Techlusion R259 TFI - 10,000 miles and 6 months

[Manhattan Rider]

Over the past 6 months and 10,000 miles, I have used the new Techlusion R259 TFI with very good results. I just returned from Glacier National Park and Yellowstone traveling 3600 miles at all elevations and in all types of weather. At 10,800 feet on Bear Tooth Pass, the bike ran great. The only negative so far is a loss of 2-3 MPG. My high mileage was around 50 mpg in the mountains with a low of 42 mpg at Interstate speeds, fully loaded two up.

My bike never surged until around 20,000 miles. The surging was so bad, the bike was no longer fun to ride. After several appointments at the dealer and my own failed attempts, I decided to fix the surge or sell the bike. My solution was disconnecting the 02-sensor and adding a Techlusion 83i. This eliminated the surge, however I had to operate the bike in open-loop (02-sensor disconnected). Since this product was new at the time, I documented my results for Paul Glaves (BMWMOA Tech Editor). Paul published this letter in the February 2002 BMW ON.

I then switched to the Techlusion TFI and the bike ran very well with no surging. I was able to use the TFI in closed-loop, however many owners could not. However, in open-loop, the TFI worked great. The new R259 TFI provides a connection to the 02-sensor ensuring it never provides the ECU with a signal to provide an overly lean mixture. So in closed-loop, my lean-fuel surge is totally eliminated.

Note: I am not employed or have ever received funding from Techlusion or Battley's for my endorsement. I do know the owner and inventor of the Techlusion products and have used Techlusion products for over 30,000 miles with great results. All three have eliminated my surging problem that could not be fixed by the dealer. Techlusion has provided me with a free R259 TFI to test on the road to help them determine their base setting. However, if it didn't work, I would be the first one to tell you.

 

[Magic_Rat]

Ken,

I've essentially done the same thing with no fuel mileage loss by using the Olive Green CCP, for 10 bux, or a jumper per Fish's web site for less.

If you don't want to be compensated by Techlusion, you need to pay them for the fuel controller. Just an accountant talking here Don't doubt what you are saying, as I've ridden a bike with a fuel controller at Daytona this year, just pointing out an inconsistency.

 

[Manhattan Rider]

Replacing the stock CCP with the OG CCP may work for you. However, if this was a consistent fix, BMWNA would advocate this for all surging bikes. For a couple bucks, BMW would have fixed the problem. This is not the case.

I have talked to many owners that have tried this jumper fix. I tried it many years ago. As a matter of fact, Techlusion several years ago recommended fabricating a jumper for use on some bikes with their 83i on their website. This may be the source of the original idea. Since there was no consistency, they pulling the jumper recommendation.

If you use a jumper, I would recommend having your bike checked with an exhaust gas anaylzer to ensure your within the CO limits of your catalytic converter. A stock oilhead CO is 1.5% +/- .5%. You set a TFi to around 2.0%. I like it around 2.5% for more performance. So I sacrafice the mileage. The testing done by Bill Shaw published in OTL and MCN resulted in no mileage loss. Pulling the CCP and running without results in CO limits over 4.5%. This COULD damage your catalytic converter over time.

The bottom line still is try whatever it takes to fix your problem. Give the LG CCP a try. If it works for you, great.

 

[Magic_Rat]

Replacing the stock CCP with the OG CCP may work for you. However, if this was a consistent fix, BMWNA would advocate this for all surging bikes. For a couple bucks, BMW would have fixed the problem. This is not the case. snip....

Ken, my friends in the UK say that BMWUK DOES advocate this as a 'fix'. I don't know what BMWNA's problem is. It's not perfect, but close enough and for 10 dollars it works for me. My bike was just checked out at the dealer with this (OGCCP) installed and everything was within spec.

 

[Ralph]

Surging & Techlusion...

My bike (2003 R1150RT) has apparently been caught by the dreaded Surging Demon, and, upon asking the Master Guru at a BMWMotorRad Dealer about it, his comment was that while BMW has yet to acknowledge that any such thing as surging exists, their tech folks have told dealers on the QT that the Techlusion provides a proper 'fix' and that installation of one will not void the warranty.

Good News!

 

[Magic_Rat]

Well, I know that the Techlusion DOES work, because I demo'd an RT with and without one at Daytona. The difference was striking.

But I have a question for Ken. What exactly does the techlusion do? Does it rely on the motronic map? Is it just a fancy 'jumper' In laymans, terms, that is

 

[kbasa]

Well, I know that the Techlusion DOES work, because I demo'd an RT with and without one at Daytona. The difference was striking.

But I have a question for Ken. What exactly does the techlusion do? Does it rely on the motronic map? Is it just a fancy 'jumper' In laymans, terms, that is

I believe it changes the signal coming from the O2 sensor to fool the Motronic into changing the mixture.

I read Ken's website, which is talked about here somewhere, and that's what I seem to recall. I also remember that there have been a couple iterations of the Techlusion and they're very different than each other.

