FZ07 Tuning Adventures: Akra-Ti, Hordpower airbox, PCV, etc.

[catfish]

The stock 07 runs pretty good, but I notice the 4-5k rpm (lean) flat spot with spirited riding & at track days. Added the Akra-Ti exhaust with baffle left in. Initially snorkle removed from airbox, and I tried a couple of re-flashes. Could not get 'em to tune for 87-octane regular, so I decided it was time to tune it myself.
 
Then Hord Power showed us the dyno runs of his "airbox" design.
 

 
Dyno chart of airbox +yosh exhaust + PCV ...
 
 
I had to have one & tune for it! Airbox, PCV, WB2, etc... ordered.
 
Next I needed some base-line dyno runs to understand what I'm starting with; Akra-Ti, baffle in, snorkle-less oem airbox, oem ecu mapping, and 87-octane regular fuel.
 
I have a friend with the oldest eddy-current dyno in the east bay, so I naturally scheduled an appt. I got the data printout you see next.
 

 
This data looked very suspect. The Hp curve is NOT flat at 10K rpm. You feel it fall off way before 10k. The peak Hp should be ~15% less than dynojet numbers, but this looks like 24%?!? And it sez the exhaust CO is rich everywhere except the lean spot where the CO looks perfect. I did NOT believe this data. Looked like everything needed calibrating.
 
I said thanks & went looking for a better dyno shop. Found a good one in Livermore, CA. Anthony at Live Moto has a DJ250+eddy. Here is his dyno data from 2 days later, on a moist day with 54% humidity at dyno time. And for cash, he charged 1/3 what my friend charged! :-)
 

 
Much more believable data. Baseline done. Time to install...
 
 

Propped up for surgery ...
 

Extraction complete ...
 

Removed ...
 
The throttle bodies must be completely disconnected, airbox slid back as far as possible, and then learn new Japanese curse words to get throttle bodies out. Then the airbox can finally be removed with great difficulty & more new Japanese curse words.
 
 
 

Replaced!
 

 
 

Spliced into MAP sensor wiring to add voltage tap for data logging.
 

Toys in the back ...
 

Data display & logger up front ...
 

Everything installed and ready for road testing & data logging!
 

 
The Pod300 displays & data logs up to 4 channels of PCV & WB2 data. With TPS, RPM, & AFR I can road tune most of the fuel maps. Finally got the DJ Power Suite & data center software displaying logged data correctly. YEA! The DJ documentation is a JOKE. Watch the youtube videos & call tech support when needed.
 
I loaded the Akra-Ti + snorkle-less oem airbox PCV map. Checked it vs. J.D.'s PCV maps and set the ignition back to only +3 degrees peak to oem ignition maps. Also added a little fuel in the places that J.D.'s fuel map was higher at higher rpm.
 
This PCV mapping was road tested before WB2 install, and no pinging anywhere. Good safe (FAST!) map to start with.
 
Road testing & data logging starts tomorrow! Final dyno tuning runs scheduled for May 10th.
 
Stay tuned,  ;-)
 
Catfish ...
 
 
 

[sansnombre]

Sweet post. I've been following Hord since his first posts and I saw his dyno runs, so glad someone is taking the point and seeing what she can do. Very much looking forward to updates.
 
Question: who did your initial PCV mapping? If not Hord, were they guessing at the map with the filter pods? I know Hord does some other manipulations to timing to crank up midrange. Are you on your own there?
You have a very strong bike. You should be kicking major butt after you dial in your PCV and jetting.
 
Nice work. Looking forward to future posts.
 
Cheers

[wickedtwister]

Just wondering why are you so set on a 87 octane tune? If you bump timing a little bit you get some nice hp gains. Hord even said in his posts that premium can generate more power.
 
I have always run 93 in mine for the extra 50 cents per fill up its worth it to have a bit more power up top.

