TPS Mod - Part Deux (or however you spell it)

[taranis]

A little update:

Finally went out and bought the correct set of Torx security bits for the TPS. Tore into the bike again and got down to business, but first, a measurement. .801 at idle, 4.49 WOT. Exactly where I was before I started this whole project in the last thread. ??? All I can think of is that it's 100% necessary to get to that back screw on the TPS and loosen it. If you "don't bother" like I did because you don't have the Torx bit, you can tap all you want and that thing ain't gonna budge.

Sometimes we blondes take the long was around the mountain - hey, the scenery's prettier anyway....

In the process of getting ready, I take the ignition switch off the tank (two 6mm allen bolts) and set it on the frame-rail, plugged in, so I can easily turn the key on and off. Worked out great last time, but not so well this time. Remember how I said it's always SOMETHING? Yep. Here we go again.

Went to take off one of the 6mm bolts holding the ignition switch on and it will. not. budge. Stripped out the inside of the bolt (bugger). Used a dremel to cut a groove across the middle and try a flat-blade screwdriver. Still. nothing. Double-bugger!

Ended up using the dremmel to nearly cut the entire head of the bolt off before it would unscrew (and I'm having vivid nightmare right about now of my oil-change fiasco). Lucky for me, Home Depot had 6mm phillips screws that replaced the allen bolts perfectly.

Anyway, so I used a little packing tape on a 1/4" box-end wrench and taped in the Torx bit (MUCH easier to get into that little area). Loosened it up and started tapping. Got it up to 4.52v @ WOT. Dunno what idle was, didn't care to keep track. Tightened everything back down. Rechecked it a few times and it held steady.

Next, the 900. Oil change time! ("Oh no, notta 'gain..")

I'll skip all the boring crap and get right to it. I tried the sandpaper trick. Didn't work, but did take the paint off the filter. What did work was the little rubber thing that comes with the crampbuster (I have one for my bike that I don't use). Wrapped that around the filter, tapped on the wrench socket, gave a good hard pull and it came off.

At least there was no laughing this time.... instead we sat back after I was done, quite pleased at my handiwork, then geared up for an afternoon ride. There's just no way I'm passing up 60 degrees in January.

I can't tell any noticeable difference in power, but it seems smoother. It idles better. After I got a tankful of 89 in it, I took off for the freeway onramp like a bat outta hell. I can't decide if it has a little more oomph or not. One thing I did notice - no pinging on 89, yet. I did 35 in 5th at one point and went WOT, and I couldn't get it to ping. It does seem to run a little different, a little better.

The jury's out on this one. I have a hard time believing that a simple .02v adjustment will have much effect when the spec is 4.29v - 4.59v at WOT. I'm well within spec at 4.52v, so by my twisted logic, I could crank it all the way up to the top and it should be fine. Next time I have the tank off for a coolant change, I might raise it another .02v and see what happens. As lean as these bikes supposedly run, it can't hurt to run near the top of spec, can it?

[blowndodge]

What happened to "Holy.Crap. It's a damn good thing I have a backrest.. I would've been tossed onto the pilon! This Nad's got NADS now! Daddy like! After a quick run around the neighborhood, the bike seems to be running well."

If it's still running like this then all should be good? Are you still getting tossed onto the pilon? Did the Nads deNad? Can't see why it no longer is running like a scalded cat?!! hm....

[dogdoc]

sounds like its time to add the TFI if you want a BOOST!

[taranis]

Originally Posted by Blowndodge "Darksider"

What happened to "Holy.Crap. It's a damn good thing I have a backrest.. I would've been tossed onto the pilon! This Nad's got NADS now! Daddy like! After a quick run around the neighborhood, the bike seems to be running well."

If it's still running like this then all should be good? Are you still getting tossed onto the pilon? Did the Nads deNad? Can't see why it no longer is running like a scalded cat?!! hm....

I guess it was my imagination. Had been off the bike for a couple of weeks and performed the initial adjustment before getting back on. Maybe my enthusiasm was misplaced into thinking I had done something I hadn't. I just remember opening it up at one point and thinking, 'Damn, this thing feels good."

I can sure tell it's getting more fuel, because my fuel mileage has dropped. I went through a full tank yesterday and today and mileage was around 150 miles before the light came on, whereas before it would light at around 165 or so. Not a big change, but enough to notice.

I had Ann on the back this afternoon and did a WOT run through the gears up the highway. She was pushed against the backrest (and loved it, btw) and again, it seemed to have quite a bit more power.
Again today, no pinging on 89.

I guess time will tell whether this was worthwhile. Maybe I'm already used to the new found throttle response.