Custom Raider

Author Topic: How to Use the PCV autotune to create a GOOD map and reduce backfiring  (Read 12072 times)

Capt_Zoom

  • Raider
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2009
  • Posts: 7605
  • Location: Baton Rouge, LA
  • Referrals: 1
    • View Profile
Also available on http://yamahapowercruisers.com/



How to use PCV Autotune to create a good map

Postby Capt_Zoom » Mon Feb 18, 2013 2:39 pm
How to use PCV Autotune to create a good map
PCV and Autotune How To:

Here's a quick how to for using the Autotune for your Power Commander V (PCV) which will work on all raiders 08-current.

A. In this how to I'm assuming that you've installed the PCV and Autotune correctly and are using the wide band o2 sensor which is required for the autotune to work. For instructions see Power Commanders site (linked in next section)

B. Important links
a. Power Commander http://www.powercommander.com/powercomm ... fault.aspx
b. Downloads http://www.powercommander.com/powercomm ... fault.aspx
c. Power Commander raider page http://www.powercommander.com/powercomm ... 00&yr=2009

C. Important tips and notes:
a. Ride for a sufficient time to get a good map. This means changes of less than 5% in your trim table. If you have more than a couple of cells that aren't less then 5%..you have more riding to do. I think I had 5 cells total that were over 5% and 3 of those were due to air reversion. I totaled 300 miles before trimming.
b. During your initial rides before trimming try to prevent air reversion (that weird sucking and popping sound from the pipes on decel) by not using the motor/gearing for braking. Simply pull your clutch and use the brakes. This is a bit counter intuitive for riding but will result in a better first trim.
c. Make sure you don't trim your maps more than once or twice. It causes undesirable effects, particularly really rich cells where air reversion commonly occur.
d. Don't willy-nilly accept trim changes. Examine each cell to see whats occurring. Anything above 5% change is likely not complete and anything over say 12% is likely due to air reversion. If you repeatedly accept trim changes without examining them you'll end up with very rich AFR tables...not good.
e. Manually adjust your cells if needed (explained below).
f. Air reversion refers to air coming up the exhaust pipe and screwing up the reading of the wide band o2 sensor. Air reversion can also cause popping and backfiring and occurs with greater frequency in shorter exhaust pipes.

D. Install the PCV software to your PC-based laptop using the supplied USB connector.

E. Go to Power Commanders website and download the all map pack http://www.powercommander.com/downloads ... 13-all.exe (these are for the Raider)
a. At the same time open word or notepad and copy down the names of the maps that are available. You'll need the numbers to find your starting map. The current numbers are:
M22-013-000 Zero map
M22-013-001 Stock exhaust, stock air filter
M22-013-002 Mortons Custom Cycle Raider Drag Pipes , Stock or aftermarket air filter
M22-013-003 Mortons Custom Cycle Raider Drag Pipes , Mortons Custom Cycle Raider Air Kit
M22-013-004 Cobra Speedster Swept exhaust, Stock or aftermarket air filter
M22-013-005 Road Burner Velocity lites 2-1 exhaust, Stock or aftermarket air filter
M22-013-006 Hard Krome 2-1 Sideburner exhaust, Stock or aftermarket air filter
M22-013-007 Hard Krome 3" Big Straights exhaust, Stock or aftermarket air filter
M22-013-008 Vance & Hines Big radius 2-2 exhaust, Stock or aftermarket air filter
M22-013-009 Vance & Hines Big radius 2-1exhaust, Stock or aftermarket air filter
M22-013-ALL
All Maps

F. Place these maps in a folder on your desktop (call is PCV so its easy to find). You might need to unzip these maps if they are in a zip file.

G. Turn the bike's key to the on position and Run the Power commander V program on your laptop while attached to the bike via USB.

H. Double check your configuration. Some riders have had dealers do the install and they never configured this properly. Make sure you autotune is enabled and configured properly. See the manual to do this.

I. Select open fuel map and select the map you want. You'll want a map that was made for pipes that are either the same or similar to the one's you have. For my LA choppers pipes with airbox mod I selected the Cobra Swepts map since it was the closest.

J. Send this map to the autotune using the send map button.

K. As a precaution I always save a copy of the map I'm using with the date installed so I named mine something like “9-2-09 starting map no trim changes. You'll do this with the save map file

L. Next fire the bike up and see if everything is still running well. You should be able to see your RPM and throttle position on the right of your laptop screen.