[jeffkisthename]

The stock 07 runs pretty good, but I notice the 4-5k rpm (lean) flat spot with spirited riding & at track days. Added the Akra-Ti exhaust with baffle left in. Initially snorkle removed from airbox, and I tried a couple of re-flashes. Could not get 'em to tune for 87-octane regular, so I decided it was time to tune it myself. 
Then Hord Power showed us the dyno runs of his "airbox" design.
 

 
Dyno chart of airbox +yosh exhaust + PCV ...
 
 
I had to have one & tune for it! Airbox, PCV, WB2, etc... ordered.
 
Next I needed some base-line dyno runs to understand what I'm starting with; Akra-Ti, baffle in, snorkle-less oem airbox, oem ecu mapping, and 87-octane regular fuel.
 
I have a friend with the oldest eddy-current dyno in the east bay, so I naturally scheduled an appt. I got the data printout you see next.
 

 
This data looked very suspect. The Hp curve is NOT flat at 10K rpm. You feel it fall off way before 10k. The peak Hp should be ~15% less than dynojet numbers, but this looks like 24%?!? And it sez the exhaust CO is rich everywhere except the lean spot where the CO looks perfect. I did NOT believe this data. Looked like everything needed calibrating.
 
I said thanks & went looking for a better dyno shop. Found a good one in Livermore, CA. Anthony at Live Moto has a DJ250+eddy. Here is his dyno data from 2 days later, on a moist day with 54% humidity at dyno time. And for cash, he charged 1/3 what my friend charged! :-)
 

 
Much more believable data. Baseline done. Time to install...
 
 

Propped up for surgery ...
 

Extraction complete ...
 

Removed ...
 
The throttle bodies must be completely disconnected, airbox slid back as far as possible, and then learn new Japanese curse words to get throttle bodies out. Then the airbox can finally be removed with great difficulty & more new Japanese curse words.
 
 
 

Replaced!
 

 
 

Spliced into MAP sensor wiring to add voltage tap for data logging.
 

Toys in the back ...
 

Data display & logger up front ...
 

Everything installed and ready for road testing & data logging!
 

 
The Pod300 displays & data logs up to 4 channels of PCV & WB2 data. With TPS, RPM, & AFR I can road tune most of the fuel maps. Finally got the DJ Power Suite & data center software displaying logged data correctly. YEA! The DJ documentation is a JOKE. Watch the youtube videos & call tech support when needed.
 
I loaded the Akra-Ti + snorkle-less oem airbox PCV map. Checked it vs. J.D.'s PCV maps and set the ignition back to only +3 degrees peak to oem ignition maps. Also added a little fuel in the places that J.D.'s fuel map was higher at higher rpm.
 
This PCV mapping was road tested before WB2 install, and no pinging anywhere. Good safe (FAST!) map to start with.
 
Road testing & data logging starts tomorrow! Final dyno tuning runs scheduled for May 10th.
 
Stay tuned,  ;-)
 
Catfish ...
 
 

Where do you live? I need to see you bike bud!

[Tyler Jane]

Commenting to subscribe. Looking forward to seeing the new dyno runs.

[pgeldz]

Commenting to subscribe. Looking forward to seeing the new dyno runs.

Ditto.  Keeping my eye on this for sure... 

 
- Paulie

[sansnombre]

As a clarification, Hord didn't say the airbox HAD to come out; he said that the best gains were seen at the top end with the airbox out and the filter pods in place. He's still getting commendable gains with the airbox in place, but he believes that the location of the filter just in front of the intakes cause a significant problem to flow.
 
Look at his dyno run 3 with the FJ07 - this is where he just (some altered timing too) removed the airbox lid and filter and *bang* he's got 5-6 HP gains in the midrange. These are huge gains! and tend to support his airbox assumptions. He's not saying he'd like to remove the box, only that to get max top-end and to bypass the impedance of the filter, you have to . . . unless we can figure out a way to filter the box itself with an external filter.
 
I would love to leave the box in place and figure out some external filter setup (say, in place of the box cover and snorkel) to yield those 5HP. I know he's working on a different setup with the airbox in place as a different option than the one shown here. I'm looking forward to seeing what that one does.
 
