Making the 2013 Spyder RT-S "Perfect"

[stewartj239]

okay, I mis understood how many you needed. Thanks guys on the responses.

Jerry

No problem. Hopefully by Friday I'll have photos from both headers that show the new O2 bung locations.

[stewartj239]

I am starting to lose patience with the shop that is ceramic coating the headers. They still haven't gotten to them yet. It has been 2 months. I understand that it is snowmobile season and I understand they need to get that work done due to the season, but at the same time I am a paying customer too. I told them that I want / need them by next Friday. They apologized for the delay and said they would have them ready. If not, then I'm finding another shop. I guess this weekend, I'll focus on getting the PCV and AutoTune installed instead. I was hoping to have the pipes back on the bike first.

[Ramjet]

Well I have the Kewl air filter on Y pipe on, my Viritka intake body panels should be here next week then off to paint. the room under the Tupper ware when that huge monstrosity if An air dam is removed.

My fuel managment system will not be the Power Commander I will wait till I get everything done but lets put I this way I will be able to adjust the AF on the fly and it will also Auto Tune. uses a Bosch wide band O2 sensor.

I will post more on this later.

I will order the Elka shocks on Monday I am going to heat tape the pipes once I get the bung welded in we have great company in Wisconsin that has quick turn a round on ceramic but I think the tape will work better than the ceramic for heat containment.

[stewartj239]

Well I have the Kewl air filter on Y pipe on, my Viritka intake body panels should be here next week then off to paint. the room under the Tupper ware when that huge monstrosity if An air dam is removed.

Sounds like great progress and there is no doubt that the open space will now allow for better air circulation.

My fuel managment system will not be the Power Commander I will wait till I get everything done but lets put I this way I will be able to adjust the AF on the fly and it will also Auto Tune. uses a Bosch wide band O2 sensor.

I will post more on this later.

I definitely would like to hear more about this and how it works.

I am going to heat tape the pipes once I get the bung welded in we have great company in Wisconsin that has quick turn a round on ceramic but I think the tape will work better than the ceramic for heat containment.

I don't want to proclaim that ceramic is better, but in the research I did, that is the conclusion I came to which is why I'm going through the trouble. Since you haven't done either yet, can you share what research you did that has you going with heat tape instead? Since mine has not been coated yet, I still have the option to go with heat tape.

[Ramjet]

Here is why I came to that conclusion if you look at the heat sink capability of ceramic vs insulation (heat tape) insulation wins for not allowing heat to migrate.

The coating of ceramic vs the thickness and heat transfer incapability of insulation so fundamentally R value for what you actually have.

Put heat tape in the oven and put a ceramic cup in the oven grab both which one do think will be hotter for longer? I know simple and maybe flawed but that is how I went through my thought process.

[stewartj239]

Here is why I came to that conclusion if you look at the heat sink capability of ceramic vs insulation (heat tape) insulation wins for not allowing heat to migrate.

The coating of ceramic vs the thickness and heat transfer incapability of insulation so fundamentally R value for what you actually have.

Put heat tape in the oven and put a ceramic cup in the oven grab both which one do think will be hotter for longer? I know simple and maybe flawed but that is how I went through my thought process.

Both are good solutions. I searched through a number of car and bike forums and really couldn't find anything that was crystal clear as to which is better. The link below is the one that I got the most information from.

http://www.autoanything.com/exhausts...orsepower-best

[mob133]

I learned something new about the Spyder today. I noticed that on the left front corner of the bike, there are battery posts. After looking it up in the manual, you can indeed hook up a battery tender to it and that is exactly what I did. Once I get the frunk back on, I'll just hide the pigtails in there which will make it much easier for charging the battery.

if you have a battery tender get the 12volt lightr plug and just hook up through outlet in trunk much easier

[stewartj239]

if you have a battery tender get the 12volt lightr plug and just hook up through outlet in trunk much easier

Hows does that work? Is it a special plug for the Spyder or is it generic?

[pokerpaul]

Its just a 12 volt adapter that pugs into the battery tender wires then into the 12 volt outlet. Got one at Walmart for like 5 bucks thats made by Deltran. You can find them on ebay for under 2 bucks but shipping was like 4 or 5 dollars.

[spyderyderjim]

Here is why I came to that conclusion if you look at the heat sink capability of ceramic vs insulation (heat tape) insulation wins for not allowing heat to migrate.

The coating of ceramic vs the thickness and heat transfer incapability of insulation so fundamentally R value for what you actually have.

Put heat tape in the oven and put a ceramic cup in the oven grab both which one do think will be hotter for longer? I know simple and maybe flawed but that is how I went
through my thought process.

