Ignition Questions Answered And An Introduction To The Daytona Twin Tec LLC Engine Controls for Harley-Davidson By
Daytona Twin Tec LLC Announces New Fuel Injection Technology for 2001 and Later Harley-Davidson( Motorcycles with Delphi Controller. TCFI Twin Cam Fuel Injection controller with optional WEGO Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen sensor interface allows quickly auto-tuning fuel curves on highly modified engines without dyno time. Daytona Beach, Florida April 21, 2003: The new TCFI Twin Cam Fuel Injection controller solves tuning problems with highly modified engines. Fully programmable plug-in replacement for the Delphi controller Robust alpha-N (throttle position and RPM based) fuel control eliminates problems with long duration/high overlap camshafts Fast on-road auto-tuning with the optional WEGO Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen sensor interface. Competitive "band-aid" products such as the Dynojet Power Commander III require extensive dyno tuning. Built-in data logging (free software available for download on our website) The TCFI and WEGO are competitively priced with other vendors' units. Product shipments will begin in June 2003. Major distributors that have committed to carrying these new products include: Arlen Ness, Axtell, Drag Specialties, Head Quarters (Canada) and TEC Distributing. About Daytona Twin Tec LLC Daytona Twin Tec LLC has a simple philosophy - do one thing and do it well. Our product focus is electronic fuel injection and ignition systems for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Our Twin Tec product line is based on the most advanced technology and manufactured locally in a highly automated ISO9000 rated facility. How does the Twin Tec TCFI compare to the RevTech DFO, Dynojet Power Commander, and Screamin Eagle EFI Tuner? Each system has optimum applications, where it is the most cost effective alternative or offers a clear performance advantage: Stock engines and engines with basic mods (aftermarket air cleaner and exhaust). The most cost effective choice is the RevTech DFO. This unit sells for under $200 retail and allows the user to easily trim the fuel delivery by means of screwdriver adjustments. The biggest drawback is that hookup requires cutting the OE wire harness and splicing in connections using crimp terminals. Ouch! 88 CID engines with performance camshaft and aftermarket air cleaner and exhaust. The Dynojet Power Commander III will get the job done for about $400 as long as the camshaft profile is not too radical. The Power Commander modifies the stock ECU injector drive, but is still a speed-density system. Past a certain point, manifold pressure becomes too erratic and the injector pulse width varies all over the place at idle and low RPM cruise. At this point, you need a robust alpha-N system like the Twin Tec TCFI. Also, Power Commander systems have no built-in auto-tune capability for fuel tables. If you get lucky you can download a table from their website that may work - else plan on spending a lot of time and money on the dyno. At $100-150/hour for dyno time, it doesn't take long to burn through the difference between the cost of the $400 Power Commander and a complete TFCI+WEGO kit for $950. The TCFI also features extensive data logging capability that will help you resolve any driveability issues. 95 CID engines with high compression, performance camshaft and aftermarket air cleaner, throttle body and exhaust. The Dynojet Power Commander III will still work OK at wide open throttle, but depending on the camshaft profile, you are likely to be left with some residual idle and cruise driveability issues. The more radical the engine mods, the better the Twin Tec TCFI will perform in comparison, and you won't have to spend much time on a dyno. The TCFI also gives you the ability to change warmup enrichment and idle air control parameters--very important with the more radical camshaft profiles. The data logging capability will help you resolve any driveability issues. Screamin' Eagle Stage I and II kits. At $460, the EFI Tuner is hard to beat - with fuel and ignition tables carefully mapped out by the factory. But deviate from the exact Screamin' Eagle combo and you are back to the same scenario as the Power Commander - lots of time on the dyno. The EFI Tuner provides two additional benefits: scan tool capability for reading and resetting diagnostic codes and minimal data logging capability. The biggest drawback is that the EFI Tuner "marries" itself to your ECU's serial number and can never be used on another bike. Do I need a load control dyno with exhaust sniffer? Regardless of what some people may claim, it is impossible to properly tune a fuel injection system on a modified engine without some means of covering the entire engine load range (from decel to wide open throttle) and exhaust gas analysis. If you use a system like the Dynojet Power Commander III, you had better find a shop with the DynoJet Model 250 load control dyno and optional air/fuel ratio monitor. You can accomplish the same result with the TCFI and optional WEGO by simply riding the bike on the road for several hours. As you run through different engine loads and RPM levels, the system auto-tunes the fuel tables. Will the TCFI work with the older Marelli fuel injection system, the fuel injection used on new Buell® models, or with the V-RodTM? No, the TCFI is specifically intended for use with 2001 and later H-D® models with the Delphi® ECU. The Delphi® ECU has a 36 pin connector. The older Marelli system has a 35 pin connector. Newer Buell® models use a small ECU with two 12 pin Deutsch connectors. The V-RodTM uses a more complex Delphi® ECU with additional outputs and a link to the electronic instrument cluster. Due to the limited market, we have no plans to support these applications.
