Scarlett gets an updated EFI Mapping.

This past Saturday, I drove Scarlett, my 2014 URAL Patrol Sidecar Rig to Unique Rides.  Randy is the owner of Unique Rides and among the several different vehicles (scooters, Enfield motorcycles, trikes, ATVs and even amphibious tracked vehicles) that the sells; he's also the first of two URAL dealers here in Colorado.  In my opinion, he's the premier dealer in Colorado for URAL.

As always, I was warmly received by Randy himself and he had me drive Scarlett to the shop to get the new EFI: (Electronic Fuel Injection) mapping.

Scarlett had version URAL_XXOR_01.01 before Saturday.  While it performed pretty well from the non-offroad versions before it, it still exhibited some minor stumbling and popping noises when in first gear, and especially with a cold engine.  An annoying behavior which I'd sort of learned to live with.

After a bit of work, Randy got the new version: URAL_XXOR_01.02 downloaded into Scarlett's ECUs. (Electronic Control Units) and tweaked the balance of the throttle bodies just a tiny bit to make them match closer.

Here's what I wrote in an email to Randy and URAL's director of operations: Jason with a cc to Ilya, the boss man over at IMWA:

Mileage when installed: 26772 km

My engine was still warm from the ride to Unique Rides but it was noticeably smoother ( no pops or stumbles ) as I motored ever so slowly away from Randy's shop and towards the exit.

I rode it 10km out and 10km back, no issues, in fact it seems to pull a little harder than before but that could be just my mind playing tricks on me.

As I rode towards Loveland from Fort Collins, I encountered slow/go to stop/go traffic on I-25.  This was perfect in terms of seeing how the new offroad EFI map did with such conditions.  

I am happy to report that on flat ground, there was only smooth roll-on of power from a standing stop, barely even giving it any gas and none of the usual popping noises or slight stumbles.  It would just smoothly accelerate in first gear.  

The only time it would even give you a feeling it was going to stumble was on slightly inclined portions of the highway, from a standing stop I tried just easing out the clutch but found I had to give it a bit more gas as I was on an incline.  Even then, no pops or stumbles.

So far, very pleased with the performance of v1.02 of the offroad mapping, gentlemen!

After overnighting in Loveland, CO...where the temperatures were below freezing overnight for my rig as it sat in the hotel parking lot:

This morning, it was 32°F in the parking lot of the hotel.

I put the rig in neutral and gave it 3-4 kicks with the ignition off to get the oil moving inside the engine after sitting out in the cold overnight.

I then thumbed the electric starter and it cranked for perhaps 3-4 secs before the engine caught.

Don't know if it was the cold resulting in the 20W50 oil being a bit sluggish or the new EFI mapping but yes, slightly harder to start this morning.

Still, it steadied up pretty quickly after some slight throttle on my part.

Behavior for rest of the ride was like yesterday.  Nice smooth roll on of power with throttle while in first gear.  No stumbles or pops.

The next day's email:

Temperature in garage: 57°F

Pressed the starter button, engine caught in less than one second of cranking.

No pops or stumbles as I headed out of the neighborhood.

Filled up the tank, will report on MPG once I have to refuel again.

I will update this blog posting with the MPG figure I get from this latest tank of gas.  

I am very pleased with this version of the OR or Off-Road EFI mapping, my thanks to URAL and Electrojet for continuing to pursue rider satisfaction in the behavior of their EFI rigs!

Somewhat related: I found out from URAL's Jason that the EFI rigs run a little hotter than the carbureted rigs.  To see temperatures up to 450 °F is OK, the idea is to not spend a lot of time in temperatures close to or above 465°F.

My 2014 rig runs with head temperatures ranging from the high 300s to about 415°F since I installed spark plug temperature sensors.

Update: 16NOV15:

The first tankfull of gas rendered an MPG result of 29.  This was a combination of city/hwy driving.

Pulled the spark plugs today:

 Left side spark plug

Right side spark plug

Both Randy (my URAL dealer) and Jason, URAL's Operations Director declared the plugs look good.

Update: 17NOV15:  MPG from last fuel up: 36 MPG.  Mo better.

Monday Sunset

Uraling in the Rocky Mountain National Park

Scarlett and I rode out and headed north using mostly US85 to get to CO Highway 66 towards its junction with US36 with the final destination of Estes Park.