For what it's worth, when I pulled out the snorkel and looked at the internal section of it that goes almost all the way into filter, I thought that that was F'd up. It's REALLY limiting flow. Later I PMd Hord about his thoughts on it, and he said the same thing. In his dyno work, he was able to gain about 1 HP by removing that internal section and LEAVING THE EXTERNAL PART OF THE SNORKEL IN PLACE. That also matched my gut thought on removing the snorkel all the way. When you do that you leave a pretty sharp edge that can actually impede flow. This type of flow likes to be gently shaped into the hole (and out as well) and having the external snorkel helps in that regard. His advise: remove the internal section and leave the external section.
 
I'm a mech engineer and did some work on ventilating a nuclear reactor - I was in charge of the analysis of the flow through the monstrosity. It's where I first ran into this concept of how delicate the flow is through an orifice, both going in and coming out. It needs to be gently shaped or you can really impede the flow. FWIW.

[hordboy]

He's not saying he'd like to remove the box, only that to get max top-end and to bypass the impedance of the filter, you have to . . . unless we can figure out a way to filter the box itself with an external filter. 
 

There's also a different intake length component to my airbox, let's not forget.    And yes it is tailored to increasing top end, without sacrificing mid.  If we could come up with variable stacks, and filter it somehow, we could have it all.   

[WWR]

Looks like catfish is taking this seriously - subscribed!

[Mr.Puss]

I dont really know what the hell everyone is talking about but I like where this seems to be going.
 
Patiently waiting for someone using the Hordpower airbox and the dobeck ejk to post something special so I can spend more money on this damn bike.
 

[pgeldz]

Speaking of air boxes and filters, has anyone seen this yet?
 
It's the air filter by MWR.  What's different about it is that the bottom is not closed like the DNA filter, but actually filter material instead of hard plastic.  Wonder if that would aid flow, especially in conjunction with the DNA air box cover I already have.
 
@hordboy , any thoughts?  I too am interested in your solution, but I do want to have the airbox still if at all possible.  Could this air filter be benificial, or help your cause in any way?  
 
 

 
 

 
 
- Paulie

[catfish]

... Question: who did your initial PCV mapping? If not Hord, were they guessing at the map with the filter pods? I know Hord does some other manipulations to timing to crank up midrange. Are you on your own there?...

 
DJ makes various maps available for PCVs on FZ07s. I started with the PCV "Akra exhaust + snorkle-less oem airbox" map. I then compared it to J.D.'s Yosh+airbox PCV mapping. I lowered the ignition mapping advances to what J.D. used for regular gas. I then compared fuel maps to J.D.'s and upped fuel settings above 8k rpm to match J.D.'s
 
This mapping was a bit rich in places, now that I'm testing, but its safe & doesn't ping. I'm slowly taking road-test data to correct the fuel maps to my desired AFR for throttle vs. rpm. Already done WFO, and it runs NICE up there!!! Will have to wait for May 10th dyno time to fine-tune the fuel map, and then optimize the ignition map for max torque.
 
 

Just wondering why are you so set on a 87 octane tune? If you bump timing a little bit you get some nice hp gains. Hord even said in his posts that premium can generate more power. ...

I ride motorcycles where there is no premium fuel available. Goto Baja and most gas stops in the central region are via used antifreeze containers from the back of an old guy's truck. Good luck with that premium requirement or finding octane booster.
 
Yes, higher octane can always yield more power if the ignition map is tuned for it. Does not mean you can always find it though.
 
 
 
During these road tests I've been data logging, I've seen some weird AFR transient events that make no sense.  Currently trying to understand the source of the events. Could be WB O2 sensor/controller, PCV, or even oem ECU/sensors. A lot of variables that specific testing is needed to determine which is the problem.
 
Its a SHAME that FTECU is only re-flashing software. We need a version that can extract all ECU sensor data for logging. Then I could solve this problem quickly. Grrr...
 
