TECH TIP: HOW ENGINE HEAT IMPACTS EFI SYSTEMS
LOWER ENGINE TEMPS. GAIN HORSEPOWER.
In today’s ultra-technical era of performance offroad machines, riders and race teams alike are always looking for an advantage over our competition. Whether it’s an exhaust system or a more aggressive cam profile, gaining a performance advantage is something we all identify with! We spend thousands in our quest to increase the horsepower of our bikes; but in our zeal for more performance, we often overlook the critical impact that controlling engine temperature has on horsepower and consistent power delivery. Although heat needs to be managed in all offroad engines, the latest generation of EFI equipped machines demand that we take a more proactive approach to factoring heat management into our quest for performance. Maintaining constant core engine temperature is vital to increasing performance, maintaining horsepower output, and ultimately posting faster lap times. But the question is why?
How well you manage your engine’s heat directly affects not only how long it will last, but most importantly, how effective it will be at producing optimal horsepower.
HOW EXCESSIVE ENGINE HEAT IMPACTS EFI SYSTEMS
Most of us know that when our engines run hot, they make less horsepower – but what causes this to occur? In order for optimal horsepower to be generated, your machine’s EFI system is required to deliver a precise mixture of air/fuel after processing data from sensors located in the engine. This continual process ensures that optimal engine performance is consistent. Taking a closer look into this process reveals that EFI equipped engines use ECT (Engine Coolant Temperature Sensing) to deliver moment-to-moment coolant/engine temperature data to the ECU. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) uses this feedback to continually factor your machine’s engine temperature and make on-the-fly adjustments to ignition timing, and air/fuel mixture (as a percentage of +/-) from the pre-determined, optimal air/fuel mapping. When the ECT sensor detects excessive engine heat and transmits this data to the ECU, the ECU automatically retards timing, and richens the air/fuel mixture. This is done in order to bring the operating temperature of the engine back down to its optimal operating temperature. It is a pre-programmed fail-safe condition and it is the way your bike has been designed to protect itself from heat-related engine failure. When the ECU adjusts into fail-safe mode this has a direct impact on how much horsepower your engine is ALLOWED to produce. This is largely based on the temperature of your machine’s engine at any given time and is why controlling engine temperature is emerging as one of the most important aspects of engine tuning. By reducing core engine temperatures your machine’s power characteristics will be optimized and your engine will not be forced by the ECU to reduce its horsepower output in order to protect itself from overheating.
THE BOYESEN SUPERCOOLER PERFORMANCE ADVANTAGE
Boyesen’s SuperCooler is designed to increase the performance of your engine's cooling system. Boyesen’s high-performance Supercooler kits are designed to flow more coolant and eliminate air cavitation within the coolant, and as a result, deliver a much more efficient (coolant charge) to the engine. The Supercooler’s design is based on the process of correcting the in-efficiencies and production-based limitations found in the design of stock waterpump systems. For each Supercooler made, Boyesen Engineers apply ongoing research and development processes that yield the greatest increases in cooling performance for each make/model/year of machine in the following areas:
Inlet Diameter Capacity
Hydro-dynamically Optimized Interior Surface Modeling
Hydro-dynamically Optimized Impeller Design and Function
The Supercooler's optimally formed interior surfacing process eliminates all coolant flow "pinch-points" resulting in a hydro dynamically efficient interior shape that dramatically increases coolant flow efficiency and ultimately leads to increased fluid flow re-entry rates into your bike's engine. The Supercooler features a large inlet opening. This is superior to stock inlets, which are small and often have 90-degree bends (a serious hydrodynamic no-no). The Supercooler’s patented impeller is 25% more efficient at moving water than stock systems. The design reduces fluid cavitation, which increases cooling capacity. What's the result of the Boyesen Supercooler? Superior fluid flow rates, increased hydrodynamic efficiency, and superior heat management capability. Simply stated, Boyesen Supercooler is recognized worldwide by factory race teams as the technological benchmark in bolt-on engine heat-reduction performance.
The Boyesen Supercooler is available for most popular 2 and 4 stroke machines ranging from 1989-2021 including Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, KTM, Husqvarna, Gas Gas, and Husaberg.