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[providencemg]

I am looking at adding a PCIII but when I went to an MC shop they suggested the Vance & Hines Fuel Pak since I have the V&H Big shots. They would have to order either one, so they weren't just trying to sell me what was in stock.
Has anyone here used the fuel pak and what were the results?
Has anyone compared the two model, PCIII vs V&H?
I have an 03 VTX1800

Thanks for any information.

[Demon]

just about everyone here have the PCIII.  I have it on my bike and the bike runs fine...  sorry I can't help

[providencemg]

Here is the answer to my question from V&H.
For my 2003 VTX1800 I asked "What is the difference between the Powercommnder PCIII and the V&H Fuel Pak?"
and "Why should I go with the Fuel Pak?"

Their reply was:

Unfortunately the Fuelpak is only designed to work with the 05-08 model VTX
1800. So in this case the PowerCommander is going to be your best bet.
--

I appreciate thier honesty and now my decision is easier.

[hipshot]

You want the PCIII. Do some research.

[Dusty]

Contact JohnnyCheese or another tuner. I bet they have opinions on the two. My experience with the PCIII, which I have, is it's hard to find a map to download that will work with your bike. I downloaded two from the internet from bikes that were similar in aftermarket mods and niether of them worked as good as taking it to a dyno and having it tuned to your bike. If I had it to do over, I would have left the bike stock. 

[Tinman5507]

Contact JohnnyCheese or another tuner. I bet they have opinions on the two. My experience with the PCIII, which I have, is it's hard to find a map to download that will work with your bike. I downloaded two from the internet from bikes that were similar in aftermarket mods and niether of them worked as good as taking it to a dyno and having it tuned to your bike. If I had it to do over, I would have left the bike stock. 

Might i ask why you say you would have left it stock? I haven't drop the cash on one yet, so if you could explain i might not get one.
 

[Dusty]

Contact JohnnyCheese or another tuner. I bet they have opinions on the two. My experience with the PCIII, which I have, is it's hard to find a map to download that will work with your bike. I downloaded two from the internet from bikes that were similar in aftermarket mods and niether of them worked as good as taking it to a dyno and having it tuned to your bike. If I had it to do over, I would have left the bike stock. 

Might i ask why you say you would have left it stock? I haven't drop the cash on one yet, so if you could explain i might not get one.
 

First let me explain that I'm not a person that much cares if my bike is clean and purty. It's a tool and a toy. I just want it to crank, run good and be dependable. My attitude is, if you don't like it, don't look at it. And if it bothers you enough, feel free to wash it and wax! 

It starts with the desmog, which is to let it breathe and get rid of the decel popping. Which I happen to like and can still make my bike do it at will. Decel popping in some cases can be stopped by making a concious effort to roll the throttle completely closed. (Thanks Snake) However, the desmog does make it a lot easier to get to those blasted valves every 8,000 miles. And you might gain a little horse power. But now, your air/fuel ratio is different and you have a stock map, so to correct that, you add the PCIII (or whatever). It's been a few years but I'm thinking that's around $250. Then, you have to get a dyno done and that's another $250. A couple of years later you may want to have it tuned again depending on your miles. That's another $100 to $200. So, you're out $500 to $600 (if you furnish the labor and more if you take it to someone) and you have gained 4 to 6 horsepower? This doesn't include the cost of an aftermarket breather which you have to have to be cool and get the most air flowing through your baby's jugs.

I never test drove the X before I purchased it and I remember that first ramp onto the highway after I left the dealer. I twisted the throttle for the first time and the beast damn near jumped out from under me. What a rush!!! The bike was stock and now, $500 dollars later the thrill and rush is just the same. I may be too practical and I'm not a HP junkie. In hindsight, the best mods I have done since 03 is the 4 piece Ultimate seat, putting R bars on my C with 6 inch risers, a throttle boss and lock, moving the controls forward a couple of inches, adding floorboards and my latest and all time favorite is the Garmin Zummo 550 GPS which has xm radio. 
  Flame suit on! 

Then again, maybe I'm just wanting a Harley.  Dang you Pete!!!!

[Tinman5507]

Thanks for the insight 

[TomVTX]

Then again, maybe I'm just wanting a Harley.  Dang you Pete!!!!
[/quote]

 

[Demon]

i think Bill is right... I did the pipe on my bike for the sake of sound... It cost me $1300.00 to get the pipe, PCIII, air kit, and the tune.  I installed the air kit and pipes myself to safe some money.  I got 5 Hp and 10 ft/lbs of torque when I firts did it.  Two weeks ago my bike was dyno and I lost 5 hp and 8ft/lbs of torque.  My gas milage did go down after I did the pipe change.  I was getting around 50 mpg now I'm in the low 40's.

If I had a VTX 1800 I would change the pipe, air box, and add a PCIII...   I know two guys that have run they VTX with out a PCIII and their bikes run fine (brock and Ed)
they had pipes and their bikes run strong.

[TomVTX]

I don't know why I'm responding to this as I'm not real knowledgeable about hp and torque and all that....

I have the V&H bigshots, did the desmog thing, k&n air filter, but NO PC3 or any other fuel stuff.  Bike does have decel popping unless I roll the throttle all the way back when slowing or stopping.  45k miles or so and it still runs good.   I know the HP and torque matters to some, but I could really care less as long as bike runs good and provides the fun it was intended.

