Greg's Bandit 400 Fuel Injection Project...

[greg737]

They have between 500 and 600 miles on them.  That's the total distance I've ridden the bike since getting it up and running as a fuel injected project.

Because I had them out of the bike for a compression test I figured why not take a close look and document their condition (for future reference). 

I think the #1 cylinder plug is the dirtiest looking of the group, but I agree with you that they all look pretty good.

And I might as well admit that I also saw an opportunity to bring out my USB microscope (cheap, fun, nerdy Chinese techno-trash).  The older I get the more I appreciate things that magnify objects.

[ventYl]

due to my experience with bandit fuel / ignition system I can say that bandit is able to clog sparkplugs with fuel and carbon even after 50 miles so your setup must be mostly stable. either they are not getting dirty at all or only to very minor degree and then cleaning themelves up after warming up to self-cleaning temp.

[Gouraami]

Those are looking great!

[andrewsw]

Nice video. The bike looks and sounds great Greg!

OMG! I kept waiting for you to go crack the throttle for a little fun and no dice! I'm so disappointed! :)

I love the project still, thanks for all the updates.

[greg737]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for Springtime to arrive.  Here in Spokane WA it's been an unseasonably warm and dry February.  I guess it's due to this year's El Nino influenced weather pattern.

I've been doing research and gathering parts, generally getting ready to dive back into the garage for the final push toward a completed Fuel Injection project (and a completed GSF400 too).  I'm really feeling the urge to spend an entire week in the garage getting things done.

I've been putting together a "To-Do" list and it includes:

- Re-flashing the FI system's Microsquirt ECU with the most up-to-date release of the MSExtra firmware that it runs.  There have been a number of improvements made to the firmware during the course of my GSF400 project so it's definitely time to re-flash.

- Replacing the 23 year old coolant hoses with a set of new silicon hoses plus a full set of stainless steel clamps that are "silicon hose friendly" (i.e. not the cheap, narrow ones with the open holes)

- Doing the wiring necessary to re-activate the handlebar kill switch (which I ignored during the project's initial Fuel Injection system re-wiring).  It's definitely time to put that little safety measure back in working order.

- Thinking seriously about replacing the very loud, old and dented Yoshimura exhaust can with a "long quiet" stainless steel exhaust can from a company called Area P.  I have a full Area P stainless steel exhaust on my Kawasaki EX250, great quality and workmanship with an outstanding sound but not too loud.

- Fitting the Solo Cowl: which means figuring out exactly how it will attach, fine-tuning the fit and how it will be cushioned so it won't rattle or wear through the paint on the tail fairing.  Once the fit and attachment method is finalized I'll have to paint the Solo Cowl to match the rest of the fairings.

- Fitting the bike's side cover fairings (the little ones that go from the back of the fuel tank to the rear fairing).  These covers haven't been on the bike since I first took it apart in the Fall of 2013.

- I'm going to create a small "mud flap" to close the gap at the forward end of the rear wheel hugger.  There's just too much water and debris getting thrown through this little gap (about an inch) by the rear tire, coming to rest on the forward part of the swingarm.

- Install a new front brake lever and reservoir.  The bike came to me with one of the two screws on the reservoir lid stripped out.  I tried to fix it by drilling and tapping a deeper set of threads into the reservoir and using a longer screw but it still "weeps" out a tiny bit of fluid whenever I ride the bike at highway speeds.

- I have a tip-over sensor that I need to install on the fuel pump electrical power circuit.  Carbed bikes usually stall immediately if they tip over but fuel injected bikes may continue running, which can be dangerous.

And there's more to do... there's always more.

[Gouraami]

The tip over sensor is a good idea, at what angle does it kick in?

You are right, there is always more!

[greg737]

The weather is getting warmer here in Spokane and we're seeing more motorcycles out on the roads... when it's not raining, that is, which it's been doing quite a lot lately.

I finally got my GoPro camera replaced by the manufacturer.  My original GoPro, purchased last summer, was one of a whole production run that came loaded with firmware that contained a fatal bug.  The camera worked fine until the day I decided to use the built in BlueTooth pairing with my cellphone.  After that the camera ceased to function.

So here's a very short, non-motorcycle-related video I shot and edited on the GoPro yesterday.  At least it involves the garage and working on a vehicle.

Getting rid of the awful sounding horn on my daughter's Mazda 3, replacing it with something a little louder and more "european" sounding:
http://vid679.photobucket.com/albums/vv158/EWflyer/Louie%20gets%20a%20new%20horn_zpsqiadfnv0.mp4

[greg737]

The GSF400 project bike as it stands right now.  Video on Photobucket:

http://vid679.photobucket.com/albums/vv158/EWflyer/GSF400%20video%20library/GSF400%20project%20tour%20-%20April%2016-16_zpsnyukevn5.mp4

Now that I've been riding the GSF400 for a while I'm getting a feel for it and here's something I've realized about it: With just over 50 horsepower this bike falls right in between low horsepower "momentum bikes" like my Kawasaki EX250 and, at the other end of the spectrum, bikes with real horsepower that you can ride "point and shoot" style.

I haven't ridden it enough to feel really comfortable and natural on it like I do on my Kawasaki EX250, but that will come with time.

[TJS]

Great work! I look forward to seeing more videos!

[Squishy]

Nice video! 

Hows fuel economy?
Also would be interesting to know whether it gained any torque/power.

[Gouraami]

Great work 

[greg737]

Nice video! 

Hows fuel economy?
Also would be interesting to know whether it gained any torque/power.

Probably no measurable change in either fuel economy or horsepower/torque (speaking in "absolute" terms, i.e. manufacturer claimed max hp, max torque).

I'm fueling the bike at about the same Air/Fuel ratios that a GSF400 with a set of very fresh, very clean and very well tuned Mikunis would get (carbs with no worn brass or questionable o-rings or air leaks, perfectly synched, etc., etc.).

I haven't changed the engine's displacement (no larger pistons), nor have I added any sort of forced induction (no turbocharger, no supercharger) and I haven't added nitrous oxide injection. 

This means my fuel injected GSF400 engine has exactly the same volumetric specifications as a carbureted GSF400 engine.

So the "absolute" numbers that people love to quote are almost certainly unchanged (the quoted numbers are, of course, the "peak" horsepower and torque taken from the manufacturer's literature which are produced on a dynamometer with the bike in perfect mechanical condition, running perfect Air/Fuel ratios in optimal environmental conditions such as sea-level pressure on a 60 degree F day).

The benefits of fuel injection occur "in the margins" of the engine's operating envelope.  With the added benefit of long term reliability and easy tuning.

[ventYl]

I saw the video and I like the idea of mounting injectors into carb bodies. Do you have some kind of idle auto-adjustment via servo OR cold idle is the same as warm and stabilized only by the means of ignition advance?

[Squishy]

Nice video! 

Hows fuel economy?
Also would be interesting to know whether it gained any torque/power.

I haven't changed the engine's displacement (no larger pistons), nor have I added any sort of forced induction (no turbocharger, no supercharger) and I haven't added nitrous oxide injection. 

This means my fuel injected GSF400 engine has exactly the same volumetric specifications as a carbureted GSF400 engine.

That doens't mean you can't get more power/torque. Stock, the 400 isn't tuned for max performance.
Just going from 100 to 110 main jet increases power considerably (with aftermarket muffler). My top speed went from 185 to 215km/h on the speedo.

[greg737]

I saw the video and I like the idea of mounting injectors into carb bodies. Do you have some kind of idle auto-adjustment via servo OR cold idle is the same as warm and stabilized only by the means of ignition advance?

I found that the bike's start-up and idle was very easy to tune and control with a combination of fuel tables and ignition advance.  There are 6 fueling tables/curves that all combine to deliver the exact amount needed: Priming Pulse, Cranking Pulse, After Start Enrichment, After Start Enrichment Taper-Off, Warm Up Enrichment, and the basic Volumetric Efficiency Fuel Table.  Plus there are 3 ignition tables/curves that control the ignition advance during start-up and warm-up.

No matter how cold it gets this bike will fire up immediately and settle into a nice stable idle.  And as the engine warms to normal operating temperature the ECU slowly removes the extra fueling and reduces the ignition advance.  I've tuned it to hold the idle right around 1,300 RPM.