Anyone regret having ECU Ivanized?

[bsilver1968]

I've been reading several threads about the Ivan ECU flash. I have a 2016 Vaquero with 300 miles that is stock except for Mustang seat and a Clearview windshield on the way. I am on the fence about doing the Ivan flash.

Some people have talked about having a high idle at startup, engine not warming up when the weather is cold, possible extra carbon on the pipes from running rich, hard to restart like the engine is flooded, etc.

To the guys who have had this done, is there anything that has happened that made you regret your decision? When the temperature is cold does the engine eventually warm up and the idle return to normal or does it idle high the whole time?

Thanks for your insight. I think this is my first post here so if I did something wrong, forgive me.

[JD Hog]

Welcome from Northern California!

No regrets at all!

I'm so happy with this re-flash that if the State of California were to go to annual inspections and mine wouldn't pass as is I would purchase a new or used stock ECU just to pass the test and install the re-flashed one after.

Here in Northern California I ride in weather from 40° to 100° and the bike warms up all the time. It does do a little variation on the RPM's at first but settles down to the 950 RPM very quickly.

I have not had any restarting problems and the engine does warm up to run correctly in the colder weather because the thermostat will stay closed so it does. I do enjoy the cooler running bike in the hot weather. I have not had any problems in the colder weather as far as how the engine runs.

I have not noticed any carbon buildup on the pipes so I don't think it is running rich especially since I average about 2-1/2 to 3 miles per gallon better after the re-flash.

My bike is totally stock except for the re-flash and RACNRAY's throttle mod so others may have a different outcome depending on their mods.

[notmighty]

Originally Posted by JD Hog

Welcome from Northern California!

No regrets at all!

I'm so happy with this re-flash that if the State of California were to go to annual inspections and mine wouldn't pass as is I would purchase a new or used stock ECU just to pass the test and install the re-flashed one after.

Here in Northern California I ride in weather from 40° to 100° and the bike warms up all the time. It does do a little variation on the RPM's at first but settles down to the 950 RPM very quickly.

I have not had any restarting problems and the engine does warm up to run correctly in the colder weather because the thermostat will stay closed so it does. I do enjoy the cooler running bike in the hot weather. I have not had any problems in the colder weather as far as how the engine runs.

I have not noticed any carbon buildup on the pipes so I don't think it is running rich especially since I average about 2-1/2 to 3 miles per gallon better after the re-flash.

My bike is totally stock except for the re-flash and RACNRAY's throttle mod so others may have a different outcome depending on their mods.

AGREED!

I sent mine in with only 10 miles on my bike, I read all the threads on here and another Vulcan forum and that the ECU flash was an absolute first mod. the only thing I found/find a tad odd is my idle fluctuates on cold start but is gone within 1 minute. I've ridden in 60*-95* weather and the temp guage creeps up in traffic or at long red lights on the hot days.

other than that I'm more than happy with my purchase of the vaquero and Ivans flash.

[Scootergptx]

I have a higher idle at start. Warm and cold, but doesn't take long for it to go back to a steady 950 rpm.

The only regret I may have in the future is if my wife finds out how much I paid for it. Or worse, she sells it for what I told her I paid.

[Erilflynn]

Originally Posted by bsilver1968

I've been reading several threads about the Ivan ECU flash. I have a 2016 Vaquero with 300 miles that is stock except for Mustang seat and a Clearview windshield on the way. I am on the fence about doing the Ivan flash.

Some people have talked about having a high idle at startup, engine not warming up when the weather is cold, possible extra carbon on the pipes from running rich, hard to restart like the engine is flooded, etc.

To the guys who have had this done, is there anything that has happened that made you regret your decision? When the temperature is cold does the engine eventually warm up and the idle return to normal or does it idle high the whole time?

Thanks for your insight. I think this is my first post here so if I did something wrong, forgive me.

I have to admit at first I wasn't sure how much of a benefit I got. But after a month I'm quite quite pleased with the improved mileage, quicker response and lower temp. I just may have had unrealistic expectations at the start . And I don't find the increaseday Rpm at startup that bad. Happy camper now.

[terryd]

Originally Posted by Erilflynn

I have to admit at first I wasn't sure how much of a benefit I got. But after a month I'm quite quite pleased with the improved mileage, quicker response and lower temp. I just may have had unrealistic expectations at the start . And I don't find the increaseday Rpm at startup that bad. Happy camper now.

It took you a month to notice a difference? I knew in the first block that the improvement was huge! I did go from completely stock to ECU flash and Vance & Hines slip ons though. Added a Thunder Mfg BAK about a month later which bumped performance even further. Maybe if I'd had a fuel tuner and mods to start with the difference would have been more subtle, but from what I've read from everyone here I doubt it.

[gv550]

For those who are experiencing high/surging idle, hard starting when hot, and pinging you really need to investigate air leaks in the intake system. This is a known issue with the 1700, and may well be amplified by Ivan's flash.
There are 4 places it can leak, most common is between the throttle body and manifold (Thunder makes a gasket for this), the two little rubber plugs on top of the throttle body could be cracked, the rubber seals at the injectors could leak, and the seals between the manifold and heads can leak.
I had high idle, hard starting when hot and pinging when I first installed Ivan's flash but after disassembling everything, adding the gasket, replacing the plugs and injector seals, and I used Hylomar to seal the manifold to the heads...... all those symptoms disappeared.
Continuing to run your engine with an intake air leak can cause expensive repairs down the road, mainly burned valves and seats and other things resulting from overheating and pre ignition.

