Tested! Wiseco’s new Fuel Management Controllers

A few lucky Wiseco employees got to have our new fuel management controllers installed on their bikes. Both bikes were Harley Davidson’s and both saw some nice performance improvements. Along with the dyno testing we do, we test in the field so we know you are getting the best products available.

Chris Hawthorne
Manufacturing

2007 Harley Davidson V-Rod.
I did the install myself and it only took about an hour. It was very easy to install. I also found on the V-Rod you can’t really mount it under the seat, so I put it behind the air box. It is still easy to get to and is out of sight from rain and such. And as far as the performance end of it, WOW what a difference I felt! Before installing the Wiseco fuel controller, the exhaust pipes would glow cherry red. Now the bike runs cooler and has lots more acceleration in the mid range.

Ron Gryzmala
Customer Service



2003 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic
The fuel management controller was installed on my bike here at Wiseco. The controller smoothed out the operation of my bike. Before the controller, my bike was at the stock settings. I now have no popping or backfiring during deceleration off the freeway. It has also increased the roll on power for acceleration onto the highway. I really like it. “It has definitely increased the performance of my baby.”

Forged Clutch Products Review

Have you ever wondered what people have to say about Wiseco products? Wiseco currently sponsors the DNA Energy Drink/BTO Sports.com/BBMX Team and they are currently using our forged clutch products with the lifetime warranty against notching and breakage. A few weeks ago they did a review of their experience with our clutch products on their website. Check it out!

http://butlerbrothersmx.loopd.com/Members/TeamButlerBrothers/Blog.aspx?resourceId=b273a856-fb55-4b81-a586-8cb364b38ea0

Figuring Compression Ratio

Compression ratio is the volume of the cylinder when the piston is at the bottom of the cylinder compared to where it is when the piston is at TDC. A 100 cubic inch cylinder would have its volume squeezed into 10 cubic inches with a 10:1 ratio. The easiest way to keep track of it is to think of every thing as volumes that are stacked on top of one another. The factors that stack up are the displacement of the cylinder (bore and stroke), the volume of the deck clearance (getting back to the zero-deck issue from before), the volume of the gasket (which is basically a short-round cylinder), and the volume of the combustion chamber. The net combustion chamber volume means you must subtract dome volume add the dish volume. Use the formula (bore x bore x stroke x .7854 x 16.4) to get the volume for a cylinder in cc's. Stack up the cylinder + the deck volume + the gasket volume + the net chamber volume---take this number and call it A…Stack up the deck, the gasket, and the net chamber volume and call it B….. Take the big number A and divide it by the small number B and it will give you the compression ratio.

If you’ve been keeping up with the issues concerning the Powersports industry, you are most likely familiar with the 2 largest issues- the lead law from the Consumer Products Safety Act and the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that could potentially make 24 million acres of public lands inaccessible to off-highway vehicles. Companies and organizations across the Powersports industry have been rallying everyone to write their congressmen and respective committees in an attempt to thwart these rulings. The American Motorcycle Association (AMA) and Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) have been instrumental in giving the industry a voice.

Consumer Products Safety Act Lead Law
On Friday, May 1, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a stay of enforcement on youth motorized recreational vehicles until May 1, 2011. The companies who brought the petition to the committee included American Suzuki, Polaris, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and Yamaha USA. The stay applies to only battery terminals with up to 100% lead and components made with metal alloys- steel up to 0.35% lead content, aluminum up to 0.4% lead content, and copper up to 4.0% lean content. By November 1, 2009, the CPSC committee requires each manufacturer to have a plan in place to reduce the lead exposure from the components contained in the stay.

This decision was based on many factors presented to the CPSC. There was a fear that more youth riders would be on adult sized vehicles, increasing the risk of injury or death. Argued by the petitioners, by substituting lead in steel, aluminum, and copper alloys, the function, durability, and corrosion resistance could be compromised. This can cause increased injury due to components breaking prematurely.

