2015 Ultra Limited motor
- Thread starter zoozoo
- Start date
Greatsteaks
Member
The 103 HO stock air filter is a high flow filter, no need to upgrade this filter unless you are making MAJOR HP. It has been flow tested to be just as good as after market hf units. What's even better is that it sucks cooler air from the outside of the filter housing, not the hot air coming off the engine. The stock filter is washable and reusable also, new replacements are cheap too, around $26!!
dolt
Well-Known Member
Jut to clarify, the OEM air filter is not a Stage I air filter; it is EPA compliant on noise and the intake area is limited. H-D sells a Stage I air filter kit for '14 and later models (PN29400129) for about $125 from an online discount dealer. To complete a Stage I upgrade, the OP will need that kit plus a set of high flow mufflers or re-core the stock mufflers which could cost from $200 to $500; the Harley "tax" to get the bike to perform the way it should from the factory.:rofl
Greatsteaks
Member
The stock air filter assembly on 2014-2015 103 high output engines have been tested to flow 227 cfm with the stock mounting plate. Plenty enough for stage I. All an open back plate will do is let hotter air in. Just because they sell something called "stage I" doesn't mean it's needed.
dolt
Well-Known Member
No need to get your panties in a wad; I am not arguing with you or disagree. The OPs question was whether or not the 2015 Ultra was factory equipped with bigger cams and Stage I. I answered on the cams; not necessarily bigger but a different profile that does deliver a bit more power. However, the 2015 may have an air filter that flow 227cfm (who did the testing anyway?) but that does not constitute a Stage I upgrade; what the stock air filter flows is not relevant to the OPs question. The OP will have to pay the Harley tax to upgrade a 2015 Ultra to Stage I; an indisputable fact.
I should have also told the OP that an tru Stage I upgrade, in and of itself, will is really not worth the cost without a dyno tune to optimize the tune. The restriction is the heads/valves that are the bottle neck between the hi-flow air filter and the hi-flow exhaust. Without a tune, a Stage I upgrade is not worth the cost. JMHO.:s
Greatsteaks
Member
Lol, all is good, panties not in s wad. And you are correct, I misread the op question thinking he was just talking about the air filter. They defiantly don't come stage 1 from the factory. The new cams are a nice improvement basically 255 cams about the same duration without the lift. I myself have a 2015 ultra that I have only put Python slip ons, a 2009 head pipe(no cat and O2 sensors up by the head) and a Thundermax ECM. Stock air filter and my bike now runs SO much cooler and hauls the mail! I tow a 400lb pop up camper trailer and now can't tell it's even there. I did a lot of research on the air filter and assemblies. Stage 1 air filter marketing makes everyone think they need to spend $$$ when an air filter only needs to flow enough air that an engine can suck in. Even most earlier year stock air filters flow more then enough air for stage 1 but the design of sucking hotter air from the rear of the assembly never made sense to me and I'm actually surprised that the motor company changed that on the new 103's.
dolt
Well-Known Member
Just as an FYI, the '06 and later heads will flow 225cfm at .500" lift, so the OEM air filter that flows at 227cfm is, as you point out, all that is needed but IMHO, marginal. I would want more flow just to insure that maximum flow was available as the filter collect dirt and loses capacity.
While the HO 103 cam is a nice improvement, the bump in compression on the later models from 9.6 to 10.1 is also a large contributor to the additional torque. The '09 head pipe, although the O2 sensor location is less effective than the later models, is a nice improvement with the cat eliminated and the Python slipons are good pieces. Not a Thundermax fan and believe a proper dyno tune with the TTS Mastertune or the Power Vision will produce more power but each to his own.
Keep the rubber side down.:s
Greatsteaks
Member
The thundermax requires that their supplied wide band O2 sensors be located up by the head for the 2014-15 touring models, that's why I went with the 09 pipe(and I was told that when you loose the cat, the O2 sensors get mixed signals being so close to the collector but I have no idea or proof of it being true). I chose the Tmax because I pull a trailer and it auto tunes automatically when I change between pulling it and not. I'm sure a dyno tune would provide a more accurate tune but for my needs it just works for me. Anyhow, I myself love these new bikes and I'm not a real fan of electronics controlling everything, but as long as everything keeps working together I'll enjoy the technology.