M. If everything is good close the Power Commander Software and unplug the laptop.

N. Take the bike for a ride.

O. I put 300-400 miles on the bike before messing with the trims. Dynojet assured me that this should enable a solid map to be made. While riding attempt to not engine/gear brake by pulling in the clutch and using your breaks to slow down. This reduces air reversion which the PCV will read as an overly lean condition and will thus richen the maps cells for that throttle position and rpm. Cell location can be identified using throttle position and rpm.

P. Once you've ridden enough connect your laptop again and check out your trim table. Most of your cells should say 5% or less. If you have a few (7 or so) that are more it isn't a problem since we can fix these manually.

Q. Examine your oddball cells (greater than 5%).

R. Check the trim table and write down the coordinates (rpm by throttle position) of any cell that seems out of place. I had 4 cells in a line horizontally around 1200 and then another 3 vertically From 2500 -3000 rpm. All of these except one (-11) showed up as 20's. This suggests I was getting reversion in these coordinates. After writing these coordinants down I went to the AFR table and entered zero into each of these cells. Entering zero makes the cell inactive to trim table changes...and will therefore use the original base AFR from the cobra swepts. I completed this for each of the suspect cells. An alternative is to make these cells the average of the cells around them but if you accept trim changes later it will change them.

S. Then I thought about what Johnnydinla posted in his resister mod to trick the motor post about backfiring and adding the little resister. I talked this out with dynojet and we decided to add 2 or 3% into the zero throttle position from 2000RPM up to max RPM. Doing this should reduced the backfire when you completely let off the throttle quickly which was where I was getting backfiring during decel. (I went with 3%)

T. Send your new map to the bike after making the changes and save it as something like 10-2-09 Trim attempt 1

U. Test ride your new map. If you like it then keep it. If not ride another 300 trying to prevent air reversion and repeat the above process carefully scrutinizing your trim tables cells.

V. These steps were given to me during a face to face conversation with a power commander rep. We talked about it for about an hour. Following these steps resulted in a map for my raider that is near perfect with great power, reasonable mileage, and very little popping. I might get one per week or so of riding.

W. IMPORTANT NOTE: the autotune is default set up to allow trim changes of up to 20%. If you don't scrutinize your cells and willy-nilly accept trim changes what happens is it will keep adjusting your AFR by up to 20% for each accepted trim. If you accept your trim 5 times you could end up with a 120% trim change from the base map you started from. If this happens you will likely run extremely rich…symptoms include killing, black smoke from exhaust like a diesel truck, and sputtering. If you get to this point get rid of your map and start over from new.

X. Last, I have not experimented with making maps for both cylenders or making maps by gear. Power Commanders reps have stated that making a map for each cylinder isn't very beneficial since the jugs are less than 5% different so one map is sufficient for both. If someone had experimented with these please make a how to.


Follup notes by Capt_Zoom
• According to Johhnydila's post on the resister mod anything above 4% change to the AFR (make sure your doing this in the AFR table) made things worse. So I went with 3% and it turned out perfect. However, I was talking about this with a support guy from Power commander and he said that they go up to 10% sometimes. Giver her a try but go slow on your adjustments.
• BTW for those wanting to read these blogs from FXstein (a reputable dyno tuner tunign a new vmaz) here they are, read them in order if possible.

PCV
http://www.starvmax.com/blog/from-the-d ... er=fxstein

Autotune 1
http://www.starvmax.com/blog/dynojet-po ... er=fxstein

Autotune 2
http://www.starvmax.com/blog/dynojet-po ... er=fxstein
« Last Edit: May 01, 2013, 01:32:35 PM by Capt_Zoom »
Kick Logic To The Curb!


TRaider_John

  • Patriot Guard Rider and SEA-ROAR member
  • Global Moderator
  • Raider
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Join Date: May 2009
  • Posts: 7934
  • Location: Charlotte, NC area
  • Referrals: 3
    • View Profile
Very complete, Captain.  You beat me to it and probably did a better job than I would have.  Let's see, what will I do now.

Budzo

  • Warrior
  • ****
  • *
  • *
  • Join Date: Mar 2009
  • Posts: 1043
  • Location: Milwaukee, WI
  • Referrals: 0
    • View Profile
Well Done

firer8r

  • Raider
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 2870
  • Location: Woodward, Oklahoma
  • Referrals: 0
    • View Profile
Great job!  Complete and informative.

