Worth changing intake?

[01fxd]

Bike is a 2013 FLHTK, stock 103 except for decatted factory header, external breathers and Andrews 48 cams.

Is changing to a stage 1 intake worth it with this setup? The exhaust now is about as loud as I'd want for long trips.

Thanks.

[George W]

Try this and a retune..
http://boyesen.com/power-x-intake

[PoorUB]

Just replacing the air filter? You might gain a couple HP, but I doubt you will notice anything other than you wallet is lighter.

I put cams in my 2016 Limited and gutted the cat out of the head pipe. Still running the stock mufflers and air cleaner.

[kd]

IIRC you tuned it also?

[PoorUB]

IIRC you tuned it also?

Good question!

Probably just a flash or no tune at all!

[01fxd]

Have a FM map, and it's running well. Just wondering if the exhaust or intake is a bottleneck. It got louder with the decat and a little louder more with the 48s, and with hearing issues don't want more noise.

No problem leaving it as is if no benefit.

[PoorUB]

A proper tune will do much more than tossing more parts at it will ever do.

[1workinman]

A proper tune will do much more than tossing more parts at it will ever do.

[MikeL]

A proper tune will do much more than tossing more parts at it will ever do.

I don't agree I have a 2007 Ultra. It has Reinhart slip ons, free flow air filter and had a HD race tuner. I bought this bike used and did not get the dongle. Had dealer re flash to stock. Then I installed Andrews 48 cams. I wasn't in the mood to spend another $800 for tuner and tune. I happened to have a Dobek 3.5 ejk. So I installed it. Right now the only thing the ejk is doing is adding a little fuel on decel. I don't know if the dealer installed a stage 1 flash. As far as I'm concerned it runs great throws a lot less heat and gets 33mpg riding 2up.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

[Hossamania]

That mileage tells me right off that it could be running better. My Ultra gets consistent 39-40 mpg riding two up heavy. My old bike with a hotrod motor gets 38-40 two up heavy, 37 solo hammering it.
I think paying for it to just be put on a Dyno and running it ($50 or so) to see where it's at would be eye opening.

[kd]

The extra fuel can wash the cylinder walls and be hard on the cylinders, pistons and rings.  Resulting carbon becomes mixed in the engine oil and the build-up in the combustion chamber can increase compression leading to detonation and subsequent piston damage.  That's the kind of stuff you avoid when you get an expert quality tune.  You'll also find lost power you didn't know was there because you didn't look.  You may think it is friendly mannered until a tune shows you it really wasn't, but you didn't know because it felt "good enough". 

I always think about the old Fram filter commercial.  "You can pay me now, or pay me later".  It never makes sense to do performance mods and stop short of finishing the job by not tuning properly to get full performance value and protection of your investment. An expert tune is in fact part of your performance budget.

[Hossamania]

https://harleytechtalk.com/htt/index.php/topic,103837.0.html

A reference I use.

[kd]

That's a good one Hoss

[PoorUB]

A proper tune will do much more than tossing more parts at it will ever do.

I don't agree I have a 2007 Ultra. It has Reinhart slip ons, free flow air filter and had a HD race tuner. I bought this bike used and did not get the dongle. Had dealer re flash to stock. Then I installed Andrews 48 cams. I wasn't in the mood to spend another $800 for tuner and tune. I happened to have a Dobek 3.5 ejk. So I installed it. Right now the only thing the ejk is doing is adding a little fuel on decel. I don't know if the dealer installed a stage 1 flash. As far as I'm concerned it runs great throws a lot less heat and gets 33mpg riding 2up.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

I agree with Hoss, 33MPG is terrible mileage for a bagger. You should average close to 40 MPG. My 2010 with a modded 103" averaged 42 MPG over 10,000 miles one summer and would get 50 MPG running 55 MPH.  You are using too much fuel. Yeah, as far as you are concerned it runs great, but you would be surprised if it had a proper tune.

You have no clue how much horse power you have and how much you are leaving on the table. Running smoothly and running correctly are not the same.

[01fxd]

I guess another way of putting the question is whether decatting a 2010+ Touring stock exhaust is roughly equivalent to aftermarket slipons.

When the bike was stock (without the cat) I ran XIEDs with good results.

A thread on another forum claims +100 cfm flow in a decatted stock header.

Tuning it is a given.

[FXDBI]

I guess another way of putting the question is whether decatting a 2010+ Touring stock exhaust is roughly equivalent to aftermarket slipons.

When the bike was stock (without the cat) I ran XIEDs with good results.

A thread on another forum claims +100 cfm flow in a decatted stock header.

Tuning it is a given.

How do you expect to maximize the out when the in is restricted? Personally I would have started with the air cleaner. Its like running with the choke partially closed. Oh you need a real tuner and a tune to get it proper with a cam and decatted pipe might has well get your moneys worth and do the air cleaner same time.  Bob