Hello fellow Ninja owners! In January my 2004 R1 was unceremoniously dispatched by a 20 something chick taking 3 lanes at once coming out of the Starbucks drive thru. I have replaced that beast with a monster, a 2006 Candy Thunder Blue ZX14 w/ 8500 miles! That said, I have a newb question:

The bike is mostly stock mechanically, except for the exhaust. The bike came with a full Muzzys Stainless Steel exhaust w/ carbon fiber can. I recently purchased a BMC race filter as well (will be installed along with SpeedoDRD and possibly the PCV depending on what I decide). Here is the question. With my limited mods (flies are NOT removed at this time), should I install the PCV (that I already purchased but could return if necessary) with Muzzys "base" tune (or maybe "borrow" someone elses custom tune on a similar bike), or am I just unnecsesarily creating possible issues by adding more electronics? It will be a while (probably 6-8 months) before I will be able to afford dyno tuning. I'm really torn as the bike seems to run ok currently, but I'm always up for things running better. I also think my gas mileage is suffering as well, after correcting for speedo miscalibration, I think I'm getting ~26mpg, and I don't rip on the bike really either (dash indicator says I should be averaging ~36mpg)..

Thanks for any assistance!

Welcome.
1. Pipe no pc @ 26mpg?
2. BMC or any aftmrk air cleaner seems to lose HP. Mess with the engineering and you detune the bike.
3. Keep the pc off the bike till dyno time.
4. @ 26mpg I'd check tire pressure.

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Thanks for the quick response Hub! So I checked tire pressure, (the bike is sitting cold after I rode to work ~3hrs ago), front ~37#, rear ~41#..

There is the possibility that this bike has a PC3 on it, the box of paperwork I got with the bike had the CD/,manual for a PC3 but I've been unable to locate it so far (only place I haven't looked is around the ram-air system).

Guess I'll return the BMC/PCV regardless if they're not going to be good investments until I can afford to do the dyno tune..

As for the actual mileage, it calculated out to ~29mpg, but my speedo is off by the standard 8-10% as most stock bikes seem to be so I was half-ass trying to calculate that in when I said ~26mpg..

Most people are flashing and that includes the fueling which the PC is used for. You don't need a PC with a flash but it's nice to have if you want to tune for your exact bike instead of rely on a map tuned from someone else's bike. Most don't seem to bother with the custom tune and PC if they get a flash but I plan to.

The PC5 is a better product than the PC3. You might want to keep it. Most maps will be made for a PC5 by now and those are a bit different than maps for PC3.

If you are getting that low of mileage, I was thinking you must have a PC on there somewhere. If you don't see it, start at the main wiring harness and follow the trail. You;ll find out where it is.

I might consider keeping The BMC race filter too. Loose hp? I have faith in Hub but this is not the thing most race filter users are concerned with. It might gain you a max of 2 peak hp. Maybe it looses hp lower, IDK. I have a BMC race I can't feel the dif from stock. One thing, those race filters probably don't filter nearly as good as stock. I don't think the extra 2 peak hp is worth the danger of running around all the time with a race filter. I use stock most of the time and pop the BMC in for fun. Mostly a novelty to me but if you race, might be worthwhile.

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dr!

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So I feel special here, having what I consider to be ZX14 royalty (Rook and Hub both??)commenting on my first post! I've read many a post by you guys on this site!

Alright, I'm gonna have to look for the PC3 if it's there, the bike is just SO cherry that I'm afraid of scratching something or breaking tabs etc.. my last 2 bikes were straight up Frankensteins with a capital F and this thing is like brand new pretty much.. I already broke my front fender with my stupid disc lock ($200 mistake learned).. but I don't wanna screw anything else up!! I was trying to see if I could do the air filter myself, but after taking off the GPR v1 and taking the fairing/tank bolts out I couldn't get the tank cover to budge and again didn't wanna force anything.. Will probably take it into the shop later this week when my shop can get me in.. if it has the PC3 maybe I return the PC5 and get 4x 55w HIDs with which to blind oncoming traffic!