Can I use the TCFI on a custom engine? Probably not. The TCFI is not intended for fuel injection retrofit. It requires all the same sensors and actuators as the stock Delphi ECU. This includes the crankshaft position sensor. What applications has the TCFI been tested with? We have tested and qualified the TCFI with modified 88 CID and 95 CID engines. Setup files are provided for these applications. In time, we will test the unit with larger engine displacements. What are the limitations of the stock throttle body? The stock throttle body is inadequate for engines greater than 88 CID. With a 95 CID engine, the stock throttle body will not flow sufficient air above 4500 RPM. Maximum power will be limited to about 105 HP. Our tests have shown that boring out the stock throttle body is ineffective. An aftermarket throttle body greater than 50mm is required for maximum power. The stock air cleaner is grossly restrictive and must always be replaced for any performance application. You can easily verify air flow restrictions with the TCFI Log data logging software. Examine MAP (manifold pressure) at wide open throttle. If MAP drops off as RPM increases, you know you have a problem. If the WEGO is used for auto-tuning fuel tables, should it be left hooked up? There are pros and cons. Modern race cars run wide-band exhaust gas oxygen sensors that continually make corrections as track and engine conditions change. You will have the same benefit - automatic corrections, if your operating conditions change or if you make further engine modifications. However, the WEGO sensor is delicate and expensive. It will not tolerate exposure to any leaded fuel. If the sensor degrades, engine performance will be affected. If sensor life is not an issue in your application, leave it hooked up. If you want to remove the sensor, we sell an 18 x 1.5mm hex plug. The WEGO-LCD unit is intended for fair weather use or dyno lab environments. Water splash may damage the LCD display. If you use a WEGO-LCD for initial tuning, you should later relocate it near the TCFI module under the seat or side cover where it will be protected. The standard WEGO unit is fully sealed and impervious to moisture. How do I set up and tune the TCFI for a particular application? We provide setup files for common applications based on using the WEGO for auto-tuning fuel tables. Some tweaking of idle fuel and ignition advance is generally required. We suggest that you download and the latest version of the TCFI instructions and PC Link TCFI software for more details. Do I need to spend time on a dyno? On-road auto-tuning using the WEGO generally gives much better results as the operating conditions are more realistic. Do the on-road auto-tuning first. Then, if you want to get maximum horsepower at wide open throttle, do dyno runs to fine tune the ignition advance and air/fuel ratio. What kind of engines can I tune with the WEGO (Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor System) ? The WEGO system can be used to tune most four stroke gasoline powered internal combustion engines: Harley-Davidson® Twin-Cam 88® with fuel injection and Twin Tec TCFI unit. The WEGO or WEGO-LCD can be used to auto-tune fuel tables. This is the primary application that the WEGO technology was designed for. It eliminates the need for a load control dyno with exhaust sniffer and allows for tuning under more realistic on-road operating conditions. Harley-Davidson carbureted engines. The WEGO-LCD is an ideal tuning aid, either for on-road or dyno tuning. Knowing the exact air/fuel ratio greatly simplifies the task of carburetor jetting. Other motorcycle engines and small engines in general. The small size and low power consumption make the WEGO-LCD an ideal tuning aid. For applications without an alternator, the WEGO-LCD can be run from a small 12 volt gel cell lead acid battery such as the type used for backup power in alarm systems. The WEGO-LCD should not be used with two stroke or marine engines where oil or water vapor in the exhaust will cause serious problems with the sensor.