[Crewsn]

I'll give my .02 on this. I did alot of research on the national board before getting my PC III. You will gain some more HP and Torque but not anything tremendous. I gained 6 HP and 8 ft.lbs. of torque which isn't bad. is it really worth the $500 to $700 your going to pay to get the PC III and custom map? this is what you have to decide for yourself. To myself the small increases of HP and torque are not the selling point for me. What did sell me on the PC III is how much more enjoyable the overall rideability of the bike is. I have no more low speed surging, shifting is smoother, gas mileage improved, throttle response is much better, and is just overall nicer to ride. these bikes are detuned from the factory to pass emissions, so by properly tuning them makes for a nicer ride. the X is lean at the low RPMs(for emissions) and rich at the higher rpms(not sure why). the lean condition is why you get the popping at decell. any aftermarket add-ons that increase air flow, the popping increases. if the popping is the only thing you want gone get a cobra fi2000/fuel pak or the similar and that will do it. if you want an overall smoother and nicer ride try the PC III. It is imperative that it be tuned by someone who knows what they are doing or your wasting your money. talk with johnny cheese on that. The nice thing about the pc III is it can be tuned to your liking, you can get a "balls to the walls" power map, or an "fuel ecnomy" map, or like I did "the in between, little of both worlds" map. It's really up to you to decide what it is exactly that you're trying to achieve, good luck.

BTW, to answer the original question. the difference is the fuel pak only adds fuel, tha PC III adds and subtracts. the only area when you need to add fuel to the X is at low RPMs. other than that the fuel pak isn't doing anything.

[Scotrod]

I'll give my .02 on this. I did alot of research on the national board before getting my PC III. You will gain some more HP and Torque but not anything tremendous. I gained 6 HP and 8 ft.lbs. of torque which isn't bad. is it really worth the $500 to $700 your going to pay to get the PC III and custom map? this is what you have to decide for yourself. To myself the small increases of HP and torque are not the selling point for me. What did sell me on the PC III is how much more enjoyable the overall rideability of the bike is. I have no more low speed surging, shifting is smoother, gas mileage improved, throttle response is much better, and is just overall nicer to ride. these bikes are detuned from the factory to pass emissions, so by properly tuning them makes for a nicer ride. the X is lean at the low RPMs(for emissions) and rich at the higher rpms(not sure why). the lean condition is why you get the popping at decell. any aftermarket add-ons that increase air flow, the popping increases. if the popping is the only thing you want gone get a cobra fi2000/fuel pak or the similar and that will do it. if you want an overall smoother and nicer ride try the PC III. It is imperative that it be tuned by someone who knows what they are doing or your wasting your money. talk with johnny cheese on that. The nice thing about the pc III is it can be tuned to your liking, you can get a "balls to the walls" power map, or an "fuel ecnomy" map, or like I did "the in between, little of both worlds" map. It's really up to you to decide what it is exactly that you're trying to achieve, good luck.

BTW, to answer the original question. the difference is the fuel pak only adds fuel, tha PC III adds and subtracts. the only area when you need to add fuel to the X is at low RPMs. other than that the fuel pak isn't doing anything.

IMHO, This response is 'dead on' in many, many ways. I went PCIII and had it PROFESSIONALLY tuned by Johnnycheese. (Just because someone is 'factory trained' on a dyno does NOT mean they know WTF they are doing! The skill set of the tuner is critical in order to achieve the tune you are looking for!!!)
 
I'll ad that, in my case, my MPG went down, (compared to OEM) and my map, (eh, well, I actually have 2 of them, both from Johnny) add fuel across the board, with only one cell at 6,000 rpm (we all know how important 6,000 rpm is on an X! LOL!) pulling 3% fuel back. (Most fuel added is 34% in one cell). Lower MPG was not a suprise, as, to a point, more gas + more power. I have a modded OEM airbox, K + N filter, and Jardine pipes.

Me, If I am gonna pay any $$$$ to 'tune' something, I am the kind of person who wants to know exactly what is being done by having it described in a way that I can understand, and seeing some kind of proof beyond the emotionally powered, highly inaccurate, butt dyno!  . In doing some reading about the PCIII, I understand what the cells are and what their values mean, Also, in having the data from a dyno run, I can see and understand how the bike is running and what improvements have been made..

"Other' tuning devices, if not professionally done and dyno checked, will always instill a sense of 'mystery' in me, and are, in some cases, kind of a hit or miss deal,,,, 

My X runs strong, and is smoooooth as butta throughout the entire rpm range!

Was it cheap? No, but the knowledge I gained and the 'peace of mind' I get from knowing the X is running at it's full potential and that the A/F mix on the X is right where it should be is worth some $$$ to me as well.

As far as the V + H model,,, eh,,, If I were going to do something other than a PCIII, I'd probably go with something simple, quick, and easy,,, the Cobra 2000R model. Very user friendly, both in installation and adjustment. Only 3 pots.

[Chad]

One other person not running a PCIII is Hangman!! He has a original German Pete snorkle breather(LOL) and I forget what kind of pipes and no PC!! Now he has road a bike with a PCIII and said he had to have one on his!! I think if I didn't have to have one I wouldn't get one! I think it is a Tim the Tool Man Taylor thing!! MORE POWER!!