Hi,
Have you thought of another option of putting HP Exhaust Heat shield Armor on 2013 RT exhaust pipes? It has ceramic in insulation so you can put it right over exhaust pipes, continous rated for 1800 deg!! It is much easier to put on 2013/2014 RT pipes, just using thermal stainless steel zip ties to hold it on. I used the 6" wide x 10' long. I Ordered from Pace Performance co.
I put it on my 2014 Spyder RT-S SE6 exhaust pipe, and exhaust temps out of muffler went up 50 deg (checked with laser temp gun); so it does work well.
I will be putting exhaust heat shields on a 2013 RT & 2011 RT next Sat, helping some riding friends.
Remember to put Lava heat shield adhesive backed insulation around front & underneath of brake mastercylinder (to keep #2 exhaust pipe heat off it).
Your 2013 RT mods sound good!! Stewart & You are setting the bar real high for major improvements on 2013 Spyder RT!!! Your mods will fix the exhaust heat problems.
Enjoy.
Jim

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/au...atshield-armor
http://paceperformance.com/i-5136945...-6-pieces.html
http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/po...or-motorcycles

[stewartj239]

Stewart & You are setting the bar real high for major improvements on 2013 Spyder RT!!! Your mods will fix the exhaust heat problems.

Jim - I am just approaching the bar that you had done to your 2013. I think the only thing I'm doing above and beyond is the PCV??? Anyhow, I'm sure you're having fun making your new 2014 perfect as well. I bet that the mods you've done to date are probably far beyond what anyone else has done.

[Ramjet]

I appreciate the information on heat wrap good stuff order will be placed tomorrow.

[stewartj239]

I got the PCV installed. I started by placing the module under the seat on the left side of the bike as you are sitting on it.

PCV - 1.jpg

The first connection was to plug the PCV in-line of the front cylinder fuel injector. This is done on the left side of the engine. You have to move the MAP sensor out of the way first. In my hand is the stock wiring harness. You can see the PCV cable coming from the right and it plugs into the stock wiring harness, then the second harness on the PCV plugs into the fuel injector which is behind it and to the left.

PCV - 2.jpg

This is the same view of the front cylinder fuel injector with the MAP sensor reconnected. There was room behind the MAP sensor to route the stock wiring harness. That way it keeps it away from the cylinder.

PCV - 3.jpg

The same thing then needed to be done for the rear cylinder fuel injector. I routed the cable behind the air box to the right side of the engine. The injector is the upper plug.

PCV - 4.jpg

..... Continued in the next thread .....

[stewartj239]

..... PCV install continued .....

The next step was to connect the grey wire of the PCV to the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) harness using a posi-tap. The TPS sits behind the throttle body just in front of the rear cylinder. I did have a problem with this step. The directions I got with my PCV was for the 2011-2012 RT and it says to connect to the Yellow/White wire of the TPS harness. On the 2013 RT, the proper wire is the Beige/White wire which is Pin #2. In the photo, that would be the 2nd wire from the right.

PCV - 5.jpg

The next step was to attach the ground wire to the left side of the rear cylinder.

PCV - 6.jpg

This next step also caused some confusion. You need to connect the PCV in-line to the Crank Position Sensor. The picture in the 2011-2012 RT directions does not match how it is on the 2013 RT. On the 2013, the Crank Position Sensor is held by the left side frame rail. That frame rail also holds the Knock Sensor and they look identical. After looking at the shop manual, I was able to confirm that in the picture below, the Knock Sensor is on the left and the Crank Position Sensor is on the right. You can see that I have the PCV connected to the Crank Position Sensor (on the right) from the bottom.

PCV - 7.jpg

The last connection for the PCV is to plug it in-line to the ignition coil. The ignition coil is on the left side of the bike, above the oil tank and behind the oil cooler.

PCV - 8.jpg

I checked Dyno Jet's website to see if they had updated directions for the 2013 and they do not as of today. The only reason why this install didn't go smoother was because of the changes made from 2011/2012 and 2013.

[stewartj239]

The PCV comes with an O2 Optimizer module that also needs to be installed. It connects directly to the stock O2 sensors on the header pipes. I started by placing the module under the seat on the right side of the bike as you're sitting on it.

Optimizer - 1.jpg

Both leads are clearly marked as "FRONT" or "REAR" and this dictates which cylinder's 02 sensor they need to be routed to. This picture is for the front O2 sensor. I routed the lead from the right side of the bike, behind the air box and up the left side. The harness is on the left side frame rail.

Optimizer - 2.jpg

The rear O2 sensor harness is on the right side frame rail.

Optimizer - 3.jpg

I have both O2 sensors out of the headers because I am still waiting to get them back from being ceramic coated. I'll post photos of them re-installed when that happens.

[stewartj239]

The final Dyno Jet product to be installed was the AutoTune. The first step is to screw down the connections for each of the wire leads for each O2 sensor. I went with the AT-300 module which has an O2 sensor for each cylinder so that each cylinder can be tuned independently.

AutoTune - 1.jpg

You then have to find a good place for it under the seat. It took me a little while, but I ended up with this placement. The AutoTune needs to be connected to the PCV with a provided cable. The leads from the previous picture run to the front of the bike to each header where they connect to the provided O2 sensors. Bungs for each of the provided O2 sensors need to be welded into the header pipes. The cable off the right side of the AutoTune runs to the back of the bike where connections need to be made.

AutoTune - 2.jpg

This picture is just below the seat and behind the gas tank on the left side of the bike. You can see that I have wrapped up and zip-tied the cable from the AutoTune that was routed from the previous picture. The black wire is the ground wire. The ring lug was provided, so I crimped it on and connected it to the gas tank. The red wire needs to connect to a 12 volt power source. They recommend using the tail light wire which is the orange wire in the harness pictured. The posi-tap was provided.

