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Davet261
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« on: October 28, 2011, 01:38:42 AM » |
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The weather in Ohio is getting colder, temps are 40s to 50's lately. The other day I went for a little ride and it was hard to start, spit and sputtered until it warmed up which seem to take forever. After it warmed up I took it out for a ride, and I could not believe the difference in performance. It was more responsive, at 3500 rpm it felt like a 4 barrel carb kicking in, it has a much stronger power band in cold weather, more snap, generally overall it feels like the best its ever ran. It is completely stock.
This may sound stupid but is there anyway to make the motor perform like this in warmer weather? Does all Valkyries perform the same way as mine? A person would not think air temp can make this much difference........
I do run Sunoco Ultra 94
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Bone
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« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2011, 03:49:06 AM » |
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Davet261 I'm in Michigan and have about the same weather. Mine runs great on 87 octane. They don't like starting in the cold weather. I just put mine on the lift for the winter so many deer.
They do feel stronger when the air is cooler.
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Shotgun
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« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2011, 04:00:54 AM » |
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I'm in Michigan too and the deer are everywhere. Cold air is more dense than hot air so the engine gets more of it when it is cold. They run great in cold weather.
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Farther
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« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2011, 05:32:28 AM » |
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I think that the ignition advance is greater for a longer period of time when the engine is cooler. That is the principle that the ECT mod works. http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/ect-mod.htm I'm sure more knowledgable people will comment. |
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Thanks,
~Farther
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Chrisj CMA
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« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2011, 06:28:12 AM » |
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my bike runs better in the cold too......I guess thats what cold air intakes try to do. Sounds like you either have a vacuum leak or you arent using the choke properly for how your bike starts in the cold
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csj
Member
Posts: 992
I used to be a wolfboy, but I'm alright NOOOOOWWWW
Peterborough Ontario Canada
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« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2011, 07:09:00 AM » |
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I can take my valk out of storage at below freezing temp,
set the choke properly, and with a little blip of throttle,
hit the starter and she starts on the first try, every time.
I don't notice extra power in the cold, she has gobs of go
in all temps.
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A guy called me a Ba$tard, I said in my case it's an accident
of birth, in your case you're a self made man.
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olddog1946
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« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2011, 05:04:20 PM » |
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I think you are wasting money on the 94 octane, but that's your choice..running better in the cold is due to volumetric efficiency, cold air is denser, so it will run stronger..
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VRCC # 32473
US AIR FORCE E7, Retired 1965-1988
01 Valk Std.
02 BMW k1200LTE
65 Chevelle coupe, 1986 Mazda RX-7 with 350/5spd, 1983 Mazda RX-7 with FOMOCO 302/AOD project, 95 Mustang GT Convertible 5.0, 5 spd
Moses Lake, Wa. 509-760-6382 if you need help
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John Schmidt
Member
Posts: 15260
a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike
De Pere, WI (Green Bay)
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« Reply #7 on: October 28, 2011, 05:10:56 PM » |
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I can take my valk out of storage at below freezing temp,
set the choke properly, and with a little blip of throttle,
hit the starter and she starts on the first try, every time.
I don't notice extra power in the cold, she has gobs of go
in all temps.
FWIW, a little blip of the throttle does nothing but exercise the cables and your wrist. The carbs don't have an accelerator pump so unlike an automotive carb, nothing gets squirted into them when you do it.  |
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Moonshot_1
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« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2011, 09:40:45 PM » |
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Mine loves running in the cold as well.
Colder the better. For the bike. Not me.
Noticeable difference in power and smoothness.
Not a major difference. Just noticeable.
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Mike Luken
Cherokee, Ia.
Former Iowa Patriot Guard Ride Captain
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Davet261
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« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2011, 12:56:30 AM » |
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The most important reason I run Sunoco 94 is I get better gas mileage. I get 28 mpg on 87 and 32 to 33 mpg on 94, and response is a bit better too........
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BF
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« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2011, 01:09:12 AM » |
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It might just be my imagination too, but I think mine runs better when the temps are cooler and the humidity is lower.
