Think I'm finally quite safe to post a review of the MCX 180 kit I have in my 09 1200. My machine started life as a TNT in a 120" chassis.
I built the machine intending to boost from the start. I rode a friend's machine last year (fitted with another kit) and knew I would be quite happy with it. His machine pulled really hard and felt exactly like a stock machine except with more power. Really impressive.
Over summer I came upon a MCX low boost kit. After doing my research I decided to go this route as it had built in altitude compensation. This was key for me since I get out to the mountains a few times a year. The kit is rated at 180hp with a stock muffler. I had a Hindle laying around from last season and decided to continue using it since Powderlite's uses it on their turbo kits with success. The kit istself uses the same 16T turbo as the 240 kit, but does with a lighter wastegate spring and misses all of the airbox and injectors the bigger kit does. You also do no decompress the motor or change timing, and the EFI box is the same as used on the Nytro 180 kit last year. THe boost controller is electronic and is controlled by the computer. There are no provisions for user adjustability like the Attitude or Dobeck boxes. THe only thing you can control is boost by adjusting the wastegate rod. Once that is setup, the computer automatically adjusts.
Installation was fairly straightforward. The instructions do leave some room for improvement. There were a few spots which I had to get some help from MCX and PG Yamaha in clarification. Other than that it went quite well. I took my time and total install time was about 12 hours as this is my first install. Mechanically, it's a pretty simple install, you just need patience and time. I could certainly see where a guy could run into trouble if he took shortcuts or rushed himself.
I started out running 94 octane fuel to be safe during testing. I'm running a CJ motorsports pinned TRA with the same heavier componenets as recommended by CJ's and Mike Knapp. Everything went together really well and the pins and machine work for perfectly. CJ's craftsmanship was excellent. I've run the same 383 belt since day 1 and now have close to 1100 miles on the machine. I went through a pile of clutch setups last year testing and put that belt through hell and it isn't out of spec yet.
From day one the machine idled just like stock. I ended up adding almost a quart more oil to fill the turbo and lines going to/from the crankcase. First few times out the machine was violently bouncing off of the rev limiter. As I threw more weight into the primary, it started to become settled until I loaded the arms with considerably more weight. Ended up putting a tungsten slug as well as a short set screw in a Dalton empty arm which were in the Dalton Brute arms...quite a bit of pin weight. Helix is a custom Northern Catalyst helix as I knew the same helix as the guys were using out East wouldn't work so well for my 24/46 gearing and longer/heavier track. I have a very straight shift and machine pulls quite hard. I'm to the point where I need to add gear as I'm geared too low. In 3' of powder I can watch the tach stay solid at any RPM and not bounce.
RIght now I have about 450 miles on the kit. I've ridden here in Saskatchewan at an elevation of 1800' and just came back from Cooke City where we were riding at close to 10K'. The machine automatically adjusted boost when I went to Cooke. At Cooke, I was pulling close to 11lbs of boost. Machine was running a little leaner than I would have expected so I dialed it back to about 9lbs and think I should shorten the wastegate rod one more turn as the mahcine would only pull 5 lbs here in Sask. The machine seems to run a bit leaner on the A/F gauge than I expected and most seem to run, but the machine runs great without any deto and I'm running 91. On full throttle pulls I'm seeing a A/F in the high 11's to low 12's. Power is nice and smooth without and surging. There is a slight amoutn of lag to the system, but it's surpringly small. I have friends with Midmount systems on their Yamaha's and response doesn't seem too different. In the mileage I've put on, I haven't had a leak, stutter, or anything. THe only thing I've done is adjust for boost and add pin weight to the clutch and am very happy.
Fuel mileage is really good. On our Cooke City trip I used about 2/3's the fuel a 860 in our group did. At lower elevation on trails I'm using about the same amount of fuel I used to use before boost.
I usually go through everything on the machine each time I go riding just to see if I can find anything that has loosened up. I haven't found a thing and even the chain hasn't required adjusting yet.