 
Back in a few days,
 
Catfish ...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[catfish]

She's on the dyno today! :-)
 
Catfish ...

[WWR]

Where's the popcorn?
 
 
 

[catfish]

Where's the popcorn? 
 

Here you go!
 

 
Gray lines = oem mapping, oem airbox, and Akra-Ti exhaust, 87-octane gasoline.
(Sorry no oem exhaust dyno runs, probably 2-3 hp less than Gray line...)
Red = removed oem airbox & installed Hordpower airbox, no other changes
Blue = PCV tuned with Hord ignition map and _my_ road-tested/tuned fuel maps
Green = Final dyno-tuning of ignition & fuel maps at Live Moto
 
Anthony at Live Moto asked me to NOT share the AFR data online. Apparently CARB (California Air Resources Board) monitors forums looking for California dyno shops doing ILLEGAL work on CA street motos! <D'OH!!!>
 
Too busy to write about the adventures just yet, but there are plenty. Still trying to figure out what the ECU is doing with its "ECO" mode when an O2 sensor is not connected to ECU. We are seeing AFRs shift from 13.5 to 18.5 & back after fuel-map tuning, and NOT in sync with ECO display. Very weird things that make tuning below 20% TPS on the dyno very hard. Its as if its switching a long-Term Fuel Trim (LTFT) value in & out as a fail-safe to no O2 sensor being seen. The DJ O2 Optimizer does not seem to fool the ECU into thinking a real O2 is connected either.
 
Later,
 
Catfish ...
 
 
 
 
 

[hordboy]

The DJ O2 Optimizer does not seem to fool the ECU into thinking a real O2 is connected either.

 
 

Great stuff.  I have to respectfully beg to differ on the last part.  From what I have seen from my own testing, the DJ optimizer does a fine job.  I don't have an oscilloscope, so I can't test it for sure, but the Optimizer seems to slightly offset the voltage coming from the stock O2 sensor, still giving the ECU a wave pattern "switching" signal, which makes it think the O2 is just fine.  But it offsets the signal by subtracting a tiny bit of voltage.  The end result is, instead of 14.7:1 AFR in ECO, it runs at 14.2:1 AFR.  If yours is not doing this, then it's not working correctly and needs replaced.  However, as you have seen, unplugging the O2 sensor completely does cause mayhem, that's for sure.   
If you try to tune the ECO areas of the map, with the DJ Optimizer or stock sensor, it's fruitless.  It's going to run at 14.2 or 14.7 depending which setup you have.
 

[sansnombre]

Very good info.
 
Thanks.

[wickedtwister]

Great stuff.  I have to respectfully beg to differ on the last part.  From what I have seen from my own testing, the DJ optimizer does a fine job.  I don't have an oscilloscope, so I can't test it for sure, but the Optimizer seems to slightly offset the voltage coming from the stock O2 sensor, still giving the ECU a wave pattern "switching" signal, which makes it think the O2 is just fine.  But it offsets the signal by subtracting a tiny bit of voltage.  The end result is, instead of 14.7:1 AFR in ECO, it runs at 14.2:1 AFR.  If yours is not doing this, then it's not working correctly and needs replaced.  However, as you have seen, unplugging the O2 sensor completely does cause mayhem, that's for sure.   
If you try to tune the ECO areas of the map, with the DJ Optimizer or stock sensor, it's fruitless.  It's going to run at 14.2 or 14.7 depending which setup you have.

I believe his point was with stock o2 disconnected the DJ optimizer does not fool it into thinking there is in fact a o2 sensor connected. I saw similar odd things happening when i was using the PCV and autotune in place of the stock o2. In the end i opted for the 2wdw tune. I think to really fool it you have to supply i think 1.5 volts to the signal side of the o2 sensor connector to make the ecu think its running at 14.7.