Metric

  • Roadliner
  • ***
  • *
  • *
  • Join Date: Sep 2009
  • Posts: 942
  • Location: Henderson, Nevada
  • Referrals: 0
    • View Profile
Good job...I posted my gear by gear map that Dyno Jet did for me a while back.
SEMPER FI  " welcome home" combat vets
Marine Riders (Las Vegas)     Patriot Guard Rider

foxspy

  • Guest
I have the Vance and Hines 2 into 1 w/ autotune and took a 300 mile trip yesterday. I pulled in the clutch every time I slowed down and did not do any engine braking. I trimmed the fuel map this morning and also added the value 3 to 0% TPS from 1700rpm up to help w/ decel popping. It helped out a lot, but seems to pop a little at lower RPMs. I wonder if I add a number or two to the lower RPMs at 0% TPS....

Capt_Zoom

  • Raider
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2009
  • Posts: 7605
  • Location: Baton Rouge, LA
  • Referrals: 1
    • View Profile
I have the Vance and Hines 2 into 1 w/ autotune and took a 300 mile trip yesterday. I pulled in the clutch every time I slowed down and did not do any engine braking. I trimmed the fuel map this morning and also added the value 3 to 0% TPS from 1700rpm up to help w/ decel popping. It helped out a lot, but seems to pop a little at lower RPMs. I wonder if I add a number or two to the lower RPMs at 0% TPS....

According to Johhnydila's post on the resister mod anything above 4% change to the AFR (make sure your doing this in the AFR table) made things worse.  So I went with 3% and it turned out perfect.  However, I was talking about this with a support guy from Power commander and he said that they go up to 10% sometimes.  Giver her a try but go slow on your adjustments.
Kick Logic To The Curb!

RedStar Raider

  • WARR MEMBER
  • Raider
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • Join Date: Dec 2009
  • Posts: 5952
  • Location: Lake Stevens, WA
  • Referrals: 3
    • View Profile
Hey Captain, I installed my software into my PC V last night from my laptop.  Using the one below, w/o it being installed on the bike. I am installing it in my bike in a few minutes from now. Here's my question, will I need to reinstall, after I actually put it in the bike? When I did it last night, I got a message at that bottom that read "MAP was Successfully Sent". So when I fire it up, I will have the laptop hooked up, and will verify the readings, and go for a ride, come back, reconnect, and then what? I know I need about 300 miles, but do you check on how things are going w/o screwing it up?

RSR

  M22-013-008    Vance & Hines Big radius 2-2 exhaust, Stock or aftermarket air filter
 
 

F.   Place these maps in a folder on your desktop (call is PCV so its easy to find).  You might need to unzip these maps if they are in a zip file.

G.   Turn the bike’s key to the on position and Run the Power commander V program on your laptop while attached to the bike via USB.

H.   Double check your configuration.  Some riders have had dealers do the install and they never configured this properly.  Make sure you autotune is enabled and configured properly.  See the manual to do this.
 
I.   Select open fuel map and select the map you want.  You’ll want a map that was made for pipes that are either the same or similar to the one’s you have.  For my LA choppers pipes with airbox mod I selected the Cobra Swepts map since it was the closest.

J.   Send this map to the autotune using the send map button.

K.   As a precaution I always save a copy of the map I’m using with the date installed so I named mine something like “9-2-09 starting map no trim changes”.  You’ll do this with the save map file

L.   Next fire the bike up and see if everything is still running well.  You should be able to see your RPM and throttle position on the right of your laptop screen.

M.   If everything is good close the Power Commander Software and unplug the laptop.
RedStar Raider             FOUR WHEELS MOVE YOUR BODY, TWO WHEELS MOVE YOUR SOUL.

RedStar Raider

  • WARR MEMBER
  • Raider
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • Join Date: Dec 2009
  • Posts: 5952
  • Location: Lake Stevens, WA
  • Referrals: 3
    • View Profile
Thanx Zoom,
That was a load to read :D I have everything ready to go except, hooking up power to the PC V. I want to tie into the tail light circuit like it recommends. Which of the two wires do i use? One is ginormous, the other is not ;D Do you remember off the top of your head? I also loaded the map for a 09 with V&H 2 into 2 exhaust mine is an 08, any problem doing that? I also got the BAK from Baron's, but have not installed it yet. I'm thinking I should install that first, but I want to fire it up, and ride it around for a few miles before doing that?

RSR
Hey Captain, I installed my software into my PC V last night from my laptop.  Using the one below, w/o it being installed on the bike. I am installing it in my bike in a few minutes from now. Here's my question, will I need to reinstall, after I actually put it in the bike? When I did it last night, I got a message at that bottom that read "MAP was Successfully Sent". So when I fire it up, I will have the laptop hooked up, and will verify the readings, and go for a ride, come back, reconnect, and then what? I know I need about 300 miles, but do you check on how things are going w/o screwing it up?

