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2004 R1150RT Wideband O2 Sensors

My R1200 injectors arrived yesterday. The kit is well packaged (with the original new injector boxes) and it's neatly organized. There are extra O-Rings, which weren't needed. Visually, the spray head on the R1200 looks just like my stock R1150 EV6s. The specs in the package are 0.5% matched at 2000 RPM and 1% matched at 8000 RPM.

Installation on my 2001 R1150GS was very easy and took about 15 minutes because I took my time. Everything fit very well. There are not instructions to lubricate the O-Rings but I used a film of fresh motor oil and they fit easily. Removal of the old EV6 injectors took a good strong twisting pull since they’d been in there since the bike was built in 2000. Take care not to break the plastic fuel distributor. Also take care to get the spring clip properly aligned so that it sits in the injectos’s groove AND captures the fuel distributor head fully. When properly aligned you get a nice “snap”.

I’ve got a recording Wideband O2 sensor in the exhaust so I’m able to very accurately measure AFR in very small increments of every 12.5 mS (0.012 seconds).

I began by resetting the Motronic to clear all its long term trims. I run with a 30-87a coding plug (on my bike that’s the Swiss Plug, as opposed to EU or US). Also, I had run the tank to empty and filled it with fresh, no additive fuel, the night before.

Before installing the new injectors, I recorded the startup AFR on a “cold” engine at 80F which had sat overnight. The AFR reading averaged 12.65:1 for the first few seconds while the Motronic was Open Loop. This told me what the injectors do without help from the Motronic.

Next, after resetting the ECU again and waiting a few hours for it to cool down I ran another cold start with the R1200 injectors installed. The bike started nicely and my first reaction was, that’s a smooth cold idle. I looked at the AFR for the first few seconds and it averaged 11.75:1. This explained the soft smooth sound after starting since the bike was running with a wonderfully rich (almost too rich) mixture. (This will disappear after the Motronic has learned about the extra fuel.)

The difference in AFR computes to 8% more fuel at idle. This is likely due to the faster switching times of the more modern R1200 EV14 injector and implies that they turn on 80 microseconds faster assuming the flow rates are the same. I’ll look at that more as I have time.

During hot idle I checked to see if the finer spray translated into more torque. The test is easy, measure the idle speed in closed loop with the old, then the new injectors. If the idle speed increases, there’s more torque at the same AFR. The result was that the idle speed was unchanged at 1100 RPM for old and new alike.

(The idle speed torque test is a good indicator. As an example if I set hot idle to 1100 RPM at an AFR of 14.7:1, and then richen the mixture to 13.5:1 with either set of injectors (and I tried both pairs) the idle speed increases from 1100 to 1200 RPM which indicates that a richer mixture creates more torque—as we know it does.)

Next I will try some riding tests before the Motronic has had time to adapt and see how the matching has affected engine smoothness. I’m expecting good things.
 
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I got out for an hour's riding and made some tests of the new injectors. I was careful to warm up the engine, reset the Motronic to clear all the fueling longterm trims that it might have learned in the previous tests and then do some riding in as many Open Loop areas as I could while the long term trims were being rebuilt.

My particular engine has always felt fairly smooth and I didn't expect to notice improvement but after only 10 minutes and below half throttle, it was clear that the engine was much smoother. I could feel it in the handlebars, in the frame and could even hear it in the exhaust. It was like I'd had an engine transplant.

I also made some tests at or near WOT while the longterm trims were reset. At WOT, I believe I felt less buzz but around 6500 to 7000 RPM there has always been some, and there was still some light buzz. I'll evaluate this further, waiting for the longterm trims to develop and see if there is any further improvement.

Next I ran some other tests near WOT. I found a long incline, upshifted until I was in 6th gear ("E" on the '01GS). After slowing to 2000 RPM, I cranked the throttle wide open. It's a hard test but one that my bike loves when the mixture is set to 13.5:1. Usually, it literally surges forward. But this time, although my mixture is still 13.5:1, the longterm trims hadn't richened the fueling yet. I wanted to see if the R1200 injectors alone, with their finer spray pattern, would boost the high power torque they way that the LC-2 does. The short answer is that the engine didn't like this at all and balked a bit until the engine reached 2500 RPM or so.

My early testing so far says that the R1200 hand-matched injectors have made a remarkable improvement in engine smoothness (and starting) and seem well worthwhile to me. Though for more torque between 1100 to 3500 RPM, you've got to add more fuel via lambda-shifting (LC-2, AF-XIED). Overall I give these injectors two thumbs up.

Today or later in the week I'm going to make some further smoothness tests. Since the LC-2 can be programmed to simulate a richer or a leaner O2 sensor, I will set the AFR to 16.2:1 (10% leaner than stock) and test smoothness during cruise. For anyone who wants to read about this here's a good link: Why Engines Run Rough Lean of Peak. Running leaner than stock creates a demanding test of left/right AFR imbalance. I'm expecting good things with these new injectors.
 
After riding for an hour yesterday, the long term trims have begun to develop. As a result of that, this mornings cold start AFR increased as expected from 11.75:1 yesterday to 12.45:1. This is a result of the Motronic learning the richer fueling (at idle) of the R1200 injectors.