Though this was a break-through for the industry, it is still technically not legal to sell youth motorcycles and ATV’s. Due to the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), state Attorney Generals can still prosecute violators, despite no fines or penalties from the CPSC. You can check out more about the ruling by going to the AMA website. The AMA has been doing an excellent job keeping everyone up-to-date on the latest developments. You can also voice you opinion from Wiseco.com. On our home page, we have a link to the MIC to send a message to your congressman to have your voice heard.

Public Land
Another huge issue for the Powersports industry is the bill currently in the U.S. House of Representatives that could potentially make 24 million acres of public land in the western United States inaccessible to off-highway vehicles. The bill was originally proposed by a representative from New York City and currently has no support in the potentially affected states. The AMA Vice President for Government Relations, Ed Moreland has submitted comments on the bill to the House of Representatives. Mr. Moreland argued all public lands are for enjoyment of all Americans. The people who enjoy these lands are not only the nimble and fit, but those with small children, the elderly, and the handicapped. Some of these individuals need the assistance and freedom of an off-highway vehicle or ATV. With no support from the potentially affected areas, should these people not have a say in the matter?

The AMA has also been doing a great job keeping everyone up to date on the developments on the public land issue. Thank you to the AMA for all their hard work!

Tech questions come up in every rebuild whether you are an experienced engine builder or completing your first rebuild. When you purchase a Wiseco product, we provide technical support on our products to assist with the questions that may come up. Our technical team- Ron, Tom, Adam, Dwayne, Vic, Brian, Chris, John, Jeff, Al, Sue, and Sean- are ready to help you out. We’ve asked our team to put together a few questions they answer on the phone frequently.

What kind of piston-to-wall clearance can I run?

The factors that affect piston-to-wall clearance are cylinder wall thickness, whether the block is filled, the overall compression height of the piston, piston material and thickness, and whether a marine engine is to see fresh-water cooling. Most small blocks get .004 piston-to-wall clearance and most big blocks get .005 due to the use of our 2618 high-strength alloy. For heavy blower and nitrous applications, Wiseco recommends adding .001 to the standard clearance. Special note: Clearance numbers are obtained from measuring the largest diameter of the piston, typically at the bottom of the skirt. All measurements should be taken 90 degrees from the pin centerline.

Motorcycle/ ATV/ PWC piston clearances are printed on the label on the front of the piston box.

When I install my Wiseco piston, which way should the arrow on top of the piston face?

On most Wiseco Powersports pistons, the arrow will point toward the exhaust. If you are installing pistons in a v-twin or automotive application, this will differ depending on the application. Checking the installation directions included with your Wiseco product will verify the direction. But, if you still need assistance, our technical sales team will be happy to help.

I have a 4-stroke ring package that I received with my piston. I have the top oil rings, but am unsure of which rings are the Top and 2nd. How can I tell?

Some Wiseco 4-stroke ring packages are interchangeable between Powersports and automotive applications. Therefore, you may have additional rings that are not required for your application. In general, the silver/ gold/ shiny ring is the Top ring, while the black ring is the 2nd. This can be verified in the ring installation instructions included with your ring pack.

Is there a technical question that you would like to see posted on our blog? Leave us a comment! We will try to answer as many questions as possible.

We have also just added a technical section to our bi-monthly newsletter. Sign up on our website http://www.wiseco.com to check it out. You can also see our past newsletters.

Wiseco Continues to Invest in its Business

Wiseco annually invests many thousands of dollars in technology and maintanence. Even with the downturn of the economy, Wiseco is continuning its investment into new technology. So far for 2009, we have received a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). This machine will take the place of calipers during the inspection process. Calipers are an outdated technology that does not permit the level of quality our customer's demand and expectation in today's environment.

