Dyno Day

[M. Hausknecht]

Traveled the 4.5 hours to Charleston, SC yesterday for a dyno tune today by Mike Godin at KWS Motorsports. My aRacer Super 2 ECU came with fuel and spark maps intended for a stock motor, and it has a wideband O2 module with autotune capability. The motor currently in my bike has a stock bottom end (crank, rods, and pistons) but the throttle bodies are bored, head is ported (by yours truly), Hordpower intake, and it has a set of mild Webcams ( stock valve springs, so lift is only slightly over stock and duration is longer but not by much). 

We used the autotune function on the dyno to develop the base fuel map, running steady state and ramps of varying duration and intensity. We then tinkered with the spark advance and the target AFRs, using 100 octane lightly-oxygenated gas, to see if there were any gains to be had. Although not fully familiar with the aRacer software, I was able to fill in enough blanks  for Mike on how it works to get a good tune. aRacer uses some of the same nomenclature as other tuning software, but it means different things. Additionally, and most significantly, aRacer is unique in relying primarily on intake air pressure and rpm to determine fuel and spark, rather than on the more typical throttle position and rpm. Nonetheless, Mike has so much experience dyno tuning motorcycles that the entire process was only several hours. Part of the time was due to "someone's" failure to assure that the plug coils were fully jammed onto the spark plugs; so that added a bit of time.

There is still some track tuning stuff to do like throttle transitions: fuel level on deceleration (engine breaking, sorta), and acceleration enrichment, and assuring the base fuel map is complete. The ECU has decent memory capacity, with data recording for the important variables, so I can a practice session and then review where changes in fuel might be appropriate.

The KWS dyno is known to be a bit "generous", so the resulting power results might be plus a couple horsepower compared to another dyno. Still, for a mild build the power looks respectable.     

This morning, when the tuning was done, was the beginning of a "high horsepower day". The air was cool (60F degrees) and dry, and the atmospheric pressure was high. The "uncorrected" horsepower was a little over 97. I love these kinds of days!

 

[AP996]

Looks like a great result to me, well done, hope you get some good results with it on the track.

[Randy]

So what was the result with switching fuels ?

[M. Hausknecht]

Just now, Randy said:

So what was the result with switching fuels ?

After having previously destroyed an upper ring land on a 12.5:1 piston, while running what is sold as 93 octane alky-free gas, I'm done with running pump gas in a race bike. I've settled on Sunoco 260 GT, 100 oct (combined motor and research octanes) with added oxygen at 3.7%. It is readily available locally in 5 gallon pails and, as race gas goes, relatively inexpensive. Sorry for the confusion, Randy.

[Evill_Ed]

Nice job, impressive numbers.

Ed

[Randy]

Some good info you got here bro….I am currently looking for an engine builder myself right now. Go all the typical go fast goodies (bored TB’s, WEB cam, port and polished heads, CP pistons,Carrillo rods…etc) but am having hard time finding a builder. Im getting quotes of about 6 mo’s from KWS, Livengood, Spears…etc. How was your impression over at KWS ?  

[M. Hausknecht]

Just now, Randy said:

Some good info you got here bro….I am currently looking for an engine builder myself right now. Go all the typical go fast goodies (bored TB’s, WEB cam, port and polished heads, CP pistons,Carrillo rods…etc) but am having hard time finding a builder. Im getting quotes of about 6 mo’s from KWS, Livengood, Spears…etc. How was your impression over at KWS ?  

Mike at KWS has been working 7 days a week for the last few months, and he doesn't expect a let up for the foreseeable future. They have a lot of bikes in their shop right now (15 or so), and engines on shelves waiting to be built or rebuilt. I saw two heads being assembled yesterday. I talked briefly with him about some epoxy work for the ports in the head I ported (the bowls are a bit too big, even stock, allowing intake velocity to fall); we agreed to talk again about it next autumn so I could get it back in February or March 2023.

I've found that parts are really tough to get these days. I have stock cams in line for about 3 weeks now at Web Cams to be redone to Spears specs; there is no ETA at this point. I'm also waiting on a variety of Yamaha parts I need to rebuild the motor the new cams will go in, like crankcase bolts (single use, torque to yield), valve seals, and assorted gaskets. I ordered them about a month ago and still no ETA. Fortunately, I already have Carillo rods, CP pistons, and a ported head (Zoran) for that motor. Last year, I waited over two months for head bolts. 

You might try Zoran  https://www.twfracing.com/ ; perhaps he could get a motor done sooner than the others.