Can I use the WEGO in place of an exhaust sniffer when dyno tuning? Regardless of what some people may claim, it is impossible to properly tune a fuel injection system on a modified engine without some means of exhaust gas analysis. Shops can use the WEGO in place of expensive exhaust gas sniffers. If your dyno has a data acquisition system with a spare 0-5 volt input, you can connect the output of the WEGO and log air/fuel ratio during dyno runs. Will exhaust reversion affect the WEGO? The WEGO system will give inaccurate results if your exhaust system suffers from reversion effects. Reversion is the term for a negative pressure wave that can suck ambient air back into the exhaust. Open exhausts, such as drag pipes, always suffer from severe reversion effects and are not suitable for use with the WEGO. We recommend slip-on type mufflers such as the Cycle Shack "M" type. These eliminate the crossover and have a moderate amount of baffling that limits reversion while still allowing maximum power at high RPM. Reversion effects will also occur with certain exhausts used on "bagger" style motorcycles, where two pipes split off near the rear cylinder. You may have to block off the pipe running to the left side. Reversion effects will be most noticeable at idle, part throttle low RPM cruise, and decel. If you see a very lean mixture under these conditions, the cause is most likely reversion of ambient air. If you are using the WEGO with a TCFI unit, you can disable closed loop operation under conditions where reversion occurs. Refer to the TCFI instructions for details. What is the difference between a wide-band and conventional exhaust gas oxygen sensor? Conventional (narrow-band) exhaust gas oxygen sensors have been widely used in automotive applications since 1981. Conventional sensors have one to four wires and can only sense air/fuel ratio over a relatively narrow 14.5 to 15.0 range. They are intended to be used with 3-way catalytic converters that require operation near the stoichiometric point (14.7 air/fuel ratio). The range of the narrow-band sensors is inadequate for closed loop control outside of idle and cruise conditions. Wide-band sensors were developed for lab and specialized automotive applications. The 5-wire NTK/Honda sensor used with the WEGO operates over a range of 10.4 to infinite air/fuel ratio. This allows closed loop control under all engine operating conditions. Where can I find out more information about wide-band sensor technology? For more information about wide-band oxygen sensors, we suggest that you visit the Tech Edge website. The NTK L1H1 UEGO sensor mentioned on this website is similar to the Honda sensor used with the WEGO. What are the limitations of the wide-band sensor? The sensor will be quickly degraded if leaded racing gasoline is used. Under these conditions, expected sensor life will be less than 10 hours. As the sensor degrades, free air calibration will become impossible. Oil or other hydrocarbon residues in the exhaust will affect the sensor readings. Likewise, gasoline containing ethanol will result is slight air/fuel reading errors. The sensor responds to the partial pressure of oxygen. Excessive exhaust back pressure will affect sensor readings. This should not be a problem with any performance exhaust system. When used with a turbo, make sure the sensor is located downstream of the turbo. Make sure the WEGO power is on whenever the engine is run. Without power to the internal heating element, the sensor will clog with hydrocarbon residues and may be permanently degraded. If you want to remove the sensor, we sell an 18 x 1.5mm hex plug. If the WEGO is used for auto-tuning fuel tables, should it be left hooked up? The O2 sensor is installed in the rear pipe as close to the exhaust valve as possible what this does is take the air fuel ratio and gives the info to the Wego which converts the info to the TCFI unit and the TCFI adjust the air fuel and adjusts it to the optimum for the best performance for what modifications the bike has had done to it. Modern race cars run wide-band exhaust gas oxygen sensors that continually make corrections as track and engine conditions change. You will have the same benefit - automatic corrections if your operating conditions change or if you make further engine modifications. However, the WEGO sensor is delicate and expensive. It will not tolerate exposure to any leaded fuel. If the sensor degrades, engine performance will be affected. If sensor life is not an issue in your application, leave it hooked up. If you want to remove the sensor, we sell an 18 x 1.5mm hex plug.