The CMM machine will eliminate the cost of outsourcing proper quality inspection and the delays associated with outsourcing the process. This will allow Wiseco to become a "Qualified Supplier" to our customers. This will improve delivery and reduce lead times for new applications or re-made tooling and help expedite tooling required for forgings in 2009. In addition, the CMM machine will enhance the robustness of the process to ensure we are sending quality parts to the next operation. This is critical to our replenishment system, inventory reduction, and Continuous Improvement initiatives. Many other investments are planned for Wiseco in 2009, including the continued investment of our manufacturing facility.

Wiseco invested $900,000 in its manufacturing facility for 2008. In order to better serve our powersports customers and to improve delivery to our customers, Wiseco invested in new CNC milling centers and CNC turning machines. Our capability in 4-stroke custom powersports manufacturing cells have improved to reduce lead time to our customers. In addition to many other smaller pieces of equipment to complement the new CNC machines, these investments will improve the quality of Wiseco's finished products, permit more efficient operation, and improve customer delivery time.

Wiseco is #1 for Tech

So, you've already ordered all your parts for your engine rebuild. You've torn the engine apart so now it's laying all over the garage floor. You start putting in the new parts and you suddenly have a question on piston clearance. Luckily, you bought Wiseco pistons from your dealer.

Wiseco strives to provide the best customer service in the industry. Whether we sell you a powesports, marine, or automotive piston, we want to give you the best service. Our technical sales team has experience on many levels and comes from diverse backgrounds. Most of them have experience racing dirt bikes, ATVs, or cars. Others are have been mechanics at multi-line dealerships. Still others have worked their way up from the Wiseco production lines, actually making the products. Wiseco is dedicated to its customers.

We also just rolled out a new website! If you haven't seen it, check it out at Wiseco.com. We have made our website a resource for you! You can check out our latest project bike, get info on our full line of products, and so much more. We have a new Customer Service page. This page has installation and technical information. You can find engine calculators to prepare for your next rebuild and installation manuals. We hope to expand on our technical information during the coming year. We would like to hear your thoughts on our new website, as well as our customer service. And, as always, if we can provide you with any technical assistance, please give us a call.

Mid Ohio Sports Car Course-- Come See Wiseco!

Wiseco is a sponsor of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. We sponsor all events, with our main sponsorship at the Honda Supercycle Weekend July 17-19, 2009. Here, you get to see all the greats in AMA Pro Racing. During the weekend, the 1000cc bikes are featured in 2 Wiseco 100 races. Check out www.midohio.com for more details on directions, to buy tickets, or to check out their other events for 2009.

Finally! The last clutch you’ll ever buy! The latest in Wiseco forged innovation now has a lifetime guarantee against breakage and notching! Our lifetime guarantee is for our forged clutch baskets, inner hubs, and pressure plates for purchases starting in 2009. The only stipulations? Proof of purchase and offer is valid to original purchaser only. It’s that easy!

Wiseco Forged Clutch Baskets, Inner Hubs, and Pressure Plates
• Wiseco precision forged clutch components have greater strength due to “feature aligned grain flow.” Compared to castings or products machined from billet, Wiseco forged clutch components can be lighter and still have increased mechanical properties resulting in higher strength, ductility, and resistance to impact and fatigue.
• Specifically designed to capitalize on detailed features that can only be produced by the precision forging process.
• Hard anodized and Teflon coated for a long life of smooth clutch operation through the elimination of wear on contact surfaces.
• Rotational mass is minimized for reduced assembly weight and maximum engine acceleration.
• Forged from lightweight, high-strength, certified, aerospace grade, aluminum alloy.
• Wiseco’s CNC machining process produces each clutch component dimensionally the same as the next.

Racing Continues for Kids!

Finally! We can all race kids ATV's and motorcycles! Though it's only a one year stay, it's a breakthrough for the industry.

Chairman Nord's statement follows.