Next I reprogrammed the LC-2 from 13.5:1 to 16.2:1 to see how smoothly (or not) the engine idled with the matched injectors and a very lean mixture. The result was quite good. Even running 10% leaner than stock, the engine idled surprisingly smoothly. This is a very good indication of the quality of matching--when you're lean of 14.7:1, imbalances in injection result in rough running.

One side note, when running that lean, you have to readjust the BBS because at 16.2:1 because the power drops off a lot. With the fast idle lever up, the idle was about 2000 RPM at a mixture of about 13:1 but when the bike went closed loop, the RPM dropped off quickly to 1500. As a result, rather than resync the TBs, I'll just ride with the fast idle lever up to get a good idle, when I test cruise performance at 16.2.
 
AF-XiED And BMW Fault Codes

Hello to the group and those participating in the AF-XiED Project.

Question regarding AF-XiED and BMW fault codes. I installed an AF-XiED on my 2001 BMW R1150RT about two years ago and the bike appears to be running quite well since. It virtually eliminated an annoying surge issue and performance is smooth and consistent in all respects at various throttle settings. I finally dialed it back to a 6 setting to see if it affected the only downside of the device which is somewhat reduced fuel economy. I should add that the engine is well tuned with everything in order with stock settings, valves adjusted, new spark plugs, new air and fuel filters, etc.

Recently I ordered and received a OBDLink MX Scan Tool along with the correct BMW adapter cable. I also bought the MotoScan Professional App for my android phone and after setting it all up was able to connect to my motorcycle and retrieve fault codes from the ECM and ABS controllers. I discovered an ECM fault code 0130 for the oxygen sensor has occurred 3 times with additional details indicating signal or value below threshold 02, test conditions met 10, error no longer present but already met 21, fault not causing warning lamp 30.

Trying to diagnose and understand these codes and information leads me to think the error is not serious and may no longer be present but relates to the performance of the oxygen sensor. The motorcycle is now about 19 years old with 70,000 miles on it so it is possible that the oxygen sensor is no longer performing at it's best but the bike is still running extremely well in all respects. I am also wondering if the fault code may be related to the presence of the AF-XiED and how it adjusts the oxygen sensor readings. I don't know when these codes were generated so I can't tell if it was a momentary fault caused by some other condition.

I have reset and cleared the fault codes and will continue to monitor the the ECM to see if they reoccur. My question is what other measurements or things might I be able to perform to determine if there is an issue that needs to be addressed?
 
Good questions.

First, you may or may not see the error return, and it is unlikely that it is at all serious. For the R1100 and R1150 series, all this is is an exception that is noted by the Motronic (if it stays low permanently then the Motronic will cease Close Loop operation). The cause of O2-low-errors is that the Motronic sees its O2 input voltage staying below 400 mV when it is supposed to be in Closed Loop operation. There are a few causes.

1) For the Oilhead, with or without an LC-2 or AF-XIED, you can get this error if: a) the O2 sensor is weak or defective, or b) if fuel pressure is low, often caused by a leaking in-tank hose. These errors often recur.

2) When your bike uses an AF-XIED, the O2 sensor is forced to work in the 800 mV range (as opposed to the 450 mV range). As an O2 sensor ages, it can have trouble getting to higher voltages, with the result being that the AF-XIED output stays below 450 mV, which will trigger an O2 error. You can either replace your O2 sensor or drop down a setting or two on the AF-XIED.
 
AF-XiED And BMW Fault Codes

Good questions.

First, you may or may not see the error return, and it is unlikely that it is at all serious. For the R1100 and R1150 series, all this is is an exception that is noted by the Motronic (if it stays low permanently then the Motronic will cease Close Loop operation). The cause of O2-low-errors is that the Motronic sees its O2 input voltage staying below 400 mV when it is supposed to be in Closed Loop operation. There are a few causes.

1) For the Oilhead, with or without an LC-2 or AF-XIED, you can get this error if: a) the O2 sensor is weak or defective, or b) if fuel pressure is low, often caused by a leaking in-tank hose. These errors often recur.

2) When your bike uses an AF-XIED, the O2 sensor is forced to work in the 800 mV range (as opposed to the 450 mV range). As an O2 sensor ages, it can have trouble getting to higher voltages, with the result being that the AF-XIED output stays below 450 mV, which will trigger an O2 error. You can either replace your O2 sensor or drop down a setting or two on the AF-XIED.

Thanks very much for the quick reply Roger. I will monitor the fault codes periodically for the next while and see if the error recurs. If it does I will look at checking the issues you have mentioned. Whatever I find I will report back on the results.
 
I soldered in the AF-XiED to my new Bosch O2sensor , '99' R1100RT

Had I read this thread more closely I probably would have seen the FIVE posts telling me NOT to solder the wires! Did I render my new O2 sensor inoperative? Could I go back in and attach the 'T' 'Posi-Lock to the White (pin#4) to the Red lead from the universal harness ? What could I do to restore the 'breathing through the cable' and allow air to seep into the sensor? Got any suggestions? Thanks.
 