Estes Park is the gateway town to the Rocky Mountain National Park.  Usually, I don't go to the RMNP after they've closed Trail Ridge Road for the season.  But, I had an appointment with Randy, the URAL dealer in Fort Collins to get the updated EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) mapping for Scarlett; so I figured it was an opportunity to see how much snow had collected on the peaks within the park.

So, the morning was spent meandering along the roads that remain open in the RMNP pretty much year round.  The weather was sunny with clear skies and temperatures would soar from the mid-30s to the high 50s by the afternoon.

The weather was so nice, the park was packed, in most spots, with cagers enjoying the beautiful views.

 Views of Longs Peak from McCall Reservoir, just off

of Colorado Highway 66

 The middle peak is Ypsilon Mountain

First we rode towards Many Parks Curve where the road onward is now closed.  This would be the road one takes to Trail Ridge Road.  After I parked, I walked around a bit but none of the pictures proved worth posting.  Then, I walked past the road closure barrier, perhaps a quarter mile or to get these pictures:

 Valley View

Coming back into the main portion of the park, I took the road towards the Moraine Park campground and got the following two views.

 Using the 50-200mm Telephoto lens, from quite a distance away.

Continuing further on, one ends up at Bear Lake but it was crammed with cagers, with more waiting for a parking spot so I retreated, taking the below picture as I left the area.

 Near Bear Lake

Heading back towards Estes Park, I got gas (Scarlett, at 36MPG, reached 280 km with only .3 gallon remaining in the tank).

A quick late lunch at McDonald's and then Scarlett and I headed on US34 towards the town of Loveland where I picked up I-25 North towards Fort Collins.

The upgraded EFI mapping, version XXOR_1.02, was uploaded with the usual bit of connectivity-related delays.  The throttle bodies were very close in terms of synchronization but Randy tweaked it till they were almost dead on.

I'll be blogging about this EFI mapping in a future post, but initial impressions are very good!

Spending the night at a hotel in Loveland, with my loving wife, who was attending the Colorado State Nurse Conference.

DST Sunrise, Denver Fall Color and Sunset

Yesterday, Sunday,  I woke up before the sun was even near the point of shedding any light on the eastern horizon.  Though my bedside clock read 5:30 AM, it was really 4:30 AM.  Yep, it was daylight savings time (DST) when we "fall back" one hour.

Since I was awake, Martha my loving wife sleepily suggested that I should go catch the sunrise.  It should be noted that she went back to sleep herself.

What the heck, I was awake, so after a cup of coffee and gearing up, Scarlett and I were off to see the sunrise.

The skies were just beginning to lighten up as I parked Scarlett in the usual spot for such events, along Quincy Road where one can see the eastern horizon plainly.

As the sun neared the horizon, the colors of the sky lightened into a cool set of reds, yellows, blues and orange which challenged my ability to capture them.

Note to self.  Don't mess with the ISO Auto setting, the camera knows best, really, in this situation.  I should have broken out the tripod instead of boosting the ISO as a lot of shots came out too noisy.

The next shot was one of the ones that came out very noisy due to a high ISO setting of 1600.  So instead, using online tools, I made into a water color "painting":

It was a pretty sunrise, and it was also quite balmy with temperatures in the high 40s, which forced me to remove an insulating layer halfway through the picture taking.

Later on in the morning ( I had hoped the bright sun I saw at dawn would be overhead, backlighting the leaves in the trees along 18th Avenue) under firmly overcast skies, I tried for shots of the Fall Foliage in a fancy neighborhood near the downtown area of Denver.

Note: Due to the overcast sky's lighting, there was some boosting of the colors and light via the usual online photo editing tools.

As I was exiting the neighborhood above, my eye caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a cow with wings...of course I had to turn around to get a better look!

Sorry, I've no idea what the story of this winged cow statue is....if you find out, please let me know.  I tried some brief googling, but no luck.

Got home before Noon, wrote this post up.

Daylight savings time fooled me once again in the evening, as I had planned on catching the sunset as well.  It was by the narrowest of margins that I managed to ride out of the house on Scarlett and catch the sunset colors!

Looking towards the NW

Scarlett looking West, for signs of snow

I hope your weekend was as nice as mine....