Fuelpak is gone....

[unfknblvbl]

Originally Posted by 08FatBob

unfknblvbl, sorry about the trouble your having with your FuelPak, but for what it's worth, I've been using a FuelPak now for a little over a year, approx7000 miles, and my bike hasn't so much as coughed. I also have the SE stage 1 a/c and I have slip on mufflers. I'm affraid I can't offer you any suggestions but I can't help to think it still needs tweaked based only on the fact that mine does run flawlessly. I went with, and can only assume you went with, the FuelPak because of its affordability and basic plug, program and play ability. I'd hate to see you go to the expense of a PCIII and dyno tune if there is a fix to your FuelPak issues. This isn't meant to add insult to injury but I wish you the best of luck in finding a solution. Take it easy and good luck!

08FB- I heard/read both about the fuelpak. Some (as yourself) have absolutely no problems and love 'em, others (like myself) seem to have nothing but problems with them and are ready to ditch them at first chance.

You're spot on with the reason I bought mine. Not only the price, but the ability to readjust the system myself. I like the idea of not having to pay someone to re-tune my bike every time I make a change. Hell I could be off here, like evoKENevo said, and it may not even be the fuelpak. Granted like I initially said all roads lead me back there in what little experience I have.

I've got a buddy who is a service writer at a dealership in Oklahoma, I'm going to hit him up and see if he has anything to say or any suggestions. Thanks for the insight and the luck. Right now I'm going to need it or some C-4

Originally Posted by milindh

Unf

One of the big reasons I'd stick with the EFI is that in California we may very well soon see a tightening up on what mods you can get away with on your bike. I saw on the TV news a couple weeks ago that California had won its Supreme Court appeal to go against the more watered down EPA standards and enforce their own tighter standards. What that means for us motorcycle modifin' devils is yet to be seen but for sure they're gonna tighten up the noose on our EPA and CARB violatin' bikes. Going to a carb would be a blatant violation for sure. If you got busted for non-stock parts (even like aftermarket pipes) you might have to go back to the OEM setup.

The other big reason is that, as great as Mikunis are, they can't quite deliver the all around power and efficiency of a well set up EFI system. Of course the problem with EFI is that it takes a tuner with a lot of specialized knowledge to really set one up properly. I can work with my Mikuni pretty well and get my FXR to run really good mainly because I've been messing around with carbs for a lot of years and carbs only deal with fuel delivery. With EFI you really need to know about more electrical stuff and in some cases computer programming and what the various sensors do. In other words EFI is more complicated than carbs. A lot of guys can tune a carb but the number of real EFI "wizards" is more limited. A well set up carb is great but I don't think you can beat a well setup EFI system. Finding a real Wizard is the hard thing. Lots of semi-wizards out there. That's why I'd ask the tech support guys at V&H to recommend a Socal tuner you could go to. Your O'side guy might be OK too. I don't know.

Good Luck

mili- I hear ya on the EPA regs and smell what you're steppin' in. I understand that I can get more efficiency and power of out EFI. I know it's another world, but when I had my mustang, power and performance wise I always struggled between ditching the EFI and going to a carb. I knew the EFI was better suited as there is less room for error in fuel delivery, but it's kind of the same thing as here, technical wise it's easier to deal with a carb.

I guess I'll give V&H another call and try and run this gremlin to ground or deal with it until I get back to SoCal. From what I understand (sometimes) they will allow you to bring in your bike and actually put a tech on it to try and run down the problem. If through the phone I can't get any resolution I'll see if I can't set that with them.

Thanks guys

[rjrivero]

There is a certain elegance that comes with running a carburetor, and I can see the appeal. I have had quite a few carburetor equipped machines in the past, and they were easy to work with.

Having said that, now that I have an EFI motorcycle, I'll never go back. They are infinitely more tunable, and so much more efficient. When you decide to take the plunge and learn the EFI software and sensors, then you'll feel differently.

The Fuel Pack and similar pulse width modulators just don't do justice to the Delphi Fuel Mangament system. I have used a PCIII in the past, and it was fine, until I got caught in the rain. The V-Rod doesn't have a weather proof place to hide the connectors and once they get wet, you're done riding. I've bitten the bullet and self educated on the Dephi EFI system and have been happily tweaking with The Turbo Shop's Race Tuner (Original Screamin Eagle Race Tuner) and will never go back. With a little patience, and a Twinscan II plus from Daytona Twintec, you can have a well running bike, with virtually NO dyno time.

[shovelmike]

Originally Posted by milindh

Unf

One of the big reasons I'd stick with the EFI is that in California we may very well soon see a tightening up on what mods you can get away with on your bike. I saw on the TV news a couple weeks ago that California had won its Supreme Court appeal to go against the more watered down EPA standards and enforce their own tighter standards. What that means for us motorcycle modifin' devils is yet to be seen but for sure they're gonna tighten up the noose on our EPA and CARB violatin' bikes. Going to a carb would be a blatant violation for sure. If you got busted for non-stock parts (even like aftermarket pipes) you might have to go back to the OEM setup.

The other big reason is that, as great as Mikunis are, they can't quite deliver the all around power and efficiency of a well set up EFI system. Of course the problem with EFI is that it takes a tuner with a lot of specialized knowledge to really set one up properly. I can work with my Mikuni pretty well and get my FXR to run really good mainly because I've been messing around with carbs for a lot of years and carbs only deal with fuel delivery. With EFI you really need to know about more electrical stuff and in some cases computer programming and what the various sensors do. In other words EFI is more complicated than carbs. A lot of guys can tune a carb but the number of real EFI "wizards" is more limited. A well set up carb is great but I don't think you can beat a well setup EFI system. Finding a real Wizard is the hard thing. Lots of semi-wizards out there. That's why I'd ask the tech support guys at V&H to recommend a Socal tuner you could go to. Your O'side guy might be OK too. I don't know.

Good Luck

I agree with the above reasoning. I became fairly proficient with ignition points and carburetors, both are rapidly becoming things of the past. It is human nature to cling to the familiar, especially when tuning issues arise.
There is a recent post on the forum about an inexpensive air/fuel meter which could be a big help for us old dogs who are trying to learn new tricks.

[Slipstrm]

Vance & Hines FuelPak support just plain sux!!!
No matter what the question is they always say change mode 23 to 15 that should get rid of the decel popping. The question I asked clearly stated there was no decel popping.
Its like they dont bother to listen to anything you say!