 

[Manhattan Rider]

Well, I know that the Techlusion DOES work, because I demo'd an RT with and without one at Daytona. The difference was striking.

But I have a question for Ken. What exactly does the techlusion do? Does it rely on the motronic map? Is it just a fancy 'jumper' In laymans, terms, that is

The following paragraph from my article in the February 2002 issue of BMW Owners News, explains what a Techlusion product does to reduce or eliminate lean fuel delivery surging. "Drawing about 25 milliamps of power from the power side of the left fuel injector, the 83i (or TFI) operates by monitoring the triggering sent to the injectors. R1100 series injectors are ground-triggered devices. This means that the injectors have power supplied to them at all times. The Motronic simply turns on an internal transistor at the appropriate time to provide a momentary ground (measured in milliseconds). This causes the current to flow through the injectors, which energizes their solenoid coils, creating the magnetic fields, which lift the injector pintles to let fuel flow. The 83i box (or TFI) simply provides a ground circuit to continue power flow through the injector even after the Motronic has turned its transistor off. Since the 83i is extending the length of time the injector circuit has a ground, it is extending the length of time the pintle is open, therefore increasing the amount of fuel flow."

It does rely on the stock motronic map. When using a Techlusion product, ensure the stock CCP is installed. Here's a couple paragraphs from Bill Shaw's article first printed in MCN, and then later in other publications. This provides a good explanation how the R259 TFi differs from other Techlusion products.

"Many R1100 owners complained to their dealers about what is now universally referred to as ÔÇ£surging.ÔÇØ Although it is equipped with an oxygen sensor for closed-loop operation, the Bosch-manufactured Motronic Engine Control Unit (ECU) actually operates in two modes, open and closed loop. In open loop the fueling data is read from a programmed map, and typically, any high-load situations cause the ECU to go into open loop. In closed loop mode, the system relies on the oxygen sensor to control fueling. This is where the bike operates most of the time, under light acceleration and cruise, and this is where most of the surging occurs. The problem is that, despite being emissions friendly, BMWÔÇÖs closed loop system is too lean to provide a smooth power output.

Some innovative but unsuccessful solutions undertaken by dealers/owners to solve this problem included replacing the OEM multi-electrode spark plugs with Autolite spark plugs, substituting or removing the Cat Code Plug (or CCP, which defaults the fuel system to a rich condition, but one that can damage the catalytic converter), replacing the intake manifold with one from another R1100 model, and/or finely tuning the throttle bodies. The results of these efforts demonstrated that each bike reacted differently to these changes, and no universal remedy was found for those Oilhead engines that exhibited severe surging.

To address this concern, Techlusion Performance Group enlisted support from BattleyÔÇÖs Cycles in Gaithersburg, MD, a company that they had an over 15 year R&D relationship with Dobeck. This collaboration resulted in the latest generation controller, the Techlusion R259.

Where the Techlusion R259 differs from its predecessors is that it now modifies the signal to the ECU to add fuel in the closed loop mode based on input from the oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor is the primary fuel control used in the problematic closed loop operation. This sensor allows the ECU to maintain a supply of residual oxygen in the exhaust gas stream which is then used by the catalytic converter to behave as an afterburner for any unburned fuel. Because Techlusion believes that the oxygen left after combustion is a result of a lean fuel-air ratio which creates the surging, the R259 slightly richens the fuel mixture, thus reducing the surging or hunting. The oxygen sensor signal is the only ECU input that is modified with this device."

 

[kbasa]

Hugely informative.

 

[djkolde]

Question? How does the typical BMW dealer react to a request to install the Techlusion R259. Will a dealer do the work or must you have it done in a dark alley by a moonlighting mechanic? I have about zero ability and don't want to take a chance of really screwing up the works.

 

[Manhattan Rider]

DLK...it depends on the dealer. I know dozens of BMW dealers that install Techlusion products. My dealer, Engle Motors in Kansas City installed my first Techlusion 83i about 3 years ago. However, some dealers will not install the device because it alters the EPA certification. This is so uniquely BMW, since the first thing Harley owners or owners of other manufacturers do to their bikes is alter the exhaust or add other performance items, invaliding the EPA certification.

Being from Allentown, PA, you easily ride to Battley's in Gaithersburg, MD where the US distributor is located and have one installed. They helped design the new R259 TFi with Techlusion.

 

[Ralph]

Dealers & installation of Techlusion...

My dealer in Pittsburgh keeps Techlusion 259i s in stock (has one or two on his neat pegboard wall behind the parts & other goodies counter) and John & Co., his terrific technical gurus, will happily install one along with synchronizing throttle bodies upon request. I'm going to get one when my next service is due on the 1150RT. (BMW MCs of Pgh--in Wexford--They're a great bunch of folks!)

Best regards,

 

[MarkF]

Imagine if...

BMW just marketed a different chip with mapping not so lean. Call it a screamin' beemer performance chip for off-road, closed course use only. Everyone with a oilhead would buy one and the problem would be solved while BMW would make a bigger profit.

That's how H-D would have handled it.

MarkF