I am seriously considering purchasing a second ECU so I can send it off to get flashed while keeping my original.. I'm not a badass rider or anything so those extra 2hp from the filter are probably lost on me.. I just would like to make sure my AF ratio is good so my motor lasts as long as possible, and if I can get a few more MPG out of it that'd be nice.. I already have a 2001 Cobra that gets 13.5mpg, so 26 is still better than that, but... lol

ANd thanks for the welcome guys!

HUb's the master. I know a little bit about the Gen1 after 7 years and I'd say more than half of what I've learned came from Hub.

I was trying to see if I could do the air filter myself, but after taking off the GPR v1 and taking the fairing/tank bolts out I couldn't get the tank cover to budge and again didn't wanna force anything.. Will probably take it into the shop later this week when my shop can get me in..

Newbies' Guide to Fairing Removal

Have a look at Fuel Tank Cover (Tank Fairing). You can help pop that lower pointed projection {B} out just by pushing with your finger from the inside. Just like the picture.

If you get that far, then have a look at How To Remove Air Filter Element

If you have a small nozzle attachment on your household vac, that is a nice thing to clean off the tracks the filter slides in/out on. If anything drops off, it will most likely get sucked into the vac instead of dropping down the ducts. I don't think I ever found anything real big on the tracks--maybe just some dust--but just a precaution.

PCV Underseat Install
Regardless of where your PC might be located, it has to originate from the main wiring harness. If you don't have one, both male and female connectors will be brown (like in step 12). If you have one, the connectors will be brown and grey (like in step 17). The PC (grey connectors) connect inline with the OEM male and female brown connectors (steps 14-17) so if you have a PC, there will actually be two sets of connectors. These lil buggers are really hard to separate. You just have to take your time. It goes a fraction of a milimeter at a time. Pulling hard won't make it any faster. Just tug top / bottom about 300 times and they will slowly pull apart (step 13).

* Last updated by: Rook on 4/15/2015 @ 7:17 PM *

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if it has the PC3 maybe I return the PC5 and get 4x 55w HIDs

There are a few things from the pc3 that did not transfer over to the pc5. Keep the 3 is all you need. Return the 5 and filter, buy a new OEM stock filter. Remove the steel screen and this would smooth out the flow characteristics. Plus, you said; "... so my motor lasts as long as possible" means you want to cut your owner's manual interval times down some. Like the air cleaner. I think the first change is due at 12k so your 9k miles or there about is due. And "Notice" the quote out of the manual saying, 'any other element will cause premature wear and low engine performance.

It did not say 'it may' it said it, "Will Cause" those larger microns to enter the engine and cause tiny lines of grit scraping down on the parts like fingernails on a chalkboard kind of you didn't hear it, but we add up all those score marks done miles upon the next mile(s) another chunk lands in the cylinder chamber, we add up the lines and it shows a lot of leak passing into those lines and where was the power lost? It was lost BUY an Aftmkt = loss of 2hp and then some down the road.

So, lots of oil/filt and air/filt changes says smiles after miles cut the intervals stay stock. Have the plugs changed too while you're at it. Following book gets you home. Following the crowd is more dangerous to performance.

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My filter looks pretty dirty after 11K. Changing around 9 would be best for me.

If you stick with the PC3, make sure you can get PC3 maps. I used to hear people say they prefer PC3s over the PC5 but everyone gets PC5s now. I guess you have to know what you want to do with it. I don't think yoiu can use AutoTune with a PC3.

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Pecker.... I found my PC3 attatched to the left air intake runner under the cover. I think the early ones came with instructions to put it there.
And welcome to the forum!

Mad

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Thanks for all the info guys, just knowing the connector colors allowed me to confirm there IS a PC3 hidden somewhere, most likely where Maddevill's is.. So I went to Power Commander's site and they appear to only have downloads for PCV.. what would you recommend I do about getting a better tune to run in the PC3 until I can get to a dyno tuner?

I went to Power Commander's site and they appear to only have downloads for PCV.. what would you recommend I do about getting a better tune to run in the PC3 until I can get to a dyno tuner?

Start a thread asking if someone could share a PC3 map for an 06-07 ZX-14. Also, I would find the tuner you are going to use and ask him if he has a preference for PC3 or PC5. PC3 was superseded back in 08 so I wouldn't be too surprised if some tuners aren't familiar with that technology. maybe?