Why do I need a Twin Tec ignition? If you like to go slow and don't mind being embarrassed when your buddies leave you in the dust, you don't need our products! Most Harley® owners want to improve their motorcycle's performance, it's just part of the scene. You can easily add 20-30 HP with relatively simple and low cost modifications. You will get the greatest return on investment with the following modifications: · Twin Tec ignition · Low restriction air cleaner and exhaust (typically slip-on mufflers) · Carburetor tuning (jetting) · Performance camshaft and related valvetrain components The Twin Tec ignition gives you several important benefits: Adjustable RPM limiter. Depending on the camshaft and other valvetrain modifications you make, peak power will likely be around 6000 RPM, well above the RPM limit of the stock ignition. Adjustable advance. You can fine tune the advance to meet your requirements. The Twin Tec systems comes with enough adjustment range for most applications. You can also program a custom advance curve using our optional PC link and free software. Single fire (further explained below). Note that all Twin Cam 88 engines are already factory equipped with single fire ignition. Other Harley-Davidson engines will benefit from conversion to single fire. If you make certain camshaft and carburetor jetting changes, conversion to single fire may be required to avoid backfiring problems. Multiple spark (further explained below). Enhances starting and idle quality. Reduces plug fouling - especially if the carburetor has been re-jetted. How do I set a safe RPM limit? Twin Tec ignitions have an adjustable RPM limiter. You can set the RPM limit from 3,000 to 9,900 RPM in 100 RPM steps by means of two rotary switches. The only exception is our Model 1005-OE that has a fixed RPM limit. Harley-Davidson stock ignition modules generally have the RPM limit programmed at 5,600 RPM. If you modify the valvetrain, peak horsepower will probably occur above 6,000 RPM and you will need to increase the RPM limit. Check with the manufacturer. They can recommend a safe RPM limit. We do not recommend increasing the RPM limit of a stock engine above 5,800 RPM. How can I optimize the timing advance? Twin Tec ignitions allow you to easily tailor the ignition timing advance to your application. Most Harley-Davidson owners make performance modifications in stages. The advantage of a Twin Tec unit is that you will always be able to optimize the timing to match your exact requirements. Models 1005, 1006, and 1007 come with two families of advance curves: street and race. The actual curves are listed in the installation instructions that you can download. Use the street advance curves for stock or mildly modified engines. The mode switch is used to select the advance curve family. Once you have selected an advance curve family, you can use the advance slope switch to change the shape of the curve. Higher switch settings result in a more aggressive curve. You can experiment with progressively higher switch settings. As a general rule of thumb, you will obtain maximum power by sing the highest setting possible without audible spark knock. Additional details are given in the instructions. The TC88 unit has a 3D advance surface based on RPM and manifold pressure. Since Twin Cam 88® engines have a non-adjustable crankshaft position sensor, there is no mechanical means for setting the initial timing. The TC88 unit solves the problem. Initial timing can be adjusted over a ±5° range by means of a rotary switch. A second switch allows you to change the slope of the advance surface. Higher switch setting result in more aggressive advance. The use of a 3D surface and the wide adjustment range afforded by the two switches allows you to accommodate most applications. If you are doing dyno tuning or have specialized requirements, you can program your own advance curve or surface by using our optional PC link and free software. The software allows you to graphically edit the advance. You can also offset the rear cylinder timing over a ±5° range. Harley-Davidson engine tuners have found that the rear cylinder often runs somewhat hotter and thus reaches the knock limit first. Slightly retarding the rear cylinder allows more overall advance and may generate more power. What is the difference between single fire and dual fire? Single fire and dual fire refers to the number of times the spark plug fires during each four stroke cycle. The terminology is somewhat unique to Harley-Davidson engines and is by no means consistently applied. For example, Custom Chrome Industries, one