'98-'99 PCII installed on an '01 VFR

Performance is obviously up there on the priority list for mods on any bike, the VFR is no exception. I already replaced the stock can with a gorgeous CF Staintune slip-on and now it's time for the intake. Fuel Injection is new to me and obviously needs more technical finesse to alter the mixture. There are many solutions to aftermarket FI tweaking, one of the most popular being the Power Commander 2 or PCII. Originally made by Dynojet this little box adjusts the signal that goes between the ECU and the FI system itself. The retail cost of a PCII for the '01 VFR800 is a whopping $329.00 and I've seen it hover around 250 through some large outlet sites. I say why pay that much when you can get a screaming deal buying an overstocked '98-'99 model. The only difference between the '98 version and the '00 is the factory installed map due to the emissions changes on the later years (O2 sensors and catalytic converter). The hardware is exactly the same for both models and only needs an updated map for your bike's setup...too easy ;

I bought mine through K&N for a whopping $145 and I've seen them as low as $90 through AZM.

Parts and Procedure:

1) A PCII for any year from '98 -'01, it doesn't matter if it's a CA model, non-CA....they all work. A picture of the '98-'99 model is below.

2) The '00-'01 VFR's have O2 sensors which need to be disabled for the PCII to regulate the correct mixture, check out Dynojet to purchase them, you'll need to buy 2. The webpage also has maps to fit your bike's setup and other detailed info on the PCII for the '00-'01 VFR800's. The O2 Eliminators are only $15 a piece, not too shabby.

The O2 sensors are located on the left side behind the coolant overflow tank. Remove the left fairing, unbolt the coolant overflow tank (I used wire ties to hold it up while I worked on the sensors) and then unplug and install your eliminators. There is a lower tab on the plug that you need to lift up to unlock them, a screwdriver works great. It takes seconds to install the eliminators. I attached before, mid, and post install pics for reference.

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3) The install of the PCII is very easy, in fact it can take less than 5 minutes if there's plenty of room under your seat. Unfortunately under my seat there isn't much room, so that was the longest part of the install. All you have to do is unplug the grey plug off the ECU, plug one end of the PCII into the ECU and the other on the harness. To mount the PCII velcro it down and you're done. I had to mount it on the battery door for adequate room to plug in and leave clearance for the seat.

4) Download the latest Control Center Software and any other software (like a map most closely matching your bike's setup) you might want for your PCII. The software that comes on the '98-'99 doesn't work on XP ;). To upload a map all you have to do is install the software on your computer, plug the included cable into the PCII and your computer, select the COM port the cable is connected to (or use auto select), and turn on your ignition. Make sure the kill switch is on Run or the PCII won't power up and also be aware of the length of time you leave the ignition turned on... I killed my battery playing around with the software too long. Open the map you've downloaded and your software should have automatically connected to the PCII. You'll see the "---" on the top of your window change to numbers and then you're ready to upload. Click on "Upload All" to upload all 4 tables and once the status bar reads "Tables sent and verified" you've successfully uploaded your map. That's it !!!! Go ride your bike and test it out.

Initial thoughts:

All I can say is WOW !!! What a difference. The change was instant and can be described as an increase in smoothness all across the board. From the very low speed clumps to ironing out flat spots and a smoother transition at 7K, it does it all. The best thing of all is the increased power at highway cruise and lower RPM's. The lack of O2 sensors and the PC increases the richness and allows a faster pass at highway cruise and wheelies with just throttle in first and sometimes second. Oh yeaaaaa, I think I like this mod.

Followup:

Within 3 days of installing the PCII with the Staintune map (m106-006) the FI light illuminated as I rode home from work. It was on solid and once I turned the ignition off and on it stayed off. Hmmm, I checked the ECU for stored error codes and there were none. After an email off to Dynojet and a search through archives off mailing lists I was getting that this was a known problem. Dynojet returned my email and after a call and a few replies the problem was identified. In table AAP there are values kthat designate altitude, more specifically the positive numbers. Dynojet recommended that I change all 8's and 9's in Table AAP to 7's to fix the problem as above 7 means "below sea level" and the VFR800 ECU's don't like that. I made the change, uploaded the new map and ride tested with success. No FI light at full operating temp and we'll just watch for it to see if it's really fixed. By the way there were no performance effects when it was illuminated, it was just annoying. Below is the map I'm using if you'd like to try it out, you can install it and compare it with the original m106-006 from Dynojet using the Control Center Software. Have fun !!!!!!