STATEMENT OF ACTING CHAIRMAN NANCY NORD
ON THE REQUEST FOR EXCLUSIONS FROM THE LEAD CONTENT LIMITS OF THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008
April 3, 2009


In considering exclusions, consumer safety must direct the outcome of our deliberations. Therefore, it is with extreme reluctance that I am voting today to deny the petition, filed by companies and associations representing the ATV and motorized bike industries, for an exclusion from the lead content limits found in Section 101 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvements Act (CPSIA). I do this because the clear language of the law requires this result, not because it advances consumer safety. To the contrary, application of the lead content mandates of the CPSIA to the products made by the petitioners may have the perverse effect of actually endangering children by forcing youth-sized vehicles off the market and resulting in children riding the far more dangerous adult-sized ATV's.

For this reason, in my capacity as chairman, I am directing compliance staff to stay enforcement of Section 101 and related provisions of the CPSIA to this category of products for twelve months and hope my colleague, Commissioner Moore, will join me in making this a unanimous decision by the Commission. During this time-out, it is my hope that Congress will consider how the law needs to be fine-tuned to address this serious child safety dilemma. This enforcement hiatus will also give industry the opportunity to examine what reasonable changes can be made in their products to bring them closer to the requirements Congress set out in the CPSIA. Staff will meet with industry to do more testing to determine how their products can meet the 300 ppm threshold Congress set and determine what is possible. I will expect periodic status reports on progress to this plan.

It is clear that the law does not give the Commission the flexibility to grant an exclusion for petitioners' products. Congress wrote Section 101(b) in such a way as to leave little discretionary power with the agency to grant common sense exclusions. This lack of flexibility was brought to the attention of Congressional staff working on the legislation during the conference process and it was confirmed this is what was intended. As our career staff has discussed on many occasions and as we now have been formally advised by staff, we do not have the statutory authority to grant the exclusion requested in this case.

Even though the career staff of the agency has concluded that we cannot grant the exclusion, they have NOT concluded that petitioners products present a health risk to children because of exposure to lead. To the contrary, staff states "a bigger safety concern than lead exposure is that the elimination of youth ATV sales will most likely increase the number of adult ATV's purchased to be used by younger children; therefore increasing their risk of injury and death."

The issues presented to us in the petition are much more complex than just ordering petitioners to "get the lead out" of their products by a certain date. Petitioners have presented persuasive evidence that lead serves a purpose in the structural integrity of the metals used in the products and that suitable substitutes are not available. They point out the impracticality of using virgin materials for these products, including issues dealing with the recycling of metals. They point out that the approach in the CPSIA is contrary to the approach taken in the rest of the world, e.g. the European Union which has looked at these issues rather extensively and made allowances. These are all issues that the Commission should have the authority to consider but under the rigid language of the CPSIA, we cannot.

The effect of denying the petition is to make Section 101(e) of the CPSIA, which limits the Commission's authority to stay enforcement during rulemaking, no longer applicable. Therefore, during the pendency of a stay of enforcement, ATV's and motorized bikes appropriately sized for children twelve and younger can again be available and the Commission will not seek penalties for violation of Section 101 and related provisions of the CPSIA against those who sell them. I hope that the state attorneys general will follow the lead of the agency on this matter.

All stakeholders-industry, users, Congress, and the Commission-need to come together to fix the statutory problems that have become so apparent, in a common sense approach that does not unnecessarily burden those regulated, yet provides safety for American families

Wiseco Sponsored Events

Wiseco sponsors a whole bunch of races and series throughout the year. AMA Arenacross, AMA Supercross, AMA Motocross, and AMA Dragbike are just a few we sponsor on the pro level. You'll also see us on the local level. We sponsor the Action Sports Arenacross Championships, the Fantasy Moto group's races, the Arkansas State Series, the Washington State and Gold Star series, OMA Nationals, WNYOA, and Bike Days in Massillon, Ohio. These are just a few local events we sponsor each year. We've sponsored our first event in Hawaii this year- the North Shore Motorcycle Racing Club's family day on April 26. Who wouldn't want to ride in Hawaii?