AutoTune - 3.jpg

In order to check things out, I turned on the ignition. The Spyder came up without any error codes - which it will do if things are not connected properly. The PCV had power as well as the AutoTune. I was able to connect the PCV to a laptop to upload the base map for the Spyder and to verify the AutoTune configuraton. I was also able to perform a self-test on the AutoTune. Everything looks good with the installation. I just hope there are no surprises when I start the bike when the warmer weather gets here.

[Ramjet]

http://www.techlusion.com/GEN4/Gen4technology.asp

this is the way I am going to go for my Fuel Management system I like the entire systems and the companies explanations as to what where and how.

[stewartj239]

http://www.techlusion.com/GEN4/Gen4technology.asp

this is the way I am going to go for my Fuel Management system I like the entire systems and the companies explanations as to what where and how.

It looks like a good alternative and more in-line with the features of the PCV. I was poking through their website but did not find a module for the Spyder. Are you using a different module that is compatible?

[Ramjet]

It looks like a good alternative and more in-line with the features of the PCV. I was poking through their website but did not find a module for the Spyder. Are you using a different module that is compatible?

My dealers mechanic hasa direct relationship with one of their guys (Wisconsin guy) so we will be good to go for technical support. I just like the approach and way and being it will be supported I am confident it will do everything I need it too.

By by the time we end up with all the changes there should allot of options.

I am stoked......

[stewartj239]

My dealers mechanic hasa direct relationship with one of their guys (Wisconsin guy) so we will be good to go for technical support. I just like the approach and way and being it will be supported I am confident it will do everything I need it too.

By by the time we end up with all the changes there should allot of options.

I am stoked......

Post back as things progress. It would be nice to see another option for the Spyder. It sounds like you will be helping them develop that.

[spacetiger]

...meanwhile, you should keep posting. You are finally at the point I am very interested in. I wish you much success.

BTW, I note you are using the same mounting location for the units as other installation. I had an opportunity to pull some bodywork and came across the mounting location of the radio. Its tucked a further back on on the side under the bodywork. What I liked was that it was further away from heat. Do you think the wiring harnesses are long enough to allow a mounting further aft? I had mot pulled the left side bodywork but thought if that is where the CB module goes, it might be a safe place for these units.

Jerry

[stewartj239]

BTW, I note you are using the same mounting location for the units as other installation. I had an opportunity to pull some bodywork and came across the mounting location of the radio. Its tucked a further back on on the side under the bodywork. What I liked was that it was further away from heat. Do you think the wiring harnesses are long enough to allow a mounting further aft? I had mot pulled the left side bodywork but thought if that is where the CB module goes, it might be a safe place for these units.

Jerry

Before I decided on the the final locations, I did look around to see if there was a better place to put them. I originally wanted to go further back under the seat toward where the passenger sits. The problem is that when the seat closes, it leaves no room for the modules and will crush them. The second location I looked at was where I wired the AutoTune into the tail light wire under the seat and behind the gas tank. There is room in there, but the problem is that whole area is exposed to the elements from the road as it is not closed off. Lastly, the PCV and O2 Optimizer leads only give you a few inches to play with. The AutoTune leads have plenty of length, but you need to connect that to the PCV via the cable in the photo, so it needs to be fairly close to the PCV. That is why they ended up in the recommended locations.

[PatrickH]

StewartJ,

When you speak of CAT REMOVAL, what are you talking about? Catalytic converter removal or bypass?

Don't own one yet, but will be buying a 2014 soon,

Patrick H

[QUOTE=stewartj239;724368]My wife and I have now owned our 2013 RT-S for about 6 months and we've put a total of 4500+ miles on it so far. During this time, I had left it stock in order to let it break in and to put on some miles in order to do a proper evaluation before shelling out money for improvements. Based on that, the following list outlines all of the changes I plan to make during the winter:



Cat Removal - Why the Spyder has this is beyond me. Knowing that it is also a big heat generator under the Tupperware, it's coming out.

[stewartj239]

When you speak of CAT REMOVAL, what are you talking about? Catalytic converter removal or bypass.

It is a remove and replace. For the 2013 it is just a Y-pipe. I'm not sure if anyone has one out yet for the 2014 but I imagine they will be coming. The link below is where I got mine, but they don't show anything for the 2014 yet, so you might want to contact them to see when it's coming. Also, some people have had their's fabricated for the 2014 by local shops. If you do a search on the forum, you will probably find something. Good luck with your purchase.

http://www.spyder1attitude.com/cat-bypass.html

[stewartj239]

I finally got the headers and cat bypass back from being ceramic coated. The total cost to have the 2 bungs welded in (for the AutoTune) and to have all 3 pipes coated was just $150 out the door. I am happy with the results and was assured that the heat emitted from the pipes should be 50% less. On top of that reduction, the cat is out of the picture now, so the overall heat reduction should be even greater.

Exhaust - 1.jpg Exhaust - 2.jpg