TBS with Harmonizer

[Checkswrecks]

Just a quick question regarding balancing the throttle bodies,what benefit does it do to the bike backing out the factory set adjusting screw a little then balancing the other cylinder to that setting?

The bikes are delivered very lean to meet EPA requirements. This richens the first side and then you balance to it.

 

[jbrown]

Are you sure backing out the screw changes the mixture?
My understanding is that these are air bypass adjustments that allow a small amount of air to bypass the throttle valve.
The mixture is still controlled by the computer via injector pulses matched to the air intake.
I thought all the synchronizing does is balance the air flow in the two cylinders so they are putting out the same power (near idle at least).

The bikes are delivered very lean to meet EPA requirements. This richens the first side and then you balance to it.

 

[Gigitt]

Are you sure backing out the screw changes the mixture?
My understanding is that these are air bypass adjustments that allow a small amount of air to bypass the throttle valve.
The mixture is still controlled by the computer via injector pulses matched to the air intake.
I thought all the synchronizing does is balance the air flow in the two cylinders so they are putting out the same power (near idle at least).

air screw does not change fuel mixtures - but does affect AFR and ecu will compensate with O2 sensor reading.
air screws allows you to balance the air each cylinder sucks in so that they both fire with same bang. when one cylinder has less air then you get bang BANG bang BANG firing and this causes unbalance in the engine causing bike vibrations, from lumpy idle to harmonic vibration through the rev range. unbalanced it also is a loss of power, and you get some surging/ hesitation on light throttle applications, and not accelerate as smoothly or as fast.

 

[jbrown]

air screw does not change fuel mixtures - but does affect AFR and ecu will compensate with O2 sensor reading.
air screws allows you to balance the air each cylinder sucks in so that they both fire with same bang. when one cylinder has less air then you get bang BANG bang BANG firing and this causes unbalance in the engine causing bike vibrations, from lumpy idle to harmonic vibration through the rev range. unbalanced it also is a loss of power, and you get some surging/ hesitation on light throttle applications, and not accelerate as smoothly or as fast.

So opening the "reference" screw some, and balancing the other side to match just changes the amount of air that bypasses the throttle plates. I think all this would do is cause the computer to adjust the idle position of the throttle opening a little (in the less open direction) to keep the idle speed in the configured range. I guess it's possible that in the open loop area (hard accel or decel) there would be a slight change in the mixture, but I don't think the small change would be noticeable, and it would go in the more lean direction if you are opening the bypass screw and allowing more air.

Edit: On second thought, the intake air pressure sensor will account for the total air flow, and there should be no impact on the mixture even in the open loop areas.

 

[limey]

My son David recently got one of the last Harmonizers available before the manufacturer, Grok on the adv forum, passed away. Today I made this video to send him to show him how to use it to check and adjust the throttle body sync on his 2014 ES. The same principle applies regardless of the instrument you use to do the TBS. I hope that this might help others that are interested in this simple task, which is part of regular maintenance.

youtu.be/VgcnOD7K_9k

I used to be able to embed a video by deleting the "s" in the URL, but that doesn't seem to work now. You'll just have to click on the link.

Thanks a bunch Fred I did mine last week and was very easy thanks to you. ::003::

 

[fredz43]

Thanks a bunch Fred I did mine last week and was very easy thanks to you. ::003::

My pleasure. Glad that it was helpful.

 

[JRE]

Since the harmonizers are no longer available, is there a good alternative tool? When I looked at this several months ago, there were some others made but reviews were mixed. I'm not really interested in building my only as some have done.

Great job on the vid Fred

 

[Checkswrecks]

Since the harmonizers are no longer available, is there a good alternative tool? When I looked at this several months ago, there were some others made but reviews were mixed. I'm not really interested in building my only as some have done.

Great job on the vid Fred

Most people only need to balance their throttle bodies once a year, if that. Others may not want to spend money for a sync tool or store one. For those folks, you can use common clear tubing, as shown in Post #270 of this thread (it's a sticky, so easy to find in the future):
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=1973.msg102377#msg102377

 

[fredz43]

Since the harmonizers are no longer available, is there a good alternative tool? When I looked at this several months ago, there were some others made but reviews were mixed. I'm not really interested in building my only as some have done.

Great job on the vid Fred

Hi Joe,

Before I had my Harmonizer, I used a Twinmax. It has an analog needle that moves a bit as it is reading. Not as accurate as the electronic reading of the Harmonizer, but it can be close enough for a decent balance. I have heard others mention Carbtune, I believe, but I am unfamiliar with that.

 

[WJBertrand]

I'm using a carb tune. It seems to work fine. The weights bounce around a bit with the Tenere's large pistons but you can still get them pretty close. I installed some restrictor orifice couplers I found at Auto Zone to help dampen the pulsing somewhat.

 

[Spaggy]

Bummer to hear about Grok. I love my Harmonizer.

 

[JRE]

Thanks all. I'm going to have the shop up the street do it for me. My idle has gotten rough/low and even in touring mode it's very jumpy at start and I suspect this is the cause.

 

[RonH]

I use the Morgan Carbtune as someone else mentioned. I must be very lucky or just easy on equipment as I just synced my TBs for the first time since new at 27,000 miles and they needed no adjustment. Still synced just perfectly.

 

[whisperquiet]

I use an old Motion Pro set of mercury sticks (yes, real mercury) and check everything again with my TwinMax.
I've checked my current 2013 S10 twice in the first 10,000 miles and they have been spot on both times.

 

[fredz43]

I use an old Motion Pro set of mercury sticks (yes, real mercury) and check everything again with my TwinMax.
I've checked my current 2013 S10 twice in the first 10,000 miles and they have been spot on both times.

At least they seemed to be spot on according to those crude instruments. ;D

Hi Dennis. See you tomorrow at lunch.

 

[whisperquiet]

At least they seemed to be spot on according to those crude instruments. ;D

Hi Dennis. See you tomorrow at lunch.

Fred,

I am at the trailing edge of technology........always!

 

[bnschroder]

Trying to do TBS with a Carbtune but one cylinder (right side) gives a very shaky reading, making it impossible to sync. Any idea what causes the shaky vacuum.?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Don in Lodi]

Trying to do TBS with a Carbtune but one cylinder (right side) gives a very shaky reading, making it impossible to sync. Any idea what causes the shaky vacuum.?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Did you open it from the fully closed position? 3/4 of a turn out from seated, balance the other to that.

 

[bnschroder]

I did - but I hadn't checked it before I turned the right (supposedly fixed) side out. Now I am wondering if I should close the right side again fully, despite all the advice here on the forum to turn it out 3/4

 

[Don in Lodi]

I did - but I hadn't checked it before I turned the right (supposedly fixed) side out. Now I am wondering if I should close the right side again fully, despite all the advice here on the forum to turn it out 3/4

Yeah, it's 3/4 out from seated. If somehow it wasn't seated before you added to it... Otherwise you may be looking at an ignition issue. The right hand spark plug wells have a tendency to hold water. Riding in the rain, full body rinse after a ride... Been some corrosion issues.