Had I read this thread more closely I probably would have seen the FIVE posts telling me NOT to solder the wires! Did I render my new O2 sensor inoperative? Could I go back in and attach the 'T' 'Posi-Lock to the White (pin#4) to the Red lead from the universal harness ? What could I do to restore the 'breathing through the cable' and allow air to seep into the sensor? Got any suggestions? Thanks.

Can you cut the solder out and crimp or posilock the wires? Is there enough slack?
 
Posi-Locks

Yes, I can cut out the soldered connections and install the (previously provided) Posi-Locks. The length of wire on the 'universal' model of the AF-XiED for my '99' R1100RT was quite sufficient! Thank you Reto for your response to my post.
 
Yes, I can cut out the soldered connections and install the (previously provided) Posi-Locks. The length of wire on the 'universal' model of the AF-XiED for my '99' R1100RT was quite sufficient! Thank you Reto for your response to my post.

You want to remove any part of the wire that flux reached.
 
Cleaning up the soldering mistake

Will do Roger. What initially took me five minutes to solder I'll invest an hour for cleaning up! I'll be getting rid of the solder joints, cutting back the conductor to where no rosin solder flux is evident and installing the Posi-Locks. I appreciate your advice.
 
While many (not all) fluxes are corrosive over time, you can easily wash it off with a small tissue wetted with alcohol.
 
Cleaning up after my self (soldering mistake installing an AF-XiED)

Oh, when I make a mess or correct a mistake I really get into the task deeper than some think I should. Thank you for the 'small tissue' and alcohol suggestion. I am visualizing a succession of alcohol swabbings, application of my versatile Mityvac and maybe lastly a blast of air (to dry everything out) from the compressor! Yes, I do get carried away. I appreciate your suggestion.
 
The goal is to pick up the flux, not just dilute it and spread it around. A tissue (or multiple Q-Tips) will do that.
 
Dang, we were taught differently, so I'll show how anally OCD I can be... :buds
Note that NASA doesn't typically launch motorcycles...

From the Student Workbook for NASA Standard 8739.3
"Clean the lead with a soft brush, using the approved solvent and a shopwipe."
We were taught to lightly wet our acid brush in alcohol, then lay a Kim-Wipe (a lint-free tissue) on the flux and apply the wet brush to it; a slight scrub would wick up the flux.

From NASA-STD-8739.3

10.4 Solder Cleaning 10.4.1 Interim Cleaning.
Residues shall be removed during interim cleaning within 1/2 hour after soldering by applying an approved solvent as specified in paragraph 6.13 (Requirement). Solvents shall be applied in a manner that will minimize wicking of the solvent under conductor insulation and prevent its entry into the interior of parts (Requirement).
10.4.2 Final Cleaning. Mechanical means such as agitation or brushing may be used in conjunction with the solvents. The cleaning solvents and methods used shall have no deleterious affect on the parts, connections, or materials being cleaned (Requirement). Ultrasonic cleaning shall not be used for cleaning assemblies that contain electronic parts (Requirement). After cleaning, there shall be no visible evidence of flux residue or other contamination when examined (Requirement). PWA cleanliness shall be verified in accordance with Chapter 14 (Requirement).

From Chapter 13.6, Inspection Criteria
13.6.2 Rejection Criteria
a. Conductors and Parts:
(9) Flux residue or other contaminants.
b. Solder Connections
(8) Splattering of flux or solder on adjacent areas.
(9) Rosin solder joint.
 
Dang, we were taught differently, so I'll show how anally OCD I can be... :buds
Note that NASA doesn't typically launch motorcycles...

From the Student Workbook for NASA Standard 8739.3
"Clean the lead with a soft brush, using the approved solvent and a shopwipe."
We were taught to lightly wet our acid brush in alcohol, then lay a Kim-Wipe (a lint-free tissue) on the flux and apply the wet brush to it; a slight scrub would wick up the flux.

From NASA-STD-8739.3

10.4 Solder Cleaning 10.4.1 Interim Cleaning.
Residues shall be removed during interim cleaning within 1/2 hour after soldering by applying an approved solvent as specified in paragraph 6.13 (Requirement). Solvents shall be applied in a manner that will minimize wicking of the solvent under conductor insulation and prevent its entry into the interior of parts (Requirement).
10.4.2 Final Cleaning. Mechanical means such as agitation or brushing may be used in conjunction with the solvents. The cleaning solvents and methods used shall have no deleterious affect on the parts, connections, or materials being cleaned (Requirement). Ultrasonic cleaning shall not be used for cleaning assemblies that contain electronic parts (Requirement). After cleaning, there shall be no visible evidence of flux residue or other contamination when examined (Requirement). PWA cleanliness shall be verified in accordance with Chapter 14 (Requirement).

From Chapter 13.6, Inspection Criteria
13.6.2 Rejection Criteria
a. Conductors and Parts:
(9) Flux residue or other contaminants.
b. Solder Connections
(8) Splattering of flux or solder on adjacent areas.
(9) Rosin solder joint.

Good info, we were not launching things.
Just dirty old Gensets. :bow
 
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