To Tempa-flo or not to Tempa-flo

Bischof

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Holly, MI
That is the question.

I've used this little gadget for the last 3 seasons and have for the most part been pleased with the performance. However I recently burned up two pistons in some really cold weather (-19 F) and I'm not sure if the cause was due to not letting it warm up long enough or something else, I know the tempa-flow gets mixed reviews and was wondering if this could have been a factor.
The sled is a 97' SX 700 piped with PI (RIP) center dumps and is jetted very conservativly, 150.0, 148.8, 148.8, relying in the tempa-flo to lean it out.
When I rebuilt the top I checked out the carbs and everything looked good. I didn't change anything in the set up with the exception on new permetex on the pipes pu it back together and it has fired rite up and seems to run well at least ideling in the garage. I haven't taken it out yet.
Any of you SX gurus have any thoughts?

Thanks,

Greg
 

Nickname..."tempablow"...imo When You Put Triple Pipes On A Sled It Creates Too Much Under The Hood Heat And The Tempablow Can't React Fast Enough...i'll Bet You Burnt The Mag And Center Piston...mag Was Burnt On The Exhaust Side And The Center Almost Burnt Thru But Also Was Burnt On Exhaust Port Side. It's A Pain But Jet The Night Before For The Temperature That You Will Be Riding In..
 
Oldcat you shagging my old lady and lookin at my sled on the way out?
You pretty much nailed the condition of the pistons. Have you had a similar problem?
Thanks for the info
Greg
 
I think I would coat the pipes for less underhood heat and coat the pistons with swain tech coating for better heat resistance.
 
Yes..one Ride With A Tempablow...sold It On E-bay For 76.00. If You Ride Hard It Won't Work Correctly All The Time...all It Takes Is One Time And It Cost Me 600.00!!!! What Pisses Me Off Is I Talked To Holtzman And They Said It Would Work!i Suppose That If You Can Wait One Mile Down The Trail Before Gettin On It...its Fine. If I Were To Do That...id Be Riding Alone!!!!!
 
Thats what steered me away from the Tempa. I had one on my SRX for one season, and didn't like having to wait a mile before I could get on it after a rest stop. I didn't notice a whole lot of difference performance wise, except on warmer days I could lean it out and it would perform decently. The concept is there, it's just a matter of getting it to work correctly 100% of the time, and from the sounds of it, it is not doing so.
 
Funny. Thanks Oldcat, looks like the tempa's gonna hit the curb.
Norwegian, the pipes are coated, the pistons are not. Really don't see a need to, until this last ride everything has been peachy.
I think I fell victim to "that one time" as well, in all honestly though, I think I aggravated the problem by running it too hard before proper warm up.
Ahh well live and learn.
 
Tha fix for the tempa flow with pipes is to plumb the thing into the handlebar area for fresh cold air. That way the under hood heat will not affect it.
 
SpartaSXr said:
Tha fix for the tempa flow with pipes is to plumb the thing into the handlebar area for fresh cold air. That way the under hood heat will not affect it.


Have you run it that way?
 
Havent used a Tempaflow in a few years now. I liked it alot but then I too was "burned" by it. I use to always like my sleds spot on but after about a dozen burn downs in the last 7-8 years I have now learned to let those last few poines go out the exhaust pipe as unburnt fuel. I'm not talking about pig rich jetting but safe jetting. Its nice not rebuilding your sled in the hotel room ;) ===SRXSRULE===
 
SRXSRULE said:
Havent used a Tempaflow in a few years now. I liked it alot but then I too was "burned" by it. I use to always like my sleds spot on but after about a dozen burn downs in the last 7-8 years I have now learned to let those last few poines go out the exhaust pipe as unburnt fuel. I'm not talking about pig rich jetting but safe jetting. Its nice not rebuilding your sled in the hotel room ;) ===SRXSRULE===

Very true! I am jetted for 0* & most of my riding is 0*- to the mid 20's & I have been real happy with it. Last weekend's high 40's* & riding w/skidooboy got me thinking about trying it again, But I think I will leave well enough alone.
 
i used to run my tempra flow plummed into the h-bar pad..
it worked great out there... you can fit plastic plumbing ells on the unit so the openings face downward and filter the ends,,
ran it 3 seasons like that no probs due to tempra flow....

thing i liked about it is when it was 40 deg it still hit very close to target rpm
 
I have had no problems with boxcar willie at -25 and +55 but the pipes are ceramic coated, and the intake is behind the air box.
 
Been running for 3 years now with the Temp flo. Stock coated pipe with a Quiet Bender can. Your jetting should be set at least to -20. Even -40. If any of the Tempa flo components comes loose the jetting goes to what ever your jetted to. If your Jetted to -20 and you were at -19 when it burned maybe you were just a touch too lean on your Tempa flo setting. It's tempting to want to go too far. (no pun intended)
Can it lean out beyond your baseline jetting. I don't think it can. Underhood temps sounds like it may be the culpert.
Would under hood temps do it? Would'nt the Temp flo just correct for that since it's mounted inside the air box? I would have to go back to baseline jetting.
P.S. Mine never takes more than a couple of hundred yards to settle down and away I go. I'm jetted for -20. I love the way it works for me. When I ride in 30 degree's it runs right on.
 
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i have run the tempaflow for two years and almost 6000 miles now, 3000 of them with ceramic coated cpr's, and i have had no problems whatsoever. I am jetting with 150's straight across, my intake is in the handlebar pad, and the tempaflow screw casing is behind the airbox. Love the product
 
Well I think I'm gonna leave it in for now and just try to be a little more carefull when I start out in the morning and after breaks. The more I think about it the more I think I'm the reason for the motor taking a shi*. I had it in the back yard one night and started it up in morning at about 5 or 10 degrees F. The track has froze up real good and I just think I was reving it too hard too soon before it had properly warmed up. She started backfiring like a good thing shortly after that.
 
I have an o1 600sxr that has PSI Modblasters on its jetted for -20f with tempa flow set up this way since new 15000km later with no problems
 


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