Triumphrat

03-31-2005, 11:32 PM

okay how does a dyno actually work?? Is it the same principles as a car and if I get my bike dynoed for power will the operator know how to tweak my bike? Cause I sure don't!!! I have the tuneboy stuff but will they know how to use it??? :???:

Timtiger · 04-01-2005, 02:49 AM

A dynamometer is a device that measures force and power. There are lots of different kinds of dynamometers, including kinds that test springs and shocks. Inertia-type chassis dynamometers measure the force and power that the spinning wheels a vehicle produce. There a couple of types of these with "brake-type" dynos that measure the power that is actively absorbed by a water, oil, or eddy-current brake or generator. Inertia-type chassis dyno consists of two very heavy drums hooked up to a computer. The wheels spin the dyno drums, and the computer measures the speed. The computer calculates the acceleration of the dyno drums by continuous measurements of their speed and the time.

Dynos can therefore measure power (horsepower) and torque. Horsepower is the ability to do work in a given amount of time, and torque is strength of that work.

In my opinion the most useful thing a dyno can tell you is the smoothness of your power and torque over the range of RPMs you can use. If there are any serious dips in either power or torque, than yor bike is not running efficiently and wil have flat spots. You can of course alsoi use it to test the motor before and after modifications to check maximum horsepower and torque, but it is of more use to check is things like a different exhaust have messed up the fuel mixture (tuning). The Tuneboy and Powercommander systems can alter the tuning.

I have no experience with Tuneboy, but I have a Powercommander. I fitted a Staintune highflow exhaust can. It sounds great and clearly had more power BUT had a huge flat spot just after throttle opening. The dyno shows this on a computer screen and an exhaust gas analyser shows this to be a problem of mixture being too lean (too much air not enough fuel) from 2,000 to 3,500 RPM. You plug a computer into the Powercommander and tell it to squiry fuel for a little longer (richen the mixture) at the problem RPM. This richens the mixture. This is called altering the EFI "map". The map is simply a table of numbers that tells the ECU computor on you bike how long to squirt fuel each engine cycle.

Dyno run the bike again. Try different settings on the map to get the most power, smooth power and good exhaust gas figures that tell you that the EFI is not too rich or lean and the bike is running most efficiently.

The tuneboy alters the ECU maps and the powercommander simply adjusts the signals the ECU puts out, but in operation the acheive the same effect.

I hope that helps

04-01-2005, 08:21 AM

yeah that helps some, if I take my bike to a dyno will they be able to adjust the settings? or will i have to? I.E.- will they know enough about the computer adjusting side of things?? :???:

Hayduke · 04-01-2005, 01:45 PM

TimTiger,

I have a few question about TuneBoy

1) How long did it take you to recieve your order?
2) Is there any other way to contact them, other than e-mail?
3) Did you recieve any notification that they recived/shipped your order?
4) Are they still in business?

Sorry if I seem a bit paranoid, but I have been burned online before. Never for $310.00 US, but enough to make me worry when I don't recieve any response from the seller.

Thank in advance,

Ed

[ This message was edited by: Hayduke on 2005-04-01 11:48 ]

04-01-2005, 02:38 PM

I bought the tuneboy a long time ago, but they were honest about the buy and it did take a while for the software to arrive, I do wish they would update their tune-page and perhaps actually have the documentation downloads working!! and a hotline....perhaps a datalogger...are you getting my drift on how I feel on the tuneboy!! :hammer:

Hayduke · 04-01-2005, 02:53 PM

Ok, I feel a bit less better. Anyone else?

Hinckley · 04-02-2005, 08:06 AM

Hayduke, devildog is the only dissatisfied tuneboy owner I can recall reading about. Most who know how to use it are thrilled with it and it's capabilities.
I don't think you will be dissatisfied if you understand it's purpose.

Here is a little more general information from a short search on Yahoo

04-02-2005, 07:29 PM

perhaps once again I was too blunt!! I'm not dissatisfied with the software, just making the point that there is alot of room to improve on!! It is the best software I have witnessed FOR BIKES. I work on cars everyday and to equal the efficiency of aftermarket auto-computers is where I get bitter...get my drift?? It is alot of tweaking, trial&error, but I think that is b/c there isn't alot to go off of, unlike cars there is tons of tuners.. :brk:

Timtiger · 04-03-2005, 07:18 PM

Hey hayduke.
I don't have or use the Tuneboy. I have a Powercommander III USB. I recommend them highly - as long as they are installed and dynotuned by an expert.
I did download the Tuneboy software from their site just to have a look and so I know how it works.

In my opinion the PCIII is superior. The Tuneboy is simply software and a cable that allows you to "hack into" and modify the standard Triumph ECU tuning data. The PCIII is an electronic box that modifys the ECU output, but it allows a lot of flexibility and allows more detailed and accurate tuning (this is only my opinion). Bear in mind that Tuneboy does do many things like modify the ignition and rev limit that the PCIII cannot do. I actually have no desire to touch any of this though.

All of this is very very subjective and I have not heard of a real back to back comparision of Tuneboy vs PCIII with dyno and ride tests. Shame really as I would love to rude a Tuneboy bike just to see the difference.

The costs of the PCIII and the Tuneboy are about the same. I think the Tuneboy people are actually based here in Melbourne Australia. Their support email address is a .au one, so they are Ozzie. If they dud you, I can go around there and nail their heads to the floor.

Timtiger · 04-03-2005, 07:18 PM

Hey hayduke.
I don't have or use the Tuneboy. I have a Powercommander III USB. I recommend them highly - as long as they are installed and dynotuned by an expert.
I did download the Tuneboy software from their site just to have a look and so I know how it works.

In my opinion the PCIII is superior. The Tuneboy is simply software and a cable that allows you to "hack into" and modify the standard Triumph ECU tuning data. The PCIII is an electronic box that modifys the ECU output, but it allows a lot of flexibility and allows more detailed and accurate tuning (this is only my opinion). Bear in mind that Tuneboy does do many things like modify the ignition and rev limit that the PCIII cannot do. I actually have no desire to touch any of this though.

All of this is very very subjective and I have not heard of a real back to back comparision of Tuneboy vs PCIII with dyno and ride tests. Shame really as I would love to rude a Tuneboy bike just to see the difference.

The costs of the PCIII and the Tuneboy are about the same. I think the Tuneboy people are actually based here in Melbourne Australia. Their support email address is a .au one, so they are Ozzie. If they dud you, I can go around there and nail their heads to the floor.