Connie EFI 2.0

[Chrome Megaphone]

It's almost a year now on the project and I want to finish it before the dirt nap 
However if I find the throttle bodies and computer/controller for the ZN1300 my next project will be the EFI 6 cyl tourer stripped down and maybe tuning that will be something to investigate.

[gpineau]

Out again for a longer time period. Tuner studio in Auto tune mode. At first here are some hick-ups then things begin to smooth out. Sometime along the way the USB cam unplugged and Tuner studio couldn't save the tune values. But still much better than last time out. The way home was a real thrill and hard to stay below the speed limit.

https://youtu.be/eRuUCUVBNOk

[connie_rider]

Getting closer...   

Ride safe, Ted

[gpineau]

I've got the bike running really well now. a few more tweaks and I am done. But I have this nagging issue that I don't know the cause.
At low speed, usually when I have backed off the throttle and just coasting around a corner or pulling up to a stop sign I can hear a backfire through one of the throttle bodies. I am pretty sure it is cylinder number 2.

I've heard that lean mixture can cause backfires but it is only happening on one cylinder.
Valve sticking? Valve adjustment out of wack?

Any thoughts?

[connie_rider]

Check compression. If that cylinder is lowest, could be intake valve not seating. {Trash/carbon on seat}
Wild idea; Because of all your wiring/programing, mebbe that cylinder is occasionally getting a false signal to fire with the other bank of cylinders?

Ride safe, Ted

[gpineau]

I'm thinking the same. Regarding the possible misfire theory. The best I can tell it is only on cylinder 2. since 2&3 share a coil I have doubts that it is a misfire.  More likely an intake valve not closing all the way. I just ordered a compression gauge from Amazon. I should have an answer by Monday,

[gpineau]

Well I am surprised! I was expecting to find a leak. With cylinder 2 being the lowest compression... but it's not so.
Compression.  I read somewhere that 125 is the minimum to be expected. Its a new gauge and don't know how accurate it is but it sure shows a disparity between the cylinders.
1- 120
2- 115
3 -100
4 - 85.

I have lost track of what I have done to this Connie. This is my 3rd  C10.   I know I adjusted the valves on 2 of them. I am hoping that this is a valve adjustment and I can adjust this out. Otherwise  I am looking at a valve job or a head change.  Next move is to pull the valve cover and get the feeler gauge.

[gpineau]

I checked the height of the pistons. 2-3 are same and 1-4 are the same, so no hydro-lock. Checked the valve settings. all intakes are .007 exhausts are .009  I did puts a little oil down each cylinder and got better results.  130, 135,129,100.  So the rings are a bit worn. None of this explains why it is spitting out cyl 2. I suppose I need to pull the head and check the valve seats.

[connie_rider]

Pulling your head for valve seats won't fix the back fire out of number 2. (as it's consistently with the highest compression)
Look elsewhere..

Throwing out idea's;
The 2 cylinder's fire together; so (both) 2 and 3 have spark on power and exhaust strokes.
If you have unburn fuel in #2 on it's exhaust stroke. you would get that backfire
Mebbe an injector is leaking or miss firing?

Ride safe, Ted

[gpineau]

If not for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. 
 
Waited 3 days for Amazon to deliver a $22 thermostat for my bike. (going from 192° to 172°)
 It was the WRONG one. Went to the Auto parts store around the corner and got the right one for $6. 

Installing it everything was going great. But when I tightened the last nut on the housing I heard a "tink" .....I broke one of the three mounting ears off the thermostat housing. Leaks like a sieve!

Ordered a replacement, wont be here for a week.

[connie_rider]

Arghhhhhhh...

Ride safe, Ted

[gpineau]

The replacement part came this afternoon. Took about 20 minutes to get it and the new 176° thermostat  installed. Now the temperature hovers about 180°.  Had a bit of a scare after running it for a while. The Air Fuel Ratio was stuck at 19, (1.36 )lambda which equates to VERY lean. I was thinking that the O2 sensor had gone bad but then I discovered that when I pulled the tank to gain access to the thermostat, I had accidentally disconnected injector on cylinder 4. That is where the O2 sensor is installed. Everything in working right now.

Tomorrow I will spend as much time as needed to finish tuning the EFI and looking for any last remaining bug-a-boos.  After that I think I will call it finished and move on to m next project. 

Picture of the source of the "tink" sound.....dont over tighten these bolts.

[gpineau]

Got a new project to play with.
After riding a v-star and a Connie, this bike feels like a toy but it will set you back against the backrest coming off a stop sign.

Not certain I will convert this one to EFI. It seems fine like it is as long as I keep the tank full of zero ethanol gasoline.

[connie_rider]

Is that the one that they refer to as the Super Magna?

Ride safe, Ted

[gpineau]

No, it's just your every day Honda Magna, VF750.  748cc, 86HP, 46 lb-ft torque. It's a real hoot to drive.  I took the Connie out for a while this morning. The temperature gage was rock steady on 180° and it is running great.  I'm back home now and going to look through the log file and see if there are any issues I need to address but I don't thin I have any remaining issues.

I think I am done !@*&(*&(*@!!!!

[gpineau]

Almost forgot. I have not finished!. The whole idea behind this project was to solve the problem of going too lean when going quickly to wide open throttle. That is the purpose of the secondary throttle plates. 

Now the bike is tuned I have enabled the secondary plates and they seem to behaving exactly as predicted. In addition of preventing it from going lean at WOT, when the plates are partially closed the air velocity increases.

https://youtu.be/AoWeyKTWaX8

[connie_rider]

So,,, "success"??

Ride safe, Ted

[gpineau]

Yep, I'm done. Nothing left to do except put the plastics back on it, wash and wax.

My wife says 4 bikes are too many, I need to sell one of these Connies. My house is starting to look like a rally point.

I will get the first EFI connie in the garage (the naked one) and copy the tuning improvements I made on this one then get it ready to sell. It's a shame because with the new handle bars and pull back risers I can sit up straight and it drives like a sport bike.

[gpineau]

One last tuning ride since changing the secondary throttle plate settings. I changed the lower end of the throttle plate setting to 20% and added about 5% more to the mid range. Bike is performing really well now. Temperature is rock steady at 180° no dead spots in the throttle. I am pleased with the results.
https://youtu.be/o6bZVoongNc

[gpineau]

I need to sell this bike.  Its been fun but my garage and back yard are over crowded. I need to thin the herd down to 2 bikes.
https://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/d/firestone-kawasaki-concours-fuel/7351450901.html

I have the first EFI bike (the naked one)  back in the garage and I am making the upgrades that I learned to make it run as well as this one.
https://youtu.be/6qg0xdxRRd8