[hordboy]

Ahh, maybe I misread then.  The DJ optimizer *has* to have the stock 02 sensor hooked to it, and the sensor has to be in the exhaust.  That is how it works.  In a nutshell it gives you "autotune" to 14.2 AFR when in ECO mode.  I have verified this through datalogging on the road.  If you try to remove the 02 sensor, then it throws the ECU into some sort of mode that we have not figured out yet for sure.  No MIL, but it goes whacky at times.  The ECU wants to see a switching signal from the 02 sensor, and if it doesn't then it goes looking for it...  eventually.  So a simple 02 eliminator isn't the answer either.
 

[jetmasters]

Are those baseline graphs of a completely stock bike?

[catfish]

Are those baseline graphs of a completely stock bike?

No. Read the text of that post for details.
 
 
 
My road testing of Anthony's dyno tuning is on hold until I get the titanium bung I ordered for the exhaust. The FZ07 ECU _requires_ an oem O2 sensor connected for its "ECO" mode to work correctly. You will get these non-obvious details later. So to get WideBand O2 sensor data at the same time, 2nd bung.
 
 
She runs VERY WELL. Throttle response is nearly perfect. Closed-throttle engine braking is excessive at certain rpms. Will be tuning this away after fuel-map testing is done.
 
The airbox is twice as loud as the baffled Akra-Ti exhaust, and its MUSIC!  :-)
 
 
Catfish ...
 
 

[bigity]

 
The airbox is twice as loud as the baffled Akra-Ti exhaust, and its MUSIC!  :-)
 
 
Catfish ...
 

Whoa, whoa, whoa, is that serious? IT's significantly louder than the exhaust?

[catfish]

The airbox is twice as loud as the baffled Akra-Ti exhaust, and its MUSIC!  :-) 
 
Catfish ...
 

Whoa, whoa, whoa, is that serious? IT's significantly louder than the exhaust?

Yes. I guess I should get the gopro out and give y'all a demo. In the morning, when its cool & she can't keep the front tire on the ground to save her life!  :-)
 
Catfish ...
 
 

[ecavaignac]

Where's the popcorn? 
 

Here you go! 

 
Gray lines = oem mapping, oem airbox, and Akra-Ti exhaust, 87-octane gasoline.
(Sorry no oem exhaust dyno runs, probably 2-3 hp less than Gray line...)
Red = removed oem airbox & installed Hordpower airbox, no other changes
Blue = PCV tuned with Hord ignition map and _my_ road-tested/tuned fuel maps
Green = Final dyno-tuning of ignition & fuel maps at Live Moto
 
Anthony at Live Moto asked me to NOT share the AFR data online. Apparently CARB (California Air Resources Board) monitors forums looking for California dyno shops doing ILLEGAL work on CA street motos!
 
Too busy to write about the adventures just yet, but there are plenty. Still trying to figure out what the ECU is doing with its "ECO" mode when an O2 sensor is not connected to ECU. We are seeing AFRs shift from 13.5 to 18.5 & back after fuel-map tuning, and NOT in sync with ECO display. Very weird things that make tuning below 20% TPS on the dyno very hard. Its as if its switching a long-Term Fuel Trim (LTFT) value in & out as a fail-safe to no O2 sensor being seen. The DJ O2 Optimizer does not seem to fool the ECU into thinking a real O2 is connected either.
 
Later,
 
Catfish ...
 
 
 
 

 
 
it is possible to cut a bit of velocity stacks to gain a little more power at 9000 to 10000 rpm ? I looked at the "intake solution 2" hordboy and found the power curve at 9000 to 10000 rpm better.
 
I plan to use only the hordboy box and exhaust full.
 
sorry for English. I used Google Translator

[hordboy]

The airbox seems to make a little better top end spread of power with certain exhausts. Yosh being one. Running a shorter stack isn't really possible with this airbox setup, the curved runner gets in the way. Direct mounted vstacks work but it's tough to come up with a filtering solution for them, because the frame rail is in the way on the left stack. Hard to describe. I've tested it, I'm thinking about it, but no obvious solutions yet that package well.