my RK (don't tell the wife hahahahahahaha).

It's hard for me to believe that an afternoon (weekend) hack could do a better job designing aftermarket add-ons than the factory engineers could do, even with the management (Dilbert) constraints that I'm sure they encounter as we all do at work.

Engineering managers are mostly a bunch of jerks. If they were good at what they do, the company most always won't pick them to supervise the other good guys.

Sorry if I'm a little sarcastic, but I've been around a long time and a lot of time, the jerks seem to get ahead.
 
I am not a power guy either. I like it but don't need it. My 09 Ultra had plenty of power, that is not why I went to a stage one, not at all. I did it because the stock engine was so restrcted it was being held back and it ran too tight and too hot. Way too hot. So I went to free'er flowing pipes, free'er air flow and a fuel management system (TFI) and then went to syn oil (Mobil One). All for the reason of getting it to run cooler, not for more power. And I can tell you, it works. Still hot, but nothing like it was. I would no doubt do it again. All I have left to do is add an oil cooler, which I will do soon. Of course, although my pipes are far from LOUD, I like the rumble over stock. Just a freebie for the mods I did in my book. :D
 
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