 

 

[cornerslider]

Not sure if it's a Yamaha thing, or if all the manufactures are struggling with supply chain issues? Between my wife and I, we have one FZ-07, and three R3's. Two are street legal, two are dedicated track-only bikes. I actually told my wife if she crashes this season, it might be the end of her track season. Hoping she keeps it rubber side down all year-

[shinyribs]

Re: supply issues

My local big four Japanese/ KTM dealership has been struggling to get bikes in for well over a year. "Shipping issues". 

They recently started selling Chinese knockoff KTM dirt bikes called KAYO's ( good Lord, they're ridiculous heavy) just to have SOMETHING to sell and to keep the place from looking deserted. The China bikes ship in as fast as you can ask for them.....

[cornerslider]

15 hours ago, shinyribs said:

Re: supply issues

My local big four Japanese/ KTM dealership has been struggling to get bikes in for well over a year. "Shipping issues". 

They recently started selling Chinese knockoff KTM dirt bikes called KAYO's ( good Lord, they're ridiculous heavy) just to have SOMETHING to sell and to keep the place from looking deserted. The China bikes ship in as fast as you can ask for them.....

I noticed the same thing at my "closest" dealer (still not my preferred dealer)...... I went in there just to get out of the house, and see if any of the 2022 models were available in yet (R7). Their showroom was absolutely FILLED with Chinese ATV's/side-by-sides. They looked actually pretty respectable as far as quality goes? I asked a sales guy for the "rundown" of WTF???? He said they are very good quality, and selling at record pace. This made me sad . I love the big 4, as well as KTM. I hope they can figure out their supply chain issues, before China takes over the motorcycle as well-

[shinyribs]

I'm sure The Big Four and KTM have plenty of bikes to sell us. It's hard for me to believe that those companies are struggling to navigate shipping logistics while China is pumping bikes in constantly. 

Most of the China bikes ripoff KTM chassis' and Honda engines. With two strokes, they like to ripoff the KDX engines. So they're based on solid designs. Junk metal and poor assembly is a constant issue. And they change parts often, resulting in a HUGE issue when it comes to needing replacement parts. 

 

The worst design flaw I've seen is the early Fast Ace forks. You can't pop the fork caps and disassemble them normally. If you need to change fork seals you've got to find a way to clamp the stanchion in a vice and wrench the axle lug off the bottom of the stanchion Junky Chinese castings with ultra fine threads... sometimes when they come off they're destroyed as the threads just crumble and peek off. Throw it in the trash. They claim FastAce left that design, but can you know for sure before it comes in? They're constantly changing stuff. It's a completely random product. 

[jb.junior]

On 3/22/2022 at 3:33 PM, M. Hausknecht said:

After having previously destroyed an upper ring land on a 12.5:1 piston, while running what is sold as 93 octane alky-free gas, I'm done with running pump gas in a race bike. I've settled on Sunoco 260 GT, 100 oct (combined motor and research octanes) with added oxygen at 3.7%. It is readily available locally in 5 gallon pails and, as race gas goes, relatively inexpensive. Sorry for the confusion, Randy.

Very wise committing to proper high-octane fuel.  And even with the 100 octane, be careful on how you tune these.  I'm glad yours has come out right...  Sunoco is great because they have their own refineries (as opposed to "brand x," which is simply a blender and mixes their own additives.  Sunoco can actually control their own input supply).  Plus it's ubiquitous at most tracks.

I've had murder on my two new superbike builds.  Using Flashtune, an experienced tuner, though somewhat inexperienced in tuning the FZ07, completely bamboozled tuning my both new engines, and I blew them both within a month.  Was tuning for VP MGP fuel (92 octane).  (I guess I'll make a proper post on that.)

[M. Hausknecht]

I've learned a lot over the last few months about tuning the CP2 motor. Although "dyno-tuned" by a competent tuner, I've since been tinkering with both fuel and spark maps to try to find a happy medium between power and reliability. I've found that maximum power on a dyno is generated at AFRs too lean, spark too advanced, and revs too high to meet my reliability expectations. I've also learned a lot about reading spark plugs for both mixture and advance, and for evidence of detonation (these motors need colder than stock plugs when built for power). My ecu accommodates recording engine data and, combined with reading the plugs, I think I've gotten pretty close to a tune that produces good power without unduly stressing the motor. This past weekend at CMP I had a clear horsepower advantage over two current Twins Cup mid-pack competitors.

I've noted your dismal MA efforts thus far this season. If I'd blown two motors in 2-3 events that I paid good money to have built for me, I would be looking for a new builder and/or tuner.