Regarding the MotionPro SyncPro

[Dave77459]

We've talked a lot about the SyncPro ('[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33618]Carbtune versus Motion Pro SyncPro[/ame]' and '[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38304]Carbtune/SyncPro vs 4 seperate vacuum guages[/ame]' [sic] being two recent conversations). I bought the SyncPro and took it with me when I visited V7Goose yesterday for carb work. I wanted his considered opinion.

 

Yesterday was filled with surprises. First it was the roofing screw, then it was meeting lobo17 (he came to see the carb work), but one of the more interesting surprises was how the SyncPro "works".

 

Goose did not like it on reputation, and liked it less on sight. Goose was determined to prove the SyncPro to be junk. To be sure, there is much to dislike about it. It seems cheap. You have to calibrate it each time. But it was reputed to work, so he wanted to see how well it did.

 

Look at the photos. Goose hooked it up to a hand-held vacuum pump. The first shows the SyncPro calibrated at 5 inHg. The second shows that it goes out of calibration at 10 inHg, and is clearly wacked at 15 inHg. When he returned it to 5 inHg, it was out of calibration and fragmented too. It would seem that blipping the carb would send the SyncPro out of calibration.

 

For fun, I am including a photo of Goose's tool. There is no doubt it is quality. You can also see him in action. He uses his laptop to monitor the RPMs. That's pretty cool.

 

Well, he disliked the SyncPro before I left Houston, but how did it do? As I [ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showpost.php?p=364594&postcount=9]admitted earlier[/ame], I bungled the repairs to it, so I expected the sync to be off. But it was surprisingly good. 1 & 2 were sync'd OK, and 3 & 4 were sync'd OK, but left & right were not sync'd together properly. I had problems getting L/R to come together, and it turned out that while not horrible, they weren't that close either. When Goose got L/R together, the RPMs surged like crazy. Clearly, my bike was running better. Maybe if I hadn't reversed hoses, I could have gotten nearly decent results.

 

So, why did the SyncPro work as well as it did? Looking at Goose's vacuum pump test, you would think it shouldn't. I think it was because you calibrate at idle, which gives you a given vacuum. And that's the vacuum you sync to, give or take. What's worrying is that you lose the calibration when you blip the throttle (change the vacuum).

 

In short, I don't think I can recommend the SyncPro. I don't think the pluses outweigh the minuses, and I am not convinced it will do the job.

 

I want to take the opportunity to thank Goose for being so generous with his time, talent, and coffee. My bike runs like a top as a result. Thanks Goose!

 

Dave

Edited October 20, 2009 by Dave77459
eyepopping typo!

[Bloodbought1]

 

For fun, I am including a photo of Goose's tool. There is no doubt it is quality. You can also see him in action. He uses his laptop to monitor the RPMs. That's pretty cool.

 

 

 

Dave

 

 

He uses his laptop to monitor the RPMs. How does he do this please?

 

 

TIA

[V7Goose]

He uses his laptop to monitor the RPMs. How does he do this please?

TIA

I use a free program called RPM from Sound. You can get it here:

http://www.tunelab-world.com/rpmsound.html

 

It works well, but you need to understand quite a bit about it to use it effectively. It is not a great replacement for a real tachometer, since it must be set up for a specific range of RPM, such as 700-1300 RPM, and the upper limit must be set to less than twice the lower limit to avoid a significant harmonic that will confuse the sound card. It is tougher to use at low RPM. All the information is in the help file, so if you like to mess with that sort of thing, give it a try.

Goose

[Bloodbought1]

Thanks Goose:97:

[djh3]

So what if a heavier fluid was used in place of the "blue food coloring" looking stuff. Say ATF? Would that do away with the bubbling issue? My issue with mechanical "the round gauges" is unless you have really expensive ones youhave to connect each one to the same cyl to zero out and use some sort of adjustable restrictor.

[cimmer]

The problem I had with SyncPro was the o-rings were dried out and I had to call Motion Pro and get a refill kit. They did send one for free but the o-rings had dried out within a year and that was storing it in my heated basement. I havent bothered to get another refill kit as I am not sure if I really want to use it again or not.

When it worked it seemed to work fine the couple of times I used it. Just not happy with all the issues it has.

Good Luck

Rick F.

[OrlinEngh]

I bought a Sync Pro a couple of years ago and got to use it one time had the fluid get sucked out of the line, I got new fluid but I still havent put the new back in I think that they would work fine but just seem to be to much of a hassel just to use it.

 

I have a set of Mechanical gauges and I like them there in no fluids to mess with no batterys to replace and once you have them set they stay that way for a long time, and it takes about 5 minutes to sync the gauges if you need to.

Orlin

[Max]

So what if a heavier fluid was used in place of the "blue food coloring" looking stuff. Say ATF?