Also consider that a flash will cost you the same as a custom tune and do a lot more for the bike. If you flash, you can still keep the PC on the bike and load the map to the PC instead of having the fueling flashed to the ECU. That way, you can take the extra step of custom tuning someday if you feel it's necessary....or if you do additional mods like remove flies or ad NOS.

If you flash, I think it's advisable to get a second ECU at some point. Used should be good as long as it's not been flashed before. A flashed ECU can be flashed back to stock but apparently the flash coding is in a different language than Kawasaki coding so if you ever need ECU work, I guess there's a problem. Ivan can return a flashed ECU to stock language but I believe he is the only tuner who can do this...so you could get an Ivan flash and have all bases covered without buying a second ECU. I think Cblast probably has a slightly more aggressive flash if you're looking for an edge. I have heard he tunes the inner cylinders as lean as the outers which is probably good for extra few hp. Romans fuels the cylinders according to different maps like Kawasaki does. I doubt there is a great deal of performance difference between all the flashes available. I haven't had mine flashed yet but I'm excited about it. Raise the rev limiter, tune timing, fueling if you want it flashed or just get a map from the tuner to load to your PC.

If you go with a flash and a second ECU, you might ask the guy if he will give you a PC3 map to use in the meantime.

* Last updated by: Rook on 4/16/2015 @ 4:21 PM *

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To confirm, call dynojet and ask, 'can I drag and drop a pc5 map onto a pc3 map page?' 'Also, can I drag and drop and pc3 map onto a pc5 map page and if both are cut and paste-able, start grabbing any mapilldue... Only your techline call can tell it all.

Can my pig fly into a pea of a sea?

Can my pork roll onto a bed of rice wrapped in lettuce find out; I'm getting hungry for an answer.

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OMG.. I tried to update firmware in the PC3USB and something bad happened. Now the PC3 lights don't come on and although the computer recognizes it, it won't communicate. I've tried reset, reflashing it etc.. am I boned? Bike definitely won't start at this point.. I've been using the 9v battery to power it.. I'm so pissed right now.. omg..

good

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The PC3 has been old tech for 7 years. Maybe the firmware you updated was for the PC5 or something like that. I'd call Dyno Jet tech support and ask them for help. No matter what I do with DJ products, DJ is usually the best source of info. If you give them as much info as possible about what you want to do or what problem you are having, they will be able to give reliable advice.

Vendors who carry DJ products don't always have the best info on DJ products even if they think their info is accurate.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/25/2015 @ 8:46 AM *

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Thanks for the info Rook. I figured out I somehow had downloaded the right flash utility but it had wrong firmware in the zip file. I ended up borrowing the boot loader tool from a local bike tuner shop and was able to use that to flash the correct firmware. Once I got it bAck running I had a couple dyno runs done, 163hp/94lb so not too bad, but I'm thinking a custom tune would probably help as at 80mph I'm getting ~28-30mpg and that seems a little low.. im thinking maybe buying a second ecu so I can get a flash but keep my original ecu intact.. Happy Memorial Day!

at 80mph I'm getting ~28-30mpg and that seems a little low..

IDK...I think 35 mpg at about 55 mph is about normal for stock mapping. 30 mpg for 80 mph doesn't surprise me. BUT maybe leaner fueling would make a noticeable improvement in fuel mileage and it will make an improvement in hp if the bike is running rich presently.

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I got an o7 with a Muzzy and pc3usb and a good map from muzzy. Don't use the 9 volt and plug directly to the pc on the bike. You most likely updated with pc5 firmware. See if you can wipe it clean and start all over and imma try to send you my muzzy map for the 14 with a muzzy pipe, and change the spark plugs if your gas mileage is not quite up to snuff.

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Hey Bobby, thanks for the reply! I did get my PC3 unbricked so all is OK for now. I would like to try a different map though to see if that will help. Please let me know how you can get that to me, we could use dropbox or I can give you my email addy so you could toss me the file.. is it a "stock" Muzzy map or has the map been custom tuned? I will also look into putting in a new air filter (sticking with stock Kawi I think) and maybe replace plugs.. bike has 9k on it right now.. I did find that at 65-70mpg that my MPG increases into the mid to high 40's but who the hell buys a ZX14 to drive at the speed limit??!!??

I got a stock/custom Muzzy map and you can drop me your email and I can get it to you.

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