what's a power commander and is it useful..?

[mystifier]

As title says, what exactly is it?

I've only heard of it but not exactly sure what it's about and why ppl use it. Is it worth the money? And is it useful?

[ScoTTY88]

it commands powah. kinda like the drug lords in Columbia and the gangsters in LA. They all run PC5's fo sho.

http://www.powercommander.com/powerc...mmander_v.aspx

yes its usefull if you do things like put a slipon exhaust on or do other mods to the engine and what not. you can change your air/fuel mixture and other settings to max torque and hp. only for FI bikes.

[Fog Ducker]

It lets you set the fuel / air mixture being delivered to the engine.
If you have a stock engine with stock exhaust it is pretty much useless. But if you change your exhaust etc. it could help to acheve the ideal mixture.

[sinic]

It lets you set the fuel / air mixture being delivered to the engine.
If you have a stock engine with stock exhaust it is pretty much useless. But if you change your exhaust etc. it could help to acheve the ideal mixture.

That's not entirely true. Some stock bikes really benefit from better maps

A lot of manufacturers are scrammbling to meet environmental standards that sacrifice power for maximum efficency. In order to do this, a lot of bikes are leavingthe factory running VERY lean. Very lean tends to equal very hot. Very hot is not good for the engine over time.

This obviously doesn't apply to all bikes, but there are quite a few that benefit from a power commander (or something similar) and a proper dyno tune from both a power and fuel standpoint

[suprPHREAK]

A new map on a stock config is ALWAYS better. Each engine will be slightly different, but they program a tune that works for them all. Typically this runs rich, since it is safer to run a motor too rich than to run it too lean. Typically, if you tune out that richness, you will end up with better power, but could ALSO end up with better mileage. And the better your engine is running, the cleaner it is on emissions as well.

[Red_Liner740]

^^ that used to be the case.

now manufacturers tend to lean out the bikes at certain RPM point, which coincide with the RPM that the bike would see when its being emission tested at the factory to prove to governing bodies that the bike meets XXX emission standards. this is while some bikes have a stumble or a hole at lower RPM.

VTR does it, TL's do it, SV's do it, most of first gen FI bikes have it...

from modification stand point, the stock ECU can compensate for slight changes in Volumetric efficiency, which changes with exhaust, filter, etc etc.

the rest the power commander on FI's can fix, or rejetting carbs on older models is the equivalent.

[unL33T]

^^ that used to be the case.

now manufacturers tend to lean out the bikes at certain RPM point, which coincide with the RPM that the bike would see when its being emission tested at the factory to prove to governing bodies that the bike meets XXX emission standards. this is while some bikes have a stumble or a hole at lower RPM.

VTR does it, TL's do it, SV's do it, most of first gen FI bikes have it...

from modification stand point, the stock ECU can compensate for slight changes in Volumetric efficiency, which changes with exhaust, filter, etc etc.

the rest the power commander on FI's can fix, or rejetting carbs on older models is the equivalent.

I've heard the same thing... that most modern FI bikes come tuned lean and a Power Commander can actually make some bikes run a LOT better.

[murf]

^^ that used to be the case.

now manufacturers tend to lean out the bikes at certain RPM point, which coincide with the RPM that the bike would see when its being emission tested at the factory to prove to governing bodies that the bike meets XXX emission standards. this is while some bikes have a stumble or a hole at lower RPM.

VTR does it, TL's do it, SV's do it, most of first gen FI bikes have it...

from modification stand point, the stock ECU can compensate for slight changes in Volumetric efficiency, which changes with exhaust, filter, etc etc.

.

depends what bike and if it has an open or closed FI system. Even then they only have a narrow band o2 sensor which is why you need a wideband sensor added to map the bike.

[Red_Liner740]

yes, narrow band oxy sensors are used in cars but they too can only tell the ECU whether its lean or rich, not by how much...

thats why if u install an A/F ratio guage on a car u see it fluctuating back and fourth while driving. because the ecu leans it out, oops too much, richens it, oops too much, lean etc etc. when u get on the gas it goes into open loop (or closed, i forget which one is which ) at which point it ignores the oxy sensor and determines how much fuel at what rpm based on intake temp, intake velocity or Mass air flow, coolant temp, etc etc. most EFI systems on bikes dont have an oxygen sensor and dont know whether the bike is lean or not, they cannot compensate, so a power commander is added which then superceedes the stock ECU mapping and either richens or leans out the mixture as to how u want it and at what RPM.

[reciprocity]

yes, narrow band oxy sensors are used in cars but they too can only tell the ECU whether its lean or rich, not by how much...

thats why if u install an A/F ratio guage on a car u see it fluctuating back and fourth while driving. because the ecu leans it out, oops too much, richens it, oops too much, lean etc etc. when u get on the gas it goes into open loop (or closed, i forget which one is which ) at which point it ignores the oxy sensor and determines how much fuel at what rpm based on intake temp, intake velocity or Mass air flow, coolant temp, etc etc. most EFI systems on bikes dont have an oxygen sensor and dont know whether the bike is lean or not, they cannot compensate, so a power commander is added which then superceedes the stock ECU mapping and either richens or leans out the mixture as to how u want it and at what RPM.

there are several aftermarket companies that sell add-on closed loop systems wide wide band lambda sensors that measure in real time and adjust accordingly.

They do not go into open loop ever.