Any modifications to the emissions system will require a fuel controller to compensate for making a "lean" bike even leaner by adding in more air from a cold air intake. The dangers of running your bike lean is higher than normal temperatures and the potential to fry valves and piston heads. In order to protect your motor and to take advantage of your intake and exhaust mods, a fuel controller is required in order to maintain optimal ratios between fuel and air. Back in the day the only way to see if we were delivering the correct fuel is to check the plugs and see what color they were. This method should always be used since O2 sensors can fail too, even if you have more than one (upstream\downstream).
The fuel controller I chose came from Dobeck Performance. To make a long story short, they used to work with the makers of DynoJet, who created the Power Commander Series fuel controllers and "AutoTune", not the "T-Pain" version btw ;) Anyways, at this point in the build I felt I didn't need the extended capabilities of the PCV so I went with the Dobeck system because of these things:
1. Included a bar mounted gauge that reads A/F in realtime, and has a programmer built in that can be adjusted on the fly.
2. Design - This was basically their EJK and the "AutoTune" feature built in as one unit.
- The DynoJet controller requires a computer connected to it in order to change settings, and, in order to use the fuel controller system, the AutoTune module is a MUST.
- The narrowband sensor is simply not enough to properly deliver the correct A/F ratios consistently.
- The "modules" were not only expensive, but they were separate. Whenever you have separate modules not only are you putting a higher load on the electrical system, there would be some delay in calculated values that may affect realtime performance under heavy load\riding conditions.
What I like about the Dobeck Design:
- It's simple and easy to understand for beginners.
- AutoTune function is built in
- All in one unit, no piggy back modules, although as of this writing they are developing an ignition module that will allow you to adjust for ignition timing.
- No need to hook up a computer to your handlebar just to adjust the A/F on the fly depending on your riding style.
- Wideband O2 sensor and narrowband adapter included, although in my experience the ideal location is on the header downstream from the exhaust.
- DIRECT control of the injector. The bypass is included on the harness, so even if the ECU has the capability to bypass piggy back systems that only connect to the data harness, there is a PHYSICAL connection that the Dobeck module makes inline with the electrical fuel delivery system
- VERY easy to install.
The DynoJet has its advantages such as ignition timing, which is important for high compression modifications, such as a BBK kit ( Big Bore Kit). Even with these features I have read that it was still not enough to compensate for the higher compression and calculations needed to accommodate for these realtime changes, which is why the FinBro turnkey system comes with it's own stand alone ECU already optimized for the bigger motor.
3. Dobeck Support - I get it...they are new with this new technology for the Grom since it just came out in 2014 ( Honda Grom in the US ). When I had problems with by Gen 4 system, they walked me through understanding what the system does and what is going on. I was able to send back my unit and they replaced the "brain" for free and now it has been running trouble free ever since.
4. Two year warranty - enough said
5. Access to their Engineers and one of the owners. What company allows you to ask the engineers, let alone the owner, direct questions about their design and product?
Ok now this may sound like a shameless plug but I had to because I believe in what they do, and I "took one for the team" for you, the reader, so you wouldn't have to. I'm glad I did because it helped me understand how research and development works in this industry, and also provided insight to how the Honda Grom fuel injection system worked. So on to the good stuff...
Since I had to mount this gauge on my bar I knew I had to find a more permanent solution rather than just getting a ring mount, so I opted with an RPM gauge holder from a company based right out of San Diego where I'm from. The gauge holder is made of aluminum and anodized in black.
Here it is mounted, but realized the hole pass
through for the cable was not big enough
No problem! Just drill more holes. It may not be pretty but it doesn't matter
since I will be installing the digital thermometer gauge\voltage gauge in it's place.
Great fit! the fit was tight, didn't need any
adhesives, and as of today, November 10,2015
it's still holding its place
Whatever THIS thing is, do not use it! Just cut a 1mm strip of 3M
extra strength adhesive and line the ring. Gently push the Dobeck
gauge into place using your fingers using equal pressure
on all sides.
Really clean and professional looking
Here it is mounted, now time to run the wiring!
The OPMID digital gauge was easy since it taps from
the OEM temperature harness as a bypass, and also
under the headlight assembly to measure voltage
One thing to note about these electrical mods is that they pay attention to detail, there is no wire "hacking" involved. They use OE plugs and fittings so in the event that you need to remove these parts, there won't be a mess of wires connected with electrical tape and wire taps. As always, take your time! This is part of the fun, and allows you to learn everything about your Grom if you don't know it already.
Finding a place for the main unit under the seat is easy.
Trying to get the wires they need to go is another thing, so
take your time. Everything should look "factory" when you're
done.
Make sure there is space for the cable to travel back and forth. Be careful with the cable that connects to the brain under the seat, this is a low voltage data cable and you don't want to "kink" it anywhere. I tied the original OE fuel injector plug up and out of the way so the bypass could connect freely to it.
Here is the wideband sensor installed on the header pipe
This is the BEST location for this sensor for two reasons:
1. Far enough from the exhaust outlet to get accurate readings.
2. Far enough from contamination.
I blew through two of these before realizing that the adapter location was not sufficient and over time would eventually clog and damage the rare earth elements that make the wideband O2 sensor work right.
All fired up and running!
Here's a link to the video:
If you interested in a basic fuel injector controller that would help with your stage I mods without having to make major changes I suggest the EJK which you can buy here:
EJK Honda Grom Fuel Controller
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