Nippy did you notice any power increase? The factory said , I think, it produces an extra 10bhp, someone else maybe able to confirm this as I may of miss heard.
Nippy did you notice any power increase? The factory said , I think, it produces an extra 10bhp, someone else maybe able to confirm this as I may of miss heard.
The Co0ling Kit will NOT increase power output in absolute terms, but it will help prevent the ECU backing off timing and fuelling in an attempt to keep itself cool in very hot situations. Driving at 30+mph on a 'normal' day will produce way more air cooling than the fan could possibly muster, but sitting in stationary or slow-moving traffic will see engine temps rise and when you first put your foot down, less power will be available initially, for the above mentioned reasons. But this is most definitely NOT a tuning product! To be honest most mechanically sympathetic people would not try to use full power on a scalding hot engine anyway, so the 'increased power' statements are somewhat theoretical in my view.
If the kit was a little less ugly I might consider it (personally I think those Love Jugs that someone so professionally fitted on here a while back look waaay better), but the real use is in traffic jams where Skip-Fire becomes an issue. In those situations I now switch off and push the car whenever possible, as it's a simple solution and always starts up conversations! In 3000 miles so far I have only had Skip-Fire happen once and that was in a very long jam before I realised how easy it was to get out and push. In those situations the Cooling Kit would be great and would help the engine to reduce its power output a little less as you get moving, until the air cooling above 30mph takes over and quickly restores normality.
However, for places like Q8, it makes good sense and is well priced.
I would like to apologize for my considerable references to my motorcycle experience. It’s kind of like getting a divorce and then meeting someone new and constantly talking about your ex.
Please accept my apologies.
You will probably notice that I tend to ramble on and on and on sometimes. My fingers just get talking and I cannot shut them up!!!
So I’ll get back to my Harley references now.
On ’08 and newer Harley CVO’s, maybe now on stock Big Twins, Harley developed a “Parade Mode” for low speed cooling improvements. Only at a stop and the motor is over a certain temperature, the rear cylinder is turned off, no fuel is sent to it; the rear cylinder it typically the hottest anyway. In Parade Mode, you just sit there at a stop light with one cylinder running. In the city this is a big help in reducing rider heat issues. Granted the motor sounds a bit funny firing on only one cylinder, but it does help.
I really don’t think that is an option for the M3W though. In my opinion I found the cooling fan upgrade to look quite nice. They extended the shroud out quite a bit behind each cylinder to draw over as much surface area as possible. I have to go back to the remapping of the ECM fuel and timing management as the best improvement in performance and rider comfort for the money. Obviously there are tens of thousands of new Big Twin Harleys made each year and most do not get any modifications at all and don’t self destruct because of the CAT and very lean fuel/air ratios.
Just this year on CVO Harley touring and a couple other models, they came out with water cooling for the heads. It’s still an air cooled motor in general terms but with a water circuit that runs around the exhaust valve in each head. I’m sure they pick up some of the heat through the water cooling to make it worth while. There’s been a rumor for many years that Harley will have to go to water cooling to be able to meet the ever increasing emission standards. S&S seems to have been able to still produce EPA compliant motors without going to water cooling.
To be honest, my Harley rarely goes into Parade Mode. Usually when we're riding and it's in the mid to high 90's or above, will it limp back to one cylinder at a long stop light. We've riden when the temp is over 100F and it's no cake walk. You sweat just going down the road. Again, the biggest improvement was the richening up of the fuel/air ratio with the TTS tuner.