Wiseco Powered Racers

Wiseco powered racers are tearing up the tracks this year! Here are just a few highlights.

Chris Borich of Makita Suzuki won the 2nd round of the GNCC series in Washington, Georgia. It was a tight race, but Borich pulled the win!


Snocross team Scheuring Speed Sports put on some great performances throughout the winter season. Round 7 of the AMSOIL/ ISOCC SnoCross Championships put Shaun Crapo on the podium in the Pro Stock class. Teammate D.J. Eckstrom gave a great battle, but had some bad luck getting injured after being ejected from his sled and pinned under another racers sled. He was thankfully lucky to walk away from the incident and planned on being back for Round 8. Shaun had an excellent qualifying round in the Pro Open, but had mechanical problems in the main event. Also, teammate Ryan Carey had a nice performance in the Semi Pro class.

The Scheuring team put on a great performance at Round 8 of the AMSOIL/ ISOCC SnoCross Championships. Both Shaun and D.J. made the main event in the Pro Stock and Pro Open classes. Unfortunately D.J. and Shaun both had crashes to end their weekend. But, there was a bright side. The points were totaled for the season and Shaun finished 5th overall and D.J. finished 8th- even missing 3 races due to injury. Testing has already started for next year, so watch for another exciting year from the Scheuring team.

Are you a Wiseco powered racer and want to be featured on our blog? Send your race report and photos to racersupport@wiseco.com. Or, leave us a comment!

Wiseco’s new Quick 16 piston kits

Wiseco has just released a new series of pistons designed to fill the needs of today's big cubic inch Sportsman series engines. Designed with input from leading engine builders and racers, Wiseco has created a line of pistons typically reserved to custom orders only- Wiseco's new Big Block Chevy Drag Race Quick 16 pistons.

Being on the cutting edge of forged piston technology allows Wiseco to produce dedicated forgings in-house and to manufacture pistons with the extreme, light weight durability that is expected from today's modern day engines. Available off the shelf, these pistons will keep you running and in the race in both single pistons and kits.

The new design of these pistons are manufactured and designed with fortified pin bosses, maximized ring lands, reinforced decks, extra deep valve pockets, and dedicated skirt shapes- all ready to handle the shock loads of modern day power adders and horsepower levels. Dome profiles are designed to accommodate conventional heads from the leading manufacturers in the industry. Profiles and valve pockets will accept most "rolled" cylinder head mods that are so popular today. These profiles are also designed to maintain proper flame travel and quench while achieving the compression ratio's needed for today's exotic fuels. The piston also features anti-detonation grooves, 15 degree "Pro Stock" pressure seal grooves, vertical gas ports, ArmorGlide™ skirt coatings, and a newly designed "clean sheet of paper" forging. Our new ArmorGlide™ skirt coating does not wear off during the typical life of the piston and reduces friction to increase efficiency and contributes to increased horsepower.

With in-stock availability, Wiseco can supply you not only with pistons, but also K1 Technologies rods and crankshaft assemblies. It is now possible to get the complete package from one source,
One Name. One Solution.™ Wiseco gets you on the track faster!

2009 Honda CRF450R Project Bike

For the first project bike of the year, Wiseco has chosen the 2009 CRF450R. This fresh new racer is packed with loads of high performance goodies, including the latest and most advanced technology available.

We started with our bread and butter and upgraded the heart of the engine with our brand new 13:1 high compression piston. This piston is loaded with features and is built on a dedicated forging, so the strength-to-weight ratio is perfectly optimized for this application. In addition, the skirts are frosted Wiseco’s new ArmorGlide skirt coating for reduced friction, quiet operation, and extra insurance against cold scuffing.


To compliment the new heart of the engine, and to help it breath, we upgraded the lungs with an ultra-light full titanium Yoshimura RS-4 exhaust system. In this case the bark is as nasty as the bite, as the handsomely tuned system drew improved power delivery from the engine, giving it a very ride-able power band with nice increases over stock.