of the largest distributors of Harley-Davidson aftermarket parts, uses the opposite terminology. Their single fire systems correspond to what most other companies refer to as dual fire. With the exception of the new Twin-Cam 88 and late model Sportster 1200 engines, all carbureted Harley-Davidson engines have been dual fire. A single coil winding with two high voltage output terminals fires the spark plugs on both cylinders simultaneously. Each plug is fired twice during each four stroke cycle. This approach was used to cut costs as it eliminates the need for a dual-point distributor or a second coil and additional electronics. Dual fire results in a number of potential problems. Most late model automotive engines are distributorless. Many of these engines use coil packs where a single coil winding fires two spark plugs. When one spark plug fires on the compression stroke the other spark plug is firing on the exhaust stroke. This approach is termed "wasted spark" and is widely used. The wasted spark always occurs on the exhaust stroke because the engines have even firing intervals (i.e. 90° for a V8) and cylinders are always paired so that the pistons are 360° out of phase (i.e. one on the compression stroke when the other is on the exhaust stroke). The wasted spark causes little energy loss and no harmful effect on the exhaust stroke. The situation is quite different with a dual-fire ignition on a Harley-Davidson V-twin engine with 315° and 405° firing intervals. The graphic shows what occurs. When the rear cylinder is fired on the compression stroke, the front cylinder is on the exhaust stroke - which is OK. But when the front cylinder is fired on the compression stroke, the rear cylinder is already on the intake stroke! Under some conditions, a combustible mixture may exist in the rear cylinder at this point and the wasted spark causes a backfire through the carburetor. Long duration camshafts and improper carburetor jetting can contribute to the problem. Additional information on this subject may be found on the Mikuni web site.
The Problem with Dual Fire Ignition A single-fire ignition eliminates the backfire problem and enhances idle quality. The single-fire ignition uses separate coil windings and electronics to fire each spark plug independently. Spark firing occurs only on the compression stroke. Conversion of older carbureted Harley-Davidson engines to single fire is highly recommended. There is no downside to single fire, other than the cost of the conversion. Twin Tec Models 1005, 1006, and 1007 have switch selectable single and dual-fire operating modes. You can initially install one of our units and run in dual fire mode with your original equipment coil. You can then easily upgrade to single fire by adding an appropriate coil. If you have a tach, it will continue to operate properly when connected to the tach output from the Twin Tec ignition (some competitive systems require that you purchase a tach adapter). How does multiple spark work? Many readers may be familiar with automotive multiple spark ignitions, such as the MSD 6-series. These are capacitive discharge systems that fire a series of short sparks. The Twin Tec multiple spark technology works on a somewhat different principle but the end result is similar. Coil primary current is repeatedly switched on and off by the processor. When the current is switched on, energy is stored in the coil's magnetic field. When the current is switched off, the stored energy is discharged as a spark. All Twin Tec units can fire a continuous series of sparks from the advanced timing point to top dead center. Multiple sparks are of no benefit if conditions of homogeneous mixture distribution and good swirl turbulence exist in the combustion chamber. Under these ideal conditions, a single spark (even of relatively short duration) can generate a flame kernel that will rapidly propagate into a well established flame front. Multiple sparks can provide significant benefits under less than ideal combustion conditions. If a flammable mixture is not present at the spark plug when the first spark is fired, better conditions may exist during subsequent sparks. Instead of a complete misfire, it may still be possible to initiate combustion and generate some power. Multiple spark will improve starting and idle quality. It will also reduce lean surge during part throttle cruise. What spark plugs wires are recommended for optimum performance? Three types of spark plug wires are commonly available: original equipment style carbon core suppression, low resistance spiral core, and solid core. Carbon