Crane hi-4 htc ignition

[Hoople]

Hoople, what kind of fancy electronic equipment are you referring to?

The easiest way to do it would be to obtain an Innovate Motorsports data logging unit and interface it with a set of Delphi piezoelectric knock sensors in order to record and determine when engine knock occurs. You would need to have 2 channels so that both front and rear engine knock could be recorded independently of each other. You will also need to obtain the Crane software which will enable you to record the manifold map pressure and RPM from the Crane ignition system. That same software will also allow you to make you own custom spark advance curves. (Mode Switch setting 2 &3 on the Crane)

Being able to Log data for both front and rear engine knock, along with intake manifold pressure and RPM while riding the bike under all load conditions would be the bare minimum. Fortunately your taxes pay for the best Dyno money can buy which are public roads. Ride the bike and record some data during idle, mid cruise-part throttle, and WOT. Stop and review the data for when engine knock occurs and at what manifold pressure and RPM it occurred at. Continue to advance the timing in the Crane unit until the spark advance is set to maximum before detonation occurs. Yes, it will be time consuming because each minor change you make to the ignition spark map will require you to stop, boot the laptop, enter the change, create a new spark map & reload the Crane ignition module and then re-test. But it sure beats buying your own eddy current brake dyno...

 

[motor]

Hopple
I appreciate that .I'll check with them on monday.Have you any idea what the parts you listed will cost.I'm intending on installing an a/f ratio gauge permanently on my bike.

 

[Hoople]

I'm intending on installing an a/f ratio gauge permanently on my bike.

Awesome. Install those bungs for the wide band sensor(s) at the proper position and distance from the heads because temps and water vapor come into play.

I really don't know what the costs for you would be because when I did it on my bike (2009), spark knock, map pressure, and RPM were already factory serial outputs of the ECM so it made it very very easy. The biggest obstacle I see for you is interfacing the knock sensors to the data logger. The Innovate Motorsport people just may have something ready to go because that's the kind of things those people do.

It sounds like you want to squeeze every bit of power out of your engine!

 

[motor]

I don't think i'd call it squeezing as much power as possible.To me ,it is more along the lines of ,right is right.Since i know what spark knock sounds like ,but there is no way i could hear it over my exhaust,unless totally out of control.I went searching for diy knock sensing .My main concern is getting as much timing in motor without getting into spark knock.Found some interesting stuff.Now here is a different approach.Food for thought.

DIY Detonation Detection

I'm not sure why it is called browser warning,but my anti virus protection doesn't find a problem with link.

 

[Hoople]

To me ,it is more along the lines of ,right is right.

There is nothing wrong with that. In addition to solving your objective, you always learn a ton of knowledge along the way.

I would bet that the inexpensive knock kit would work Great. Instead of using a set of foam headphones, I would use a liquid filled sealing "cup" set of headphones that will really seal off outside noise and let you hear only the alligator clip pickup. I see no reason why it would not work.

You better see if you can still get the Crane software for the HI-4 unit. It would be great if the software was also written for a Palm Pilot and not just for a Windoz application. Having to have a booted laptop with you during the pulls would be awkward. Since you won't be needing the Innovate data logger, you will also need to come up with a way to "flag" the points when you heard detonation during the public road dyno pulls. (needing a way to match or group the rpm & intake map pressure reading to when you hear the sound of knock)