The most exciting part on the CRF450R is our new Fuel Management EFI Controller. Just like with a carbureted bike, to fully benefit from the changes we made to the piston and exhaust system, the fuel delivery needed adjusted. Obviously it is not easy to adjust the fuel delivery on a fuel-injected bike as easily as you can by swapping jets on a carbureted bike. . . until now! Wiseco’s new Generation 3.5 Fuel Management Controller allows the user to dial in the injector duration with the touch of a button. With simple plug-and-play installation, the user is able to select one of three tuning zones, that are synonymous with the pilot jet circuit, needle jet circuit, and main jet circuit on a carburetor. There is no laptop or external power supply needed! Once installed, the Fuel Management Controller can be used to select the necessary tuning zone, and then simply add or subtract fuel to maximize the power delivery, or optimize ride-ability. If that isn’t cool enough, we took the Fuel Controller one step further by coupling it with an external oxygen sensor mounted in the head pipe of the exhaust. This allowed us to run in full CLOSED loop mode, which maintains a specified air/fuel ratio at any given point in the RPM range, altitude, or temperature. Once the perfect air/fuel ratio is identified, our Fuel Management Controller will monitor the exhaust through the oxygen sensor, and hold the fuel delivery exactly at the programmed ratio.


To finish off the project bike, we installed our brand new 6-spring clutch, which includes a fully forged clutch basket, inner hub, and pressure plate, and Wiseco frictions, drive plates, and springs. The stock 4-spring CRF450R clutch has a heavy pull, and uneven spring clamping. The Wiseco design improves on that by offering a retrofit to the better 6-spring design, which evens the clamping load and lightens the pull at the lever.

We went with the CV4 radiator hose kit to eliminate the tee in the lines, and improve the quality and appearance of the stock hoses. Pro-Action took care of the suspension to ensure the bike handled as well as it ran. Renthal is handled the drive department with a R3 Gold O-Ring chain, Ultralite rear sprocket, and grooved front sprocket. Braking USA ensured the stopping power is up to par with a 270mm oversized front wave rotor and rear wave rotor. We used the Cycra M2 pivoting hand guard system for roost protection. Johnny Signs finished off the bike with a beautiful custom graphics kit highlighting the Wiseco-powered bike and supporting sponsors.

Wiseco has products for all the CRF450's, including high performance pistons; forged clutch components; clutch plates, springs, and covers; valve train components; and bottom end rebuild kits. Check out http://www.wiseco.com/ProductSearch.aspx to find what we offer for you.

2009 Honda CRF450, Ready for Battle

Get your 2009 Honda CRF450 ready for battle with Wiseco’s new high compression 13:1 piston. You can be sure you are getting the toughest piston with the best features for the race season. All Wiseco pistons are made on a dedicated forging made in our in-house forging department, giving you a light weight piston with superior strength and optimal design. High compression pistons offer noticeable improvement in torque gains, giving you real “seat of the pants” increases. With Wiseco’s high-compression piston, you will be ready to grab another gear with instant throttle response when you need it the most. Wiseco’s dome design offers improved flame travel maximizing air/ fuel burn efficiency. Other features that come standard include chrome plated piston pins, horizontal slot pin oiling, pressure seal groove, and dedicated rings.

Wiseco’s new 2009 Honda CRF450 also comes standard with our new ArmorGlide® skirt coating. This coating is the result of testing, development, and benchmarking through our rigorous in-house dyno program. The result is the ultimate in skirt coating toughness, lubrication, and bond technology. ArmorGlide® remains on the piston for the typical life and lowers friction for increased piston efficiency, a contributor to increased horsepower.

To win with Wiseco, visit our website Wiseco.com or call our sales team at 800-321-1364. The Wiseco 2009 Honda CRF450 piston retails at $226.55.