My only issue with the kit so far is vacuum nipple placement. MCX calls for it to be placed on the throttle body downstream of the butterfly. I feel at partial throttle positions there's some turbulence behind the butterfly that results in a bit of vacuum. My boost gauge is a nice gauge - Dyno Tune - and using a vaccum/pressure tester responds quite quickly. Unless I'm really loading the motor I'm not usually seeing a positive pressure on my gauge. I think putting the nipple downstream a bit would help this, but I'm assuming MCX has done their fuel mapping from this position and am hesitant to move it from that position. They have assured me that this is normal and my A/F numbers at parial and low throttle positions are fine.
So far so good. A friend who has a Nytro on Propane is now thinking he will build a 300hp MCX 1200 now after riding mine and seeing how much easier it is to throw around in the deeper snow. There really is quite a difference in handling and weight between the two machines. Don't know if one is better than the other, but the Doo seems to be a better machine for boondocking. Power he will walk all over me, but he's running close to 325hp, but for a rated 180hp, I think it runs quite strong.
I would definately do this kit again and would recommend it to anyone. The TRA that CJ's has put together for me had held up fine. I've taken it apart a couple of times to inspect and nothing looks out of place. I have less belt dust than I did when the machine was stock. Pretty good considering I did a few pulls out West in 3' of powder where the flipper was to the bar for close to 30 seconds at a time. I can see where a guy can easily get the itch for boost. I was almost itching for more power when I was up at altitude already...but coming back her to Sask and hitting the flipper on some hardpack really reminded me how fast this thing actually is and that I really don't need anymore for around here.
I don't know if it's any faster/slower than a friends FPP kit. We have fairly similar setups, but they both seem to feel strong. I only rode his once, but that was a year ago and can't remember enough to compare. We're hoping tog et out once or twice this year and actually compare.
Happy with the kit. Keep itching to pile more miles on here on the praries and out West as it seems like this will be a add gas, check oil, and go kind of machine. Sure there is more to be had in the kit once I get the miles on, but for a install and go, pretty impressive.
I built the machine intending to boost from the start. I rode a friend's machine last year (fitted with another kit) and knew I would be quite happy with it. His machine pulled really hard and felt exactly like a stock machine except with more power. Really impressive.
Over summer I came upon a MCX low boost kit. After doing my research I decided to go this route as it had built in altitude compensation. This was key for me since I get out to the mountains a few times a year. The kit is rated at 180hp with a stock muffler. I had a Hindle laying around from last season and decided to continue using it since Powderlite's uses it on their turbo kits with success. The kit istself uses the same 16T turbo as the 240 kit, but does with a lighter wastegate spring and misses all of the airbox and injectors the bigger kit does. You also do no decompress the motor or change timing, and the EFI box is the same as used on the Nytro 180 kit last year. THe boost controller is electronic and is controlled by the computer. There are no provisions for user adjustability like the Attitude or Dobeck boxes. THe only thing you can control is boost by adjusting the wastegate rod. Once that is setup, the computer automatically adjusts.
Installation was fairly straightforward. The instructions do leave some room for improvement. There were a few spots which I had to get some help from MCX and PG Yamaha in clarification. Other than that it went quite well. I took my time and total install time was about 12 hours as this is my first install. Mechanically, it's a pretty simple install, you just need patience and time. I could certainly see where a guy could run into trouble if he took shortcuts or rushed himself.
I started out running 94 octane fuel to be safe during testing. I'm running a CJ motorsports pinned TRA with the same heavier componenets as recommended by CJ's and Mike Knapp. Everything went together really well and the pins and machine work for perfectly. CJ's craftsmanship was excellent. I've run the same 383 belt since day 1 and now have close to 1100 miles on the machine. I went through a pile of clutch setups last year testing and put that belt through hell and it isn't out of spec yet.