core suppression wires cause some energy loss due to their high resistance (about 5,000 ohms/foot). Replacing carbon core suppression wires with low resistance spiral core wires only increases spark energy by about 10%. Contrary to any claims, you will not see a performance improvement by changing spark plug wires. On the other hand, carbon core wires can deteriorate over time and any wires more than a few years old are candidates for replacement. If you are going to install new spark plug wires, buy a set of low resistance spiral core wires. Most are less than 500 ohms/foot. At that point, almost no energy is lost in the wire. There are some new versions with very low resistance (50 ohms/foot), but the advantage is insignificant for the short lengths encountered in motorcycle applications. Do not use solid core spark plug wires. These radiate excessive electromagnetic noise that will cause radio interference and may even cause the processor in the ignition module to glitch. We do not recommend Nology spark plug wires. These have a partially shielded jacket that forms a energy storage capacitor. When the spark plug fires, energy stored in this capacitor is rapidly discharged causing a short but intense arc discharge. There may be some advantage if the spark plugs are fouled, but the Nology wires tend to radiate more electromagnetic noise. How about spark plugs? Contrary to much of the marketing hype, novel spark plug designs generally fail to show any measurable performance improvements. Don't waste your money! The biggest problem with spark plugs for Harley-Davidson engines is fouling. The trick is to find a heat range that is a good compromise between fouling and pre-ignition. A platinum tipped plug would also be a waste of money, since it would likely foul long before it eroded. Stay with the recommended plug gap. Use only resistor type spark plugs. The non-resistor type radiate excessive electromagnetic noise that will cause radio interference and may even cause the processor in the ignition module to glitch.
Daytona Twin Tec Product Features 1. Provides fuel auto-tune capability when used with Twin Tec TCFI fuel injection controller 2. Versatile tuning aid for all carbureted and fuel injected engines 3. Requires wide-band oxygen sensor P/N 36531-PHM-A01 available from Honda car dealers. Sensor fits standard 18x1.5mm exhaust fitting. 4. Highly accurate with less than (0.1 AFR error over 10.4- 19.5 AFR range 5. Easy free-air calibration procedure corrects for sensor aging effects 6. 0-5V analog output (other ranges available on special order) 7. Optional LCD display provides great readability in bright sunlight 8. Wide supply voltage range from 11-18V allows operation from battery on small engines. Current drain is approximately 1 amp. 9. Compact size: 3.7-in. L x 1.7-in.W x 0.75-in.H. Standard WEGO unit without LCD is fully encapsulated and impervious to moisture. The WEGO is a versatile instrument with multiple applications. When used with the Twin Tec TCFI fuel injection controller, the WEGO allows fuel auto-tuning capability during actual on-road riding conditions. WEGO units with the optional LCD display can also be used as a tuning aid for almost any gasoline powered engine. The compact size and wide supply voltage range allows operation from small rechargeable batteries in a broad range of applications. Wide-Band Oxygen Sensor on Rear Pipe The WEGO uses a high tech sensor originally developed for the new Honda Insight hybrid vehicle. By utilizing miniature surface mount electronics technology, digital signal processing techniques, and a switching power supply for the sensor heater, the WEGO provides the same level of accuracy as lab systems costing thousands of dollars. WEGO units have a 0-5V analog output that is compatible with the TCFI fuel injection controller and most data acquisition systems. Part Number Description Suggested Retail WEGO, Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor Interface (Requires $254.00 Sensor P/N 36531-PHM-A01 Available from Honda Car Dealer) WEGO-LCD Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor Interface with $419.00 Optional LCD Display (Requires Sensor P/N 36531-PHM-A01 Available from Honda Car Dealer) EGO-36531 Wide-band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor Kit (for WEGO or $358.00 WEGO-LCD. Consists of sensor P/N 36531-PHM-A01 and 18x1.5mm weld nut for exhaust pipe) WEGO Wide-Band Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor Interface Daytona Twin Tec LLC, Contact: Back to the Garage...
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