 

tried ATF with same result.

 

100% antifreeze with red food dye (for vis) works somewhat better, but still traps air bubbles.

[djh3]

I have read several threads where guys have said they arent using thiers anymore or have replaced with different units. I have sent PM but no response. I would be willing to buy a syncpro if priced right but I dont get any answers. I think it will work OK for me. I did read the OEM fluid is essentially anti-freeze on thier site if you read between the lines. Maybe a bit heavier 2 stroke oil or something. I think it can be worked thru.

[Midnight V-4]

Dion,

 

I have a snychpro that I bought about two years ago. If you would like to try one it's available. If you like it we could probably make a deal. I'll be off next week for vacation. give me a call or pm.

 

Doug

[djh3]

Doug, ck for PM

[Oldodge]

Old thread I know, but I found it while trying to sync my carbs with my SyncPro which is always a pain in the butt. When I bought the SyncPro, five years aga, my thoughts were to build a manometer, but no, I decided to buy the "right" tool for the job. Big mistake, I have struggled endlessly with this thing, won't repeat calibration, air separation in the blue fluid and a very busy fluid level. Every time I finished a sync I wondered why I bothered because I had no faith in what I did. Today I set it up, reluctantly, and it kept sucking air into the tubes. I guess the o-rings aren't sealing on the needle valves anymore. That's it, last straw, I have had it.

I made a simple manometer, pic below. I used the hoses from the SyncPro with the orifices in them, a meter stick, some clear tubing and some tye-wraps. Filled it with water containing red food coloring.

This thing works like a charm. Steady as a rock and easy to see/read. I did the left side carbs, then the right side carbs and then the rear left and front right to balance sides. Just for kicks I checked the left side and right side again and they were still right on. I just adjusted until the fluid quit changing elevation side to side. Even rechecking both sides it was much quicker and easier than ever before. If I had some tee's I could make up a four carb unit but I probably won't, I like the simplicity of this one.

[djh3]

Gave up on the blue fluid. Went with 2 stroke mix oil. Essentially it about the same as ATF. I had it and not atf, lol weed whacker saved me. Plus if you do suck the oil in no damage, anti freeze maybe not so lucky.

[tz89]

Really, if you haven't got a mercury manometer, go digital. There are a few choices including my kit.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?90191-New-digital-carb-sync-board&p=1040996#post1040996

[luvmy40]

So, why does there seem to be such an aversion to the Morgan Carb Tune here?

 

I've been using mine for 10 years with only one minor issue a few weeks ago that was easily fixed. One channel was lagging in response. It took 2 minutes to take it apart, clean the rods and bushings and put it back together and it works like new.

[Freebird]

I don't think there is really an aversion against it. I have been using one for many years and it does a good job. I personally think that the vacuum gauge setup is a bit better due to the fact that you can calibrate it and don't have to worry about rods sticking and etc. but I'm happy enough with my Carbtune that I haven't bothered to buy a vacuum gauge setup. I've synced hundreds of carbs with it and have had no issues.

[BlueSky]

I bought a Motion Pro unit and I couldn't get the bubbles out. After calling Motion Pro they suggested adding more fluid. The fluid will get sucked out into the intake if there is much of a difference in the vacuum. So, I was so disgusted with it that I sold it cheap just to get rid of the lousy thing. I understand the Carbtune unit works great. I haven't replaced it yet.

[RandyR]

+plus for the Carbtune. I bought one after my first Maintenance Day at Don's. Its been used dozens of times since then with success.

 

Funny, but I was just thinking about how much easier it was to tune the carbs on a twin cylinder MC (or any MC) with individual exhaust pipes - just by feeling the exhaust with my hand and getting things balanced. Don't laugh - I did that for many years.

[bongobobny]

I have a quad vacuum gauge setup but I never really liked mine that much as the vacuum hardly registers on them. I just recently inherited a Morgan of my own but have used one of them in the past and prefer them...

[videoarizona]

I bought the digital unit from @tz89. Simple and easy. Accurate as can be!

[RDawson]

I still use the homemade water manometer, two glass bottles, rubber stoppers, and vinyl tubing. One of these days I'll hook up to a carb tune or vac gauges and see how it compares.

[Sylvester]

So, why does there seem to be such an aversion to the Morgan Carb Tune here?

 

I've been using mine for 10 years with only one minor issue a few weeks ago that was easily fixed. One channel was lagging in response. It took 2 minutes to take it apart, clean the rods and bushings and put it back together and it works like new.

 

I use thew Morgan and have for a long time. Had an older mercury unit but now have the rod carbtune. Never an issue. I have seen one Carbtune Pro have a sticking problem at MD this year in Oberlin. Substituted mine and all was well.

 

[luvmy40]

Sylvester,

That was mine that was sticking at MD.

 

It's all good now.