From day one the machine idled just like stock. I ended up adding almost a quart more oil to fill the turbo and lines going to/from the crankcase. First few times out the machine was violently bouncing off of the rev limiter. As I threw more weight into the primary, it started to become settled until I loaded the arms with considerably more weight. Ended up putting a tungsten slug as well as a short set screw in a Dalton empty arm which were in the Dalton Brute arms...quite a bit of pin weight. Helix is a custom Northern Catalyst helix as I knew the same helix as the guys were using out East wouldn't work so well for my 24/46 gearing and longer/heavier track. I have a very straight shift and machine pulls quite hard. I'm to the point where I need to add gear as I'm geared too low. In 3' of powder I can watch the tach stay solid at any RPM and not bounce.
RIght now I have about 450 miles on the kit. I've ridden here in Saskatchewan at an elevation of 1800' and just came back from Cooke City where we were riding at close to 10K'. The machine automatically adjusted boost when I went to Cooke. At Cooke, I was pulling close to 11lbs of boost. Machine was running a little leaner than I would have expected so I dialed it back to about 9lbs and think I should shorten the wastegate rod one more turn as the mahcine would only pull 5 lbs here in Sask. The machine seems to run a bit leaner on the A/F gauge than I expected and most seem to run, but the machine runs great without any deto and I'm running 91. On full throttle pulls I'm seeing a A/F in the high 11's to low 12's. Power is nice and smooth without and surging. There is a slight amoutn of lag to the system, but it's surpringly small. I have friends with Midmount systems on their Yamaha's and response doesn't seem too different. In the mileage I've put on, I haven't had a leak, stutter, or anything. THe only thing I've done is adjust for boost and add pin weight to the clutch and am very happy.
Fuel mileage is really good. On our Cooke City trip I used about 2/3's the fuel a 860 in our group did. At lower elevation on trails I'm using about the same amount of fuel I used to use before boost.
I usually go through everything on the machine each time I go riding just to see if I can find anything that has loosened up. I haven't found a thing and even the chain hasn't required adjusting yet.
My only issue with the kit so far is vacuum nipple placement. MCX calls for it to be placed on the throttle body downstream of the butterfly. I feel at partial throttle positions there's some turbulence behind the butterfly that results in a bit of vacuum. My boost gauge is a nice gauge - Dyno Tune - and using a vaccum/pressure tester responds quite quickly. Unless I'm really loading the motor I'm not usually seeing a positive pressure on my gauge. I think putting the nipple downstream a bit would help this, but I'm assuming MCX has done their fuel mapping from this position and am hesitant to move it from that position. They have assured me that this is normal and my A/F numbers at parial and low throttle positions are fine.
So far so good. A friend who has a Nytro on Propane is now thinking he will build a 300hp MCX 1200 now after riding mine and seeing how much easier it is to throw around in the deeper snow. There really is quite a difference in handling and weight between the two machines. Don't know if one is better than the other, but the Doo seems to be a better machine for boondocking. Power he will walk all over me, but he's running close to 325hp, but for a rated 180hp, I think it runs quite strong.
I would definately do this kit again and would recommend it to anyone. The TRA that CJ's has put together for me had held up fine. I've taken it apart a couple of times to inspect and nothing looks out of place. I have less belt dust than I did when the machine was stock. Pretty good considering I did a few pulls out West in 3' of powder where the flipper was to the bar for close to 30 seconds at a time. I can see where a guy can easily get the itch for boost. I was almost itching for more power when I was up at altitude already...but coming back her to Sask and hitting the flipper on some hardpack really reminded me how fast this thing actually is and that I really don't need anymore for around here.
I don't know if it's any faster/slower than a friends FPP kit. We have fairly similar setups, but they both seem to feel strong. I only rode his once, but that was a year ago and can't remember enough to compare. We're hoping tog et out once or twice this year and actually compare.
Happy with the kit. Keep itching to pile more miles on here on the praries and out West as it seems like this will be a add gas, check oil, and go kind of machine. Sure there is more to be had in the kit once I get the miles on, but for a install and go, pretty impressive.
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