[Lucky Dutch]

Originally Posted by gv550

For those who are experiencing high/surging idle, hard starting when hot, and pinging you really need to investigate air leaks in the intake system. This is a known issue with the 1700, and may well be amplified by Ivan's flash.
There are 4 places it can leak, most common is between the throttle body and manifold (Thunder makes a gasket for this), the two little rubber plugs on top of the throttle body could be cracked, the rubber seals at the injectors could leak, and the seals between the manifold and heads can leak.
I had high idle, hard starting when hot and pinging when I first installed Ivan's flash but after disassembling everything, adding the gasket, replacing the plugs and injector seals, and I used Hylomar to seal the manifold to the heads...... all those symptoms disappeared.
Continuing to run your engine with an intake air leak can cause expensive repairs down the road, mainly burned valves and seats and other things resulting from overheating and pre ignition.

I have been having exactly the leaks you described and looked into it some more. There is a noticeable difference when it is correctly sorted out. I am gonna keep my eye on it for a bit. Thanks for sharing your experiences as it helped my bike run a bit better

[VulcanD]

Originally Posted by gv550

For those who are experiencing high/surging idle, hard starting when hot, and pinging you really need to investigate air leaks in the intake system. This is a known issue with the 1700, and may well be amplified by Ivan's flash.
There are 4 places it can leak, most common is between the throttle body and manifold (Thunder makes a gasket for this), the two little rubber plugs on top of the throttle body could be cracked, the rubber seals at the injectors could leak, and the seals between the manifold and heads can leak.
I had high idle, hard starting when hot and pinging when I first installed Ivan's flash but after disassembling everything, adding the gasket, replacing the plugs and injector seals, and I used Hylomar to seal the manifold to the heads...... all those symptoms disappeared.
Continuing to run your engine with an intake air leak can cause expensive repairs down the road, mainly burned valves and seats and other things resulting from overheating and pre ignition.

For the only semi-mechanically-inclined among us, any recommendations on how to investigate for potential leaks? I Chang my oil and filter, install electrical gadgets, and adjust my belt, but when it comes to the engine, I'm pretty dumb. I'm not really sure where to start. Would a dealer be the best bet?

[gv550]

Originally Posted by VulcanD

For the only semi-mechanically-inclined among us, any recommendations on how to investigate for potential leaks? I Chang my oil and filter, install electrical gadgets, and adjust my belt, but when it comes to the engine, I'm pretty dumb. I'm not really sure where to start. Would a dealer be the best bet?

Remove both the right and left airboxes to expose the intake manifold and throttle body. With the engine warm and running at idle, spray some brake cleaner or parts cleaner or WD40 at all the areas I mentioned. If the engine revs up then it is inhaling that extra flammable fuel through an air leak.

[Johnny Y]

Originally Posted by gv550

For those who are experiencing high/surging idle, hard starting when hot, and pinging you really need to investigate air leaks in the intake system. This is a known issue with the 1700, and may well be amplified by Ivan's flash.
There are 4 places it can leak, most common is between the throttle body and manifold (Thunder makes a gasket for this), the two little rubber plugs on top of the throttle body could be cracked, the rubber seals at the injectors could leak, and the seals between the manifold and heads can leak.
I had high idle, hard starting when hot and pinging when I first installed Ivan's flash but after disassembling everything, adding the gasket, replacing the plugs and injector seals, and I used Hylomar to seal the manifold to the heads...... all those symptoms disappeared.
Continuing to run your engine with an intake air leak can cause expensive repairs down the road, mainly burned valves and seats and other things resulting from overheating and pre ignition.

What is " Pinging " ?

[plumber63]

Originally Posted by Johnny Y

What is " Pinging " ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_knocking



read and watch

[tonik]

Originally Posted by bsilver1968

I've been reading several threads about the Ivan ECU flash. I have a 2016 Vaquero with 300 miles that is stock except for Mustang seat and a Clearview windshield on the way. I am on the fence about doing the Ivan flash.

Some people have talked about having a high idle at startup, engine not warming up when the weather is cold, possible extra carbon on the pipes from running rich, hard to restart like the engine is flooded, etc.

To the guys who have had this done, is there anything that has happened that made you regret your decision? When the temperature is cold does the engine eventually warm up and the idle return to normal or does it idle high the whole time?

Thanks for your insight. I think this is my first post here so if I did something wrong, forgive me.

I have started mine in very cold temps, high 30's. Yea, it idles high...but it certainly warms up and it goes down. At 38 it takes a bit, 3 or 4 miles if you don't wait and just go. Anything over 60 and it is hardly noticeable, maybe a minute or two. And I will say the idle though a tad high is consistent...it doesn't hunt like it did on the factory flash.

No hard restart issues at all.

Yea, it runs a bit rich in a few spots. Tiny bit more carbon but nothing really noticeable.

I was really worried about how it would behave in high temps, I was concerned that it might ping. I got stuck in a traffic backup at 95 degrees, when I got out I tried hard to get it to ping. Never happened.

[H8BUGZ]

My hard restart issue was present before the flash and very intermittent. I am convinced that it's a compression release issue. My only idle concern is sometimes it is slow to return to idle when warm. That seems to be eliminated by increasing the curb idle +50. Fuel mileage seems to have increased 1.5 mpg. Don't believe the ridiculously high numbers. I can get those too if I ride around at 50 mph! Consistent performance cannot be met any other way. I did the flash to an Ebay ECU because of speculation too. But knowing what I do now-Go for it.

[Peg]

The "hard to restart like the engine is flooded" comment was likely mine. It's an extremely small something I noticed happen just once, and doesn't detract at all from my overall view of Ivan's flash being the very best modification I've ever made to my Voyager. That's despite the 15 day turn around, expensive shipping, NZ Customs clipping the ticket, and an extremely poor exchange rate currently... NZ$850, or US$593 all up, and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Don't sweat the small stuff. The vast number of benefits by far outweigh the few very small quirks.