RSR

  M22-013-008    Vance & Hines Big radius 2-2 exhaust, Stock or aftermarket air filter

I sent you a pm with a more complex description but the simpliest answer I can give you is yes...it should be in the PCV still (but I suggest you double check).  Some retailers add maps for customers before shipping so if it can last through shipping it should last from your house to the bike. 

Second, as long as you don't manually change any cells that you don't want to or accept the trim changes you won't screw up your map. 

I also send you a write up with some links to FXsteins writeup of PCV and autotune tuning.  HE echos most of what i have said but added some map examples and curve diagrams...its a good read.  I'm going to try adding some of his tips to my how-to after I try them out myself.  In particular he checked his TPS sensor singnal and changed some trim values to zero (meaning don't let the autotune tune this cell) in a few select areas of the map where you won't be getting any good samples anyway (this should reduce the likelyhood of it messing up a map). 

Last I would still try to do your map in one "trim acceptance".  Doing so will reduce the likelyhood of a cumulative effect in your map.  I would ride until all but 5-6 or so cells are less than +-5 in the trim table (not including cells under 1000 rpm since they are below idle...change these to zero).  If you can get to that you map is fairly good and you can accept.  Then decide if you like the performance...if you don't try riding another 200-300 the same way to further tune the map...I hope this makes sense.

BTW for those wanting to read these blogs from FXstein (a reputable dyno tuner tunign a new vmaz) here they are, read them in order if possible.

PCV
http://www.starvmax.com/blog/from-the-dyno-room-pcv-investigated.html?blogger=fxstein

Autotune 1
http://www.starvmax.com/blog/dynojet-power-commander-auto-tune-tuned.html?blogger=fxstein

Autotune 2 
http://www.starvmax.com/blog/dynojet-power-commander-auto-tune-continued.html?blogger=fxstein

I'm hoping to update my how-to, once I get my BAK installed and create a good map.

RedStar Raider             FOUR WHEELS MOVE YOUR BODY, TWO WHEELS MOVE YOUR SOUL.

RedStar Raider

  • WARR MEMBER
  • Raider
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • Join Date: Dec 2009
  • Posts: 5952
  • Location: Lake Stevens, WA
  • Referrals: 3
    • View Profile
Ok, I think it best to just install the BAK, then fire it up and ride. It been raining like normal here, so it's no big deal, to move onto the next mod, w/o riding.
RedStar Raider             FOUR WHEELS MOVE YOUR BODY, TWO WHEELS MOVE YOUR SOUL.

Floridaliner

  • Raider
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2010
  • Posts: 2074
  • Referrals: 4
    • View Profile
 You guys can run an A/F gauge with this.
If you see this big white race striped Rhinoceros comin at ya, ya might want to scooch over

Floridaliner

  • Raider
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2010
  • Posts: 2074
  • Referrals: 4
    • View Profile
Looks cool  8)
actually, it's just a good extra for piece of mind. Plus it's a good idea to be prepared for future projects lie NO2 or a Turbo.
« Last Edit: Apr 05, 2010, 10:47:13 AM by Floridaliner »
If you see this big white race striped Rhinoceros comin at ya, ya might want to scooch over

RedStar Raider

  • WARR MEMBER
  • Raider
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • Join Date: Dec 2009
  • Posts: 5952
  • Location: Lake Stevens, WA
  • Referrals: 3
    • View Profile
Is this what your looking for?
http://www.powercommander.com/powercommander/Products/LCDUnit/powercommander_lcd.aspx


It is rather cool looking! Other than the tach, not real useful. I've read in a couple of places about what a bad idea it is to turbo charge a big V-Twin, but NOS is a good idea, when set up correctly. What do you think Zoom?
RedStar Raider             FOUR WHEELS MOVE YOUR BODY, TWO WHEELS MOVE YOUR SOUL.

Floridaliner

  • Raider
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2010
  • Posts: 2074
  • Referrals: 4
    • View Profile
  I aint about to get in a farting contest over it.   :neener:
If you see this big white race striped Rhinoceros comin at ya, ya might want to scooch over

RedStar Raider

  • WARR MEMBER
  • Raider
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • Join Date: Dec 2009
  • Posts: 5952
  • Location: Lake Stevens, WA
  • Referrals: 3
    • View Profile
  I aint about to get in a farting contest over it.   :neener:
Ya you would probably win that contest with your avatar alone!  :D :D :D
 I like the icons you have at the bottom, could you tell me how to add the "Big Air" to mine?

RSR
RedStar Raider             FOUR WHEELS MOVE YOUR BODY, TWO WHEELS MOVE YOUR SOUL.

 




SimplePortal 2.3.3 © 2008-2010, SimplePortal