Dobeck EI

I received the new Gen3 Dobeck EFI yesterday. Unfortunately we have had another round of snow, so it'll be a week or two before the roads are clear of salt before I can try it out. I am a little miffed about the support for it though.

1. The Gen2 Dobeck EFI is offered in two part numbers; one for a Rocket with O2 sensor, and one without..

2. The new Gen3 Dobeck EFI is only offered with one part number.

I was a little confused about that, so I called Matt at Dobeck. He explained to me that if I have a Rocket with an installed O2 sensor, I would not be able to use the first setting (green zone - cruise mode) since the O2 sensor would constantly fight the Dobeck's injector pulse adjustments. That was completely the answer I was not looking for, the main reason I wanted this unit was to enrich the fuel mixture at cruise speed/load.

So, he got off the phone to confer with someone, and then got back on and said he was going to send me a O2 bypass plug (sort of like a dongle I guess) which would enable me to utilize the first settings on the Dobeck EFI.

I know I can deselect the O2 sensor with Tuneboy, but was rather surprised that Dobeck completely overlooked the O2 sensor installed on Rockets when they started to marketed the Gen3 version.

Air Force Mark said:

Okay, for all of you more informed types;
Other than a major mechanical failure, what are the "symtoms" of running lean?

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The only way to get an idea of a lean condition is with the spark plugs. They shouldn't have any of the ground electrode (curved top one) missing. A very clean, white color can indicate a lean condition, but if you have pulled the plugs out of a bone stock engine before, those are typically clean and white. Stock engines are set at the very edge of lean for emission and fuel economy reasons. Too lean can start pitting and eating away at the electrode, pitting and rounded corners on the ground electrode is an indication of lean.

Following modifications for performance purposes, I like to see indication of running rich. Dark brown and even some black carbon deposits. I would much rather be burning a little too much fuel than too little, others may disagree.

Prolonged operation even just a little too lean can begin to eat away at the edges of the pistons and begin to cause the piston rings to start sticking in the grooves. The rings need to be free to move and compress/expand as the piston moves up and down in the cylinder. If they can't, compression suffers and combustion gasses get past and cause more damage.

Well, try and try as I might, I could not get the Dobeck EFI Gen3 controller to work. Kept getting the flashing red and green lights; indicating a connection problem. I verified a good ground for the unit, triple checked all of the injector signal connections in the Dobeck unit's wiring harness; even switched a couple of them around on different injectors.

If I keep screwing around with my electrical injector leads in trying to get this thing to work; I may end up damaging that wiring to to repetitive connecting/disconnecting of the electrical connectors....

It's Sunday, and there is no technical support at this time.

I don't think that there's much that they can tell me anyway (to try). I'm sending the unit back to them next week for a refund.


I'll stick with a tune from Tuneboy.

That's disappointing. Mine worked out of the box and I'm very pleased with it. Admire your persistence but you're right to stop fiddling. Good luck with which ever way you go.

Sorry to hear that Will.
Mine was a simple plug an play.
try the free ware out before popping $600. for Tuneboy.
surely somebody at MV will be able to take me by the hand
and lead me through this TuneECU thing, at least I'm hoping..

xhdskip said:

Sorry to hear that Will.
Mine was a simple plug an play.
try the free ware out before popping $600. for Tuneboy.
surely somebody at MV will be able to take me by the hand
and lead me through this TuneECU thing, at least I'm hoping..

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Already have Tuneboy; got in on a group but a year or so ago. Just wanted to try out this "electronic jet" technology. Oh well....

Oh well CRAP !!! Gawd how I hate doing things over.....

I just got done speaking with Matt at Dobeck Engineering. The Red and Green lights are SUPPOSED to flash on the EFI unit when the key is turned on, and then go off when the bike is started. The instructions however, didn't say that.

I didn't bother to start my bike after seeing the red/green lights alternately flash; indicating a bad connection, since the instructions said to only turn the ignition on and then observe. They didn't say to start and THEN validate a good connection with the injectors.

So, since the instructions were misleading; I am again going to relegate myself into my shed tonight and attempt to reconnect the Dobeck EFI controller, install a standard tune via Tuneboy, and again see if I can get the controller to function properly.

I did ask Matt to clarify his directions. I'm sure I'm not the first one to follow them with the misleading verbage contained within them....

The iinstructions that came with mine state "9. Start the motorcycle......If the green and red LEDS continue flashing after startup please refer to ...[trouble shooting guide] or call tech support...." Perhaps not so much misleading but it appears you may have gone straight to the Troubleshoot section. That's what happens when we try to do the right thing and read the instructions.

It really is a simple install and I'm thrilled with it; only a slight increase in fuel consumption (largely due to the way I'm pushing it), no decel popping at all, very smooth take up and a lot more grunt. Hope you can sort it out and Im sure you'll be similarly pleased.

CanberraR3 said:

The iinstructions that came with mine state "9. Start the motorcycle......If the green and red LEDS continue flashing after startup please refer to ...[trouble shooting guide] or call tech support...." Perhaps not so much misleading but it appears you may have gone straight to the Troubleshoot section. That's what happens when we try to do the right thing and read the instructions.

It really is a simple install and I'm thrilled with it; only a slight increase in fuel consumption (largely due to the way I'm pushing it), no decel popping at all, very smooth take up and a lot more grunt. Hope you can sort it out and Im sure you'll be similarly pleased.

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What current tune in your ECU are you running? Are you using a stock Triumph tune, along with the Dobeck EFI? Do you have any intake or exhaust modifications as well?

TORS tune done by dealer. Mods are TORS, staintune crossover collector, secondaries removed, GiPro with ATRE, tripple K&Ns (tripples fitted at same time as Debec). I didn't remove the O2 sensor. Although it was running fine I was definitely running too lean before; lots of decel popping especially and not idling too well when cold.