In the furnace we call the summer months around here, my bike seems a little more.......sluggish, for lack of a better term. But then again, I'm more sluggish then too.
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I can't help about the shape I'm in I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin But don't ask me what I think of you I might not give the answer that you want me to  |
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Canuck
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« Reply #11 on: October 29, 2011, 04:01:19 AM » |
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Two weeks ago I put in a fresh set of rear brake pads. Whilst tinkering I threw in a new set of spark plugs even though the original ones looked great at 30k - kept them for spares. I noticed that the clamps on the velocity stacks were loose so I tightened them up. What a pain taking the pods off for the first time! Rode both Sat and Sun last week in Norther Kentucky - some nice roads around there. The bike was running stronger and smoother than ever and I was thinking it was from the above mentioned tweaks, then I realized it was just due to the cool temps ranging from mid 40's to mid 50's both days. This bike sure puts a smile on my face regardless of the temps. Today's high is going to be 55* so I'm going to get a few more miles in before the weather turns nasty.  |
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Valkyrie ~ "chooser of the slain"
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CASABROKER
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« Reply #12 on: October 29, 2011, 10:40:27 AM » |
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Cold air='s more air more better combustion ='s more performance. simple physics.
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fudgie
Member
Posts: 10614
Better to be judged by 12, then carried by 6.
Huntington Indiana
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« Reply #13 on: October 29, 2011, 01:13:33 PM » |
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My bike likes cold air and E-10. Combine the 2 and its fun.  |
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 Now you're in the world of the wolves... And we welcome all you sheep... VRCC-#7196 VRCCDS-#0175 DTR PGR |
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RP#62
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« Reply #14 on: October 29, 2011, 02:05:03 PM » |
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Cold air is denser. More dense = more oxygen per unit volume. At lower temps the fuel is denser also, giving more energy per unit volume. Old stock car trick was to coil some copper tubing in a coffee can filled with dry ice and run the fuel through it. The navy also took advantage of this when they filled a P2V (the Truculent Turtle) with refrigerated fuel and flew it non-stop/non-refueled from Perth Australia to Columbus Ohio (my dad was an old P2V guy so I heard this story many times).
-RP
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Bronson
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« Reply #15 on: October 29, 2011, 02:47:27 PM » |
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It's possible that the carbs are set a little too rich and so the cold dense air compensates for this. Perhaps leaning it out just a smidge may make your bike run better in warmer temps. If so you should also get a little better gas milage.
Bronson
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HayHauler
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« Reply #16 on: October 30, 2011, 08:07:26 PM » |
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As was said before... volumetric efficiency... cold air is denser and more o2 gets to engine to burn. I think abour 40-50 deg. F is ideal... My phat girl loves the 50 degree temps... gives me goose pimples just thinking about it..  Hay  Jimmyt |
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JetDriver
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« Reply #17 on: October 30, 2011, 09:00:34 PM » |
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I think abour 40-50 deg. F is ideal...
The increased performance doesn't stop at 40-50 degrees. The colder it gets, the stronger it will run. Now if you meant 40-50 degrees for you the rider, I can't argue with that! |
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Canuck
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« Reply #18 on: October 31, 2011, 08:56:12 AM » |
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'The increased performance doesn't stop at 40-50 degrees. The colder it gets, the stronger it will run. Now if you meant 40-50 degrees for you the rider, I can't argue with that! ' Yep, what he said. Went for a 220 mile ride yesterday. Left about 9am and it was a brisk 32F. Brrr! Cold on the hands, but the bike ran like a 'scalded dog'. Temps finally got up to about 60. What a beautiful day for a ride. Gotta find me some better gloves  |
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Valkyrie ~ "chooser of the slain"
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Ricky-D
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« Reply #19 on: November 01, 2011, 09:58:57 AM » |
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The most important reason I run Sunoco 94 is I get better gas mileage. I get 28 mpg on 87 and 32 to 33 mpg on 94, and response is a bit better too........
There will be many on this forum that will take issue with your comment. However, I agree with the premise that the bike runs better on the higher octane grades. Starts better also! *** |
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2000_Valkyrie_Interstate
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