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[Dan_Lockwood]

Well it happened again today.

After my last posting about this problem, the backfiring and then just quiting, I took out the PCM III and relocated the harness connectors so I had less of a strain on the connectors.  I thought that did it as I rode the bike one more time and it was just fine.

The problem was that it didn't warm up enough on my last ride.  Today my wife and I are going to the HD dealership and on the freeway in traffic it starts to backfire again and once in a while just quit.  I would quickly rock the Run/Off switch and the ignition switch and it might start back up.  Then a few more miles it just gave up the ghost.  It would run but not move without quiting or backfiring.

This is 10 to 5:00 and the dealership will close at 5:00 and we're still about 15 minutes away, if it would run that is....

I didn't have my HD tool kit so the Phillips head screw holding on the seat is not going to budge.  My wife had a jackknife and it had a little Phillips head driver.  It was too small but after grinding down the end so it was bigger without bottoming out, I finally got the seat off.

The dealer told me on the phone that they have had 3 or 4 of the PCM III for '08 that have done very similar things.  Power Commander will not cover any wrecker bill, only the repair or replacement of the PCM III.

So after getting the seat off I unplugged the PCM III and we rode home about 20 miles on just the original ECM.  This is making me feel more and more that the SERT might be the way to go as it doesn't have anything added to the harness, just the original cables etc.

Just thought I'd give people a heads up on the PCM III for '08.  It may be a wider spread problem if my dealer has already had 4 or more fail in this manner. 

Believe me you don't want to be going 70 mph in the fast lane with loads of traffic and have this thing just start backfiring and stalling out.  I was able to work my way to the right lane, through 5 lanes, until I finally had to stop on the shoulder.

Let me know if others have had this problem with the PCM III's.

 

[RedDevil]

Well it happened again today.

After my last posting about this problem, the backfiring and then just quiting, I took out the PCM III and relocated the harness connectors so I had less of a strain on the connectors.  I thought that did it as I rode the bike one more time and it was just fine.

The problem was that it didn't warm up enough on my last ride.  Today my wife and I are going to the HD dealership and on the freeway in traffic it starts to backfire again and once in a while just quit.  I would quickly rock the Run/Off switch and the ignition switch and it might start back up.  Then a few more miles it just gave up the ghost.  It would run but not move without quiting or backfiring.

This is 10 to 5:00 and the dealership will close at 5:00 and we're still about 15 minutes away, if it would run that is....

I didn't have my HD tool kit so the Phillips head screw holding on the seat is not going to budge.  My wife had a jackknife and it had a little Phillips head driver.  It was too small but after grinding down the end so it was bigger without bottoming out, I finally got the seat off.

The dealer told me on the phone that they have had 3 or 4 of the PCM III for '08 that have done very similar things.  Power Commander will not cover any wrecker bill, only the repair or replacement of the PCM III.

So after getting the seat off I unplugged the PCM III and we rode home about 20 miles on just the original ECM.  This is making me feel more and more that the SERT might be the way to go as it doesn't have anything added to the harness, just the original cables etc.

Just thought I'd give people a heads up on the PCM III for '08.  It may be a wider spread problem if my dealer has already had 4 or more fail in this manner. 

Believe me you don't want to be going 70 mph in the fast lane with loads of traffic and have this thing just start backfiring and stalling out.  I was able to work my way to the right lane, through 5 lanes, until I finally had to stop on the shoulder.

Let me know if others have had this problem with the PCM III's.

 

Dan,
sorry to hear about your apparent problems with the PCIII, but glad to hear you made it off the road okay and were able to get the PCIII disconnected.  The dealer I got my SEUC from liked using the PCIII, but at the time they hadn't made the model that uses the O² sensors.   Beings their dyno operator was just as comfortable with the SERT, I went with that.  It does re-write the ECM, which supposedly voids the warranty, but doesn't require an additional piece of equipment to be permanently connected.   I decided to go with the Super SERT on the Street Glide and am trying to understand how the program for it works.  I've been happy with the results of using the SERT.

   

[Dan_Lockwood]

Dan,
sorry to hear about your apparent problems with the PCIII, but glad to hear you made it off the road okay and were able to get the PCIII disconnected.  The dealer I got my SEUC from liked using the PCIII, but at the time they hadn't made the model that uses the O² sensors.   Beings their dyno operator was just as comfortable with the SERT, I went with that.  It does re-write the ECM, which supposedly voids the warranty, but doesn't require an additional piece of equipment to be permanently connected.   I decided to go with the Super SERT on the Street Glide and am trying to understand how the program for it works.  I've been happy with the results of using the SERT.

   

Thanks for the reply.

Getting the bike through traffic with it turning off and on and not being able to count on it to move you forward from lane to lane was precarious to say the least.  They are not the best handling bike when they are backfiring and turning off and back on again every few seconds.

I went with the PCM III because of the tuner at the dealership and the comments from the service manager.  He said it was easier and quicker to do the PCM III and that his tuner was more familiar with the PCM III. 

I know lots of people that use the PCM III's and I've not heard any negative comments about them.  What helped me to go with the PCM III was the ability to do it myself, that is download a map and install the component myself.  When I runs it runs great and I've not had any notion of getting it dyno'd.  But with the SERT I believe the dyno is the only way to do it, and, you have to have the software to work with it that's not available publically.

As far as I'm concerned, I've been thinking a lot about the enrichment devices that people here have talked about that plug into the O2 sensors and scale the fuel range richer.

I'm not sure if the EFI on the new HD's are a closed loop or not, but I would guess they are because of the O2 sensors.  If that's the case and you run the bike with the O2 sensors unplugged, you would be in open loop and in the normal startup mode that would get you in an enrichment mode.  At least in cars the open loop runs kind of like the choke is on part way and choke pull off isn't fully engaged.  Boy am I showing my age talking about chokes and choke pulloff's on cars.

If someone has the link to the enrichment devices and can link it again, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

[sadunbar]

The dealer told me on the phone that they have had 3 or 4 of the PCM III for '08 that have done very similar things. 

It may be a wider spread problem if my dealer has already had 4 or more fail in this manner. 

Sorry to hear of your problems - and not trying to thread jack - but....

Isn't it amazing when the problem is not a MOCO product - the dealers know all about it and are not afraid to share the news, but when 110 motors have a chronic head gasket problem for two model years - there are still dealers who claim no knowledge of the issue...

[FNGw/08SERK]

Sorry to hear of your problems - and not trying to thread jack - but....

Isn't it amazing when the problem is not a MOCO product - the dealers know all about it and are not afraid to share the news, but when 110 motors have a chronic head gasket problem for two model years - there are still dealers who claim no knowledge of the issue...

Don't believe everything you read on the internet Scott!!! 

Sorry for the troubles with the SERK Dan. Hope you get squared away quickly. 

[RedDevil]

Thanks for the reply.

Getting the bike through traffic with it turning off and on and not being able to count on it to move you forward from lane to lane was precarious to say the least.  They are not the best handling bike when they are backfiring and turning off and back on again every few seconds.

I went with the PCM III because of the tuner at the dealership and the comments from the service manager.  He said it was easier and quicker to do the PCM III and that his tuner was more familiar with the PCM III. 

I know lots of people that use the PCM III's and I've not heard any negative comments about them.  What helped me to go with the PCM III was the ability to do it myself, that is download a map and install the component myself.  When I runs it runs great and I've not had any notion of getting it dyno'd.  But with the SERT I believe the dyno is the only way to do it, and, you have to have the software to work with it that's not available publically.

As far as I'm concerned, I've been thinking a lot about the enrichment devices that people here have talked about that plug into the O2 sensors and scale the fuel range richer.

I'm not sure if the EFI on the new HD's are a closed loop or not, but I would guess they are because of the O2 sensors.  If that's the case and you run the bike with the O2 sensors unplugged, you would be in open loop and in the normal startup mode that would get you in an enrichment mode.  At least in cars the open loop runs kind of like the choke is on part way and choke pull off isn't fully engaged.  Boy am I showing my age talking about chokes and choke pulloff's on cars.

If someone has the link to the enrichment devices and can link it again, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

Dan,
The software to operate the SERT (adjust tables, download to the ECM, etc.) is included with the SERT.  You don't have to dyno a SERT if know how to adjust the tables.  With the Super SERT, there are updated maps made available to be downloaded via the internet to the PC.  So, like the PCIII and the V&H Fuel Pak, you can load a close base map and then play with the tables.  The main difference between the SERT and the others (other than the fact that there is no phyiscal devise that stays on the bike), is that the SERT can be fine tuned more than the PCIII.  Theoretically, the Thundermaxx Autotune would be the best to get.  It's a wideband closed-loop system that once you put the close base map in, will auto tune your bike as your drive it. (The OEM system is a narrowband closed-loop system.)  It replaces the factory ECM. Unfortunately, Zippers is having some issues with the Autotune portion, and their customer service leaves something to be desired. 

   

[BillH]

Dan -

Without power , these bikes are like big rolling turds in traffic.  Congratulations on not getting run over!

I think this is this device you were referring to?  I have been running them on my '08 RG, and I am pleased with the results.  Make sure you understand that they are not a tuning device, just a way to get the 96's, and 110's to run a little richer AFR in closed loop mode.  I have noticed a marked improvement in heat & "driveability" with them.  I figure they will help keep this motor from having a heat stroke until I decide to do the whole motor thing.

http://www.nightrider.com/parts/ 

Scroll down to the "XIED" item.

Bill