Dynamometer

A Dynamometer is essential to realizing the full potential of today's complicated fuel injected and carbureted motorcycles with performance modifications. This is the only tool that can accurately calibrate fuel and ignition maps or diagnose run/drivability issues in a controlled environment. Adamec Harley-Davidson®'s three locations are the ONLY dyno equipped facilities in Northeast Florida. We have technicians that are factory-trained to tune the Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle Race Tuner (SERT).

Equipped with Real time Torque module/meter, real time O2 and Eddy current load control, our Dynamometers is a state of the art, computer controlled, Dynojet® 250i. By simulating the best "seat-of-the-pants" road testing right in the shop, many drivability/run problems can be diagnosed in a fraction of the time.

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Understanding fuel and ignition requirements

The simplest way to look at the internal combustion engine and understand what is done to increase performance is to see it as an air pump. The more air it is capable of pumping at any given time, the more power it will make (expressed as Volumetric Efficiency or VE). To get the most energy out of that air, it relies on accurate metering of fuel to that air (expressed as stoichiometric, an AFR of 14.7:1 is the theoretical ratio that results in the greatest release of available energy in gasoline). Real world inefficiencies result in an air/fuel ratio (AFR) of 12.8:1 to 13.3:1, for best power and 14.5:1, for best mileage. Keeping the AFR around 13.8 under load, get the best of both worlds.

The VE, AFR and tuning requirements constantly vary as determined by the mechanical and dynamic properties of the motor. The main mechanical parts are typically engine size (volume), compression ratio/cylinder pressure (static, corrected and dynamic), cam timing/lift, port/valve flow capacity (cfm, including the induction system), exhaust and NOS/super/turbo charging.

The exhaust system is the largest, single, variable influence on how the motor processes air, the shape of the VE graph and tuning requirements. The dynamic parts are typically RPM, throttle position and load (including wind, tire pressure, terrain, gearing and luggage).

Ignition requirements are dictated by engine design properties such as exhaust (how much heat is retained), cam profiles, piston/combustion chamber shape, piston/head clearance (quench/squish), cylinder pressures, rpm limits, fuel quality and intended use.

On carbureted motorcycles to adjust air/fuel ratios. We use various performance parts and kits. To install we remove the carburetors to gain access to and replace pilot jets, main jets, emulsion tubes, needles and make float height adjustments as required.

This procedure can require removing and replacing the carburetors many times until the correct ratios are accomplished. A dyno tune is the most efficient and accurate method.

Fuel Injected Motorcycles have throttle bodies and fuel injectors driven by the ECU (engine control unit) and its programming or calibration. Input from a variety on sensors allows more accurate control as engine demands change and offsets to account for environment changes.

By the Hour / Base line

We offer Dyno tuning by the hour to diagnose and correct fuel/ignition problems, optimize your motorcycles tune and measure the affects of changes or modifications. Dyno tuning can be considered one of the best investments you can make because if allows the realization of the full potential of the performance investment already made.

The cost to HP gain is routinely greater than any other modification and the dyno tune should be included in any performance package.

Most tuning can be done in a few hours or less but varies based on the number of tuning variables and how the bike responds to tuning changes.

EFI bikes typically require 3.0 to 4.5 hours for Race Tuner maps (depending on type of exhaust/air cleaner, etc). Big or exotic motors will require more time. Typically a before/after tune graph is provided. We keep all runs on file for future reference. For Racers, if asked, we will insure confidentiality.

A Base line Dyno run will provide you Torque, Horsepower, RPM and AFR measurements at wide open throttle from a low RPM that allows clean acceleration to either redline or just after the horsepower curve arcs over. This can be valuable information to asses the health of your motorcycle or the affects of changes or modifications. Several runs are made to insure heat soak and stability.

Screamin' Eagle Race Tuner

The Screamin' Eagle Race Tuner allows direct access to the ECU programs and their modification. We are, in affect, creating custom calibrations for specific combinations. The Race Tuner does, however include many SE calibrations in the map files to select from. These can then be modified or a completely new file created if the combination does not match the calibrations part description.

Race Tuner provides a much higher level of tuning than any other device without replacing the ECU itself. Each cylinders fuel and ignition mapping is independently tuned, using three dimensions, resulting in a custom map that eliminates the possibility of one cylinder fighting or holding back the other.

This equals more horsepower with smooth linear drivability. In addition, warm up enrichment, idle speeds, IAC steps, rev limits, AFR offsets, injector sizing can be changed. To help in tuning or diagnostics, Race Tuner also features a data mode to collect and review sensor inputs or other data. Both of these can only be tuned accurately by using a Computer controlled load cell dyno with real time AFR monitoring.

We can custom build a Fuel Injection Map just for your bike!

Fuel Mileage

We make horsepower by processing more air and adding the required fuel to maintain the correct AFR. One obvious result is that fuel mileage may suffer. Stock bikes getting up to 50 mpg are not unusual. To meet emissions standards, stock bikes are setup very lean with tuning and heat management programs to keep them from melting down or detonating to death. One reason air cleaner and exhaust changes make such a difference is that tuning changes are also made either with jetting and ignition or EFI calibrations. These changes also reduce fuel mileage. By tuning the bike to it's utmost efficiency, you get the most power while sacrificing the least fuel economy.

The beauty of EFI bikes is that we can be very precise in the fuel and ignition mapping to optimize mileage when cruising, yet still have correct mapping for power when transitioning out of cruise. This is nearly impossible on carbureted bikes because its fuel delivery is signal based as a function of how the air is moving through the intake track. That air flow is dictated by the motor combination. They will get lower mileage than an EFI bike.

Having said all that, an interesting phenomenon happens as you increase horsepower. With more power, it takes less throttle input to do the same work while cruising, so we get some compensation for losses with increased power. Because of the greater heat generated by big cubes or horsepower, it is not safe to lean these bikes down to a point that will match a stock bikes mpg. In reality, we would not want to detune a bike on which we spent $2,500.00 to get 90hp down to 80hp, which would be one effect of a lean tune. One caveat is, when a high horsepower or big cubic inch bike is ridden aggressively, you will see mpg's as low as 20 (our 80ci/152hp AMA racer gets 17mpg, when racing). The effect of all this is that nearly all well tuned bikes (H-D® big twins), regardless of size or horsepower